Samsung Washer Cleaning & Maintenance
Keeping your Samsung washer clean is an important step in maintaining your machine. Preventative maintenance and cleaning will extend the life of your machine and also prevent odors from a dirty machine getting into your clothing. Below you will find some tips on Samsung washer cleaning & maintenance.
Signs that your machine needs a thorough cleaning include:
- Bad odors in the machine
- Visible mold/mildew in the machine
- Clothes aren’t getting clean/bad odors
- Washer’s self cleaning light is on
Maintenance Tips
- Pull out soap dispenser - After every load, pull out the soap dispenser drawer on top-loading washers. This will get out any excess water and help the drawer dry to prevent mold buildup.
- Open the machine doors - It’s recommended to keep the washer doors open after use to help air out the machine and allow the tub to dry.
- Wipe down front-loading lip - Front-loading machines can gather water/moisture in the lip of the machine. Wipe any excess moisture from the lip with a soft cloth after every load.
Self Cleaning
Top-loading machines normally take 1 hour to run the self-cleaning cycle and front-loading machines typically take 4 hours.
- Step 1. Empty washer - Take out any laundry from the washer before starting. You will want the tub empty while running this cycle.
- Step 2. Press self clean - Press the self clean button, or turn the knob to the self clean setting.
- Step 3. Press start - Press the start button to start the cleaning cycle. While no detergent is needed, you can add bleach if the machine smells like mold.
Cleaning the Dispenser Drawer
- Step 1. Open the dispenser drawer - Pull out the soap dispenser drawer all the way.
- Step 2. Remove the dispenser trays - Lift out each of the dispenser trays and rinse them out with warm water. Set them aside to dry.
- Step 3. Remove the dispenser drawer - For front-loading machines, push in the ends on the drawer sides and remove it from the machine. For top-loading machines, pull out the drawer and tip it up to remove it.
- Step 4. Clean the opening - Using a soft cloth or soft-bristle brush, clean out the drawer opening. Clean out any detergent build-up that you see.
- Step 5. Place the drawer and trays back in - Put the dispenser trays back into the drawer. Then reinsert the drawer back into the opening.
Cleaning the Pump Filter (Front Loading Only)
- Step 1. Open the access panel - Press on the cover of the access panel to open it.
- Step 2. Grab the rubber hose - Find the rubber drain hose and prepare to drain water. Make sure you have a large enough container to hold the water.
- Step 3. Remove the cap - Hold the hose and twist the cap to remove it, then start draining the water.
- Step 4. Remove the filter - After all the water is drained, twist the pump filter counterclockwise to remove it.
- Step 5. Brush the filter - Using a small, soft-bristle brush, clean off any dirt and debris from the filter. If the filter housing has any dirt/debris, you can clean that as well.
- Step 6. Reinsert the filter - Once everything is clean, reinsert the filter by inserting it and turning it clockwise.
- Step 7. Replace the cap - Replace the cap back into place onto the hose and secure the hose in place before closing the access panel.
Exterior Cleaning
- Step 1. Clean the exterior - Using a soft cloth and mild detergent, wipe down any parts of the exterior that have dirt or grime. Gently scrub in circular motions for any rough areas.
- Step 2. Clean off detergent - Take a clean, damp cloth and wipe away any excess soap from the exterior.
- Step 3. Dry the exterior - Wipe the exterior down with a clean, dry cloth to get up any excess moisture.
For more information on Samsung appliances, check out our collection of Samsung diagrams and manuals.