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When my wife and I bought our house two decades ago, one of the most exciting things about the process was finally having in-house laundry after spending our whole lives (almost literally) sitting in laundromats. The laundry center in the house wasn’t fancy—and it was small—but it represented freedom and we were excited.
Of course, upon moving in, the laundry machine was instantly non-functional, so we had to scrape out the bottom of our bank account and buy a new one. And that machine has been humming along for 20 years, and might still be running when the sun swells into a red giant and destroys the planet. Considering that most washers and dryers last 10-14 years on average, that’s pretty good.
This wasn’t pure luck, however—I’ve been single-handedly keeping our laundry center going with a combination of regular maintenance and some light repairs. What I’ve learned is that you can keep your washer and dryer operational much longer if you do some pretty basic stuff.
Make sure the machines are level
Your washer and dryer are pretty active appliances—they generate a lot of motion and momentum while spinning heavy, wet clothes around. It’s essential that they be properly balanced and level, otherwise the drums will be off-kilter, causing increased wear and tear on the whole machine.
When the machines are installed, their feet should be adjusted to ensure they’re sitting level and don’t rock from side to side. But you should also be checking your machines on a regular basis with a level—if the appliances aren’t level, it’s time to adjust them until they are. This only takes a few minutes and can really add to the lifespan of the machines.
Read the maintenance instructions
Your washer and dryer came with a user’s manual, and your clothes generally come with basic cleaning instructions. You should read through both to know stuff like
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Detergent amounts. Using too much detergent can damage your washer over time as residue builds up inside the machine, leading to mold and other damage. Your user manual will give you a guide on how much detergent to use.
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Detergent type. Check if your washer is a high-efficiency model. If so, you’ll want to use a high-efficiency detergent. Otherwise your washer will struggle to clear out all those suds and the extra wear and tear will shorten its lifespan.
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The location of all the filters, drains, and dispensers—the stuff you’re going to need to clean and inspect going forward.
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Error codes and other maintenance and troubleshooting information that can go a long way to keeping your appliance functioning longer, because you’ll have some clue as to how to resolve basic problems.
Clean the insides
A disturbing number of people I’ve spoken to believe your washer and dryer are self-cleaning because they are appliances used to clean things. While it might seem reasonable that a machine like your washer—which regularly soaks itself in soapy water—doesn’t need to be cleaned, this isn’t true. Cleaning your washer and dryer regularly will greatly increase both their effectiveness and their lifespan:
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For your washer, you can simply use some vinegar and baking soda in an empty load to clean it. You can also purchase cleaning products if the DIY approach doesn’t seem to be working. You should also clean out the filter and agitator and give the whole machine a good scrub, inside and out.
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For your dryer, you should clean the lint screen, the exterior vent and duct (you can buy drill-powered duct cleaners for this), and wipe down the interior drum.
Clear the drain hoses
The hoses that drain out of your washer can become clogged with what scientists call gunk over the years. Believe me, the first time I took a look inside my washer’s drain hose my life changed, and not for the better. You can usually remove the drain hose without needing to open up the machine—it’s probably just clamped in place. Take it off and use your garden hose to blast clogs out of it with some water pressure, and your washer will have an easier time draining—resulting in dryer clothes and less wear and tear on the machine.
Check your pockets
Everyone occasionally washes something they forgot in their pockets, and it might seem harmless (unless it’s your phone or something else allergic to water). But metal objects like coins, keys, or screws left over from your last DIY project can scratch drums, break stuff, and clog up your filters and drains. As a result, one of the easiest ways to keep your old washer and dryer humming is to always, always check your pockets before dumping stuff in the wash.
And while we’re discussing metal objects, you should also probably not wash clothing with metal in it, like underwires—or even zippers. If you have to wash something with a zipper, you can minimize the danger by making sure it’s fully zipped-up.
Don’t over- or under-do it
Washers and dryers are designed for specific amounts of laundry, and overloading or under-loading can cause damage to the machine:
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Washers should be run with full loads, but not overloaded. You can weigh your laundry and compare it to your washer’s capacity, which would be very accurate—but you’re probably OK just eye-balling things. Generally speaking, if you fill the washer up three-fourths of the way, you’re not overloading it. Anything less than half full is under-loading it, and both scenarios can cause damage and wear-and-tear to the machine.
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Dryers, on the other hand, are usually best run lighter. Keeping your dryer loads to about half the capacity of the dryer is a good practice—it’ll ensure your clothes dry more evenly and more quickly, and won’t stress the dryer as much (overloading a modern dryer can also mess with the sensors it uses to tell when clothes are dry).