How much citric acid is in the machine. Is it possible to clean the washing machine with citric acid. How to clean a washing machine with baking soda

16.05.2019

Today it is difficult to imagine a family that does not have a washing machine. She has long ceased to be a luxury item, and in families where there are small children, this assistant simply cannot be done. Do you agree? But, like any household appliance, the washer can break down.

The most common cause of breakdowns is scale on its parts. It can reduce consumer performance and even disable your assistant.

To prevent the problem, it does not hurt to know how to clean the washing machine with citric acid (LC). This method is absolutely safe for technology, but only if certain rules are followed.

In this material, you will find expert advice to help you clean the washing machine from scale in a quality manner, without resorting to the services of specialists. We will tell you how often you need to carry out preventive cleaning with citric acid. In addition, the article contains videos that clearly demonstrate the process of caring for equipment.

Scale in household washing machines (SM) is based on insoluble magnesium and calcium carbonates. (CaCO3 and MgCO3) deposited on parts. They determine the level of water hardness, and their concentration affects not only the process of scale formation, but also the chemical effectiveness of the detergent.

In accessible places, salt deposits can be ripped off mechanically, but it is rather problematic to get to the scale on the heating element.

Therefore, to remove it in hard-to-reach places, a chemical method using citric acid is used. She dissolves СaСO 3 and MgCO 3, and does not corrode metal surfaces.

Citric acid is an affordable, readily available product that effectively dissolves stubborn mineral deposits

The chemical reaction is as follows:

2C 6 H 8 O 7 + 3CaCO 3 = Ca 3 (C 6 H 5 O 7) 2 + 3CO 2 + 3H 2 O.

During the reaction, calcium citrate is formed in the CM (Ca 3 (C 6 H 5 O 7) 2), which dissolves well in water and is removed with it when draining. It is safe for humans and even comes in tablets to replenish the body's calcium reserves.

Theoretically, 125 grams of citric acid is required to remove 100 grams of limescale from a washing machine. This chemical fact must be remembered when evaluating the effectiveness of the cleaning performed.

The purity of citric acid is important only in cooking, the main thing for descaling is cheapness and a correctly calculated amount

Causes and consequences of scale formation

The scale formed in the washer is a fait accompli that requires a response. But one cannot ignore the reasons for its appearance, which can repeat the process of salt deposition on parts.

Frequent washing at 95 ° C will reduce the life of the washing machine. A mode with 30-40 ° C in combination with a good powder is also able to remove all dirt from things

Scale formation is facilitated by:

Carbonates, calcium and magnesium cations dissolved in water.
High washing temperature (over 60 ° C).
Use of phosphate-free powders.

The effect of high temperatures is that with strong heating on the metal surface of the heating element, steam bubbles begin to form - the result of local boiling of water.

At the micro level, this leads to its separation into a pure fraction. H2O passing into the surrounding liquid, and insoluble carbonates deposited on the metal. The higher the washing temperature, the more scale is required in one cycle.

Phosphate-free powders have a beneficial effect on the ecosystems of reservoirs into which the sewage system is discharged, but they bring some problems to people.

Phosphates reduce the overall hardness of water and inhibit the formation of insoluble carbonates; therefore, they are used in special products for the internal cleaning of washing machines.

Try to try the temperature of the glass of the SM door in the washing mode, since its coldness indicates a breakdown of the heating element

The absence of phosphates in detergent powders leads to accelerated deposition of salts on the details of the lubricant and the following consequences:

Overheating of the heating element due to poor heat transfer to the surrounding water through the scale.
A layer of salt insulates metal and rubber parts from air, which contributes to moisture retention, rusting and reduced strength.

In general, there is little good from scale, so you should remove it with citric acid or another effective means. You should know as much information as possible about the features of this method.

Mineral sediment on the pulley, crosspiece, bearing and other parts located nearby moving and in contact with each other increases the load on the engine, as a result, contributes to accelerated wear

Pros and cons of citric acid cleaning

The properties of citric acid are due to its chemical structure. This substance was not invented specifically for cleaning washing machines, so its effect on technical parts has both positive and negative sides.

Positive aspects of the method

Without descaling in the CM, you can expect at least the heating element to burn out. Therefore, it is not worth delaying the cleaning procedure. The method of removing deposits should allow everyone without experience to carry out the procedure.

If you decide to regularly clean the CM with citric acid, you can immediately buy a large amount of it. It will be cheaper and less troublesome.

The use of citric acid to eliminate accumulated insoluble salts meets this requirement due to a number of advantages:

Availability and low cost... Citric acid in the right amount can be bought at any store for several tens of rubles.
Simplicity... Even an untrained person can carry out the cleaning procedure.
Efficiency... 100 g of citric acid will dissolve up to 80 g of scale.
Security... Both citric acid and calcium citrate formed after the dissolution of scale are harmless to health.

The indicated positive aspects of LA make it the drug of choice in the fight against scale. It makes no sense to buy expensive special cleaning products for CM, if they provide a similar effect.

Citric acid is used both in the care of the internal and external parts of the washing machine. The advantage of the folk remedy is that, using lemons, you can effectively clean surfaces inaccessible to the user.

Confirmation of the effectiveness of removing accumulation with citric acid is demonstrated in the video:

The negative effects of citric acid

There are legends about the negative effect of citric acid on internal parts when cleaning a washing machine. There are numerous arguments against this method, but few provide evidence.

The theoretical claims of people to cleaning SM with citric acid are:

Formation of salts that remain in the washing machine and can clog the drain.
The acid corrodes the metal components of the heating element.
Rubber seals soften and may crack.
After cleaning, things have a specific smell.

A 1% citric acid solution is used to remove scale in the CM.

For comparison, a 10% solution of aggressive hydrochloric acid is used to remove deposits from hot water boilers. And even multiple processing with such a powerful tool does not affect the operation of the equipment. And rubber is generally resistant to short-term exposure to weak acids.

A problem will arise if crystals or citric acid solution remain in the pocket of the rubber seal that seals the door. In other cases, the negative impact of citric acid on the insides of the washing machine is a myth.

Holes in the cuff from citric acid do not appear immediately, but only after multiple descaling sessions without observing basic rules

The salts formed during descaling, together with the residues of paint, are completely removed by subsequent two or three rinses, leaving no smell or sediment.

Do all the disadvantages of citric acid turn out to be far-fetched? No, descaling has another drawback, but it is common to all cleaning products.

Insoluble salts can build up at water leaks, temporarily closing the hole and clearing up the problem. Leaks may reappear after cleaning the washing machine.

The described problem is not initiated by citric acid or other means, but the possibility of its occurrence should be kept in mind.

The consequences of using LC for cleaning SM are presented in the video:

Washing machine cleaning process

Citric acid cleans not only the internal parts of the SM, but also the box for filling the powder, the door and its rubber gasket.

For this you will need:

100 g citric acid;
a cloth that absorbs water well.

Simplified, the principle of cleaning the inside of the washer with citric acid is to carry out a regular washing session with loading folk remedies into a dish for detergents or into a drum

Step # 1: prepare for cleaning

Beforehand, you should check the drum again and remove things from it, if any. Then measure out 100 g of citric acid for a washing machine with a load of 6 kg.

If the technique assumes a different maximum amount of laundry, then the amount of reagent should be adjusted in the appropriate direction.

You can use lemon in 2 types:

crystalline;
diluted in water.

Dissolved acid is preferred because crystals are guaranteed not to get stuck anywhere. 100 grams of lemons are bred in half a liter of warm water. Diluted paint is not suitable for cleaning washing machines, which pump out the remaining water under the drum at the beginning of work.

Crystalline powder is loaded into the receptacle for washing powder, and the dissolved lemon can be immediately poured onto the drum before closing the door.

The maximum long-term washing mode with a water temperature of 90-95 ° C is selected and turned on. It should contain at least 3 rinses.

Step # 3: remove residual crystalline acid

After the final set of water in the machine, open the compartment for loading the powder and grind the remaining lemon on its walls. If it is not there, then you can borrow a little reagent from the kitchen.

After 30-60 minutes, it is necessary to wipe the compartment with a dampened cloth, removing the plaque present there. The main thing is to have time to remove the acid before the start of the rinse regime.

Step # 4: inspect the washing machine

After finishing washing, open the door and let the interior dry. Separately, wipe off the accumulated water in the pocket of the rubber cuff. Additionally, you can remove the bottom panel of the machine and clean the drain filter, in which chipped scale particles can get stuck.

Image gallery

Before the descaling procedure, you can pay attention to the appearance of the drum surface, so that later you have something to compare with

A temperature of 90 - 95 ° C is not necessary for descaling, but it noticeably accelerates the chemical reaction to dissolve carbonates

The SM door and the rubber seal must be wiped with a cloth soaked in 1% citric acid solution. Any plaque remaining on them should be easily removed. This completes the descaling process.

Equipment maintenance frequency

The frequency of the procedure depends on the hardness of the water in the region and the average washing temperature. The higher they are, the more often the equipment needs to be cleaned.

Inside the machine, citric acid contacts only with heating elements and a workspace made of metal, plastic and rubber. She and her vapors do not get on the engine, electronic board and other critical elements of technology, so you should not be afraid of the regular use of LK.

Although the process of cleaning SM with citric acid is quite simple, it is still better to prevent the formation of scale than to deal with later removing it.

Prolonged washing of laundry in the drum can lead to mold and bad odors in the washing machine.

These tips will help reduce the build-up of insoluble salts on the internal parts of the clipper and reduce the likelihood of breakage:

After washing, keep the drum open until it is completely dry.
Buy powders containing water softening components.
Add the recommended amount of detergent for hard water.
Do not machine wash old, decaying things.
When washing, it is preferable to use modes with a maximum temperature of 40-50 ° C.
Pull the laundry out of the CM immediately after the end of washing.

When removing limescale, do not exceed the specified citric acid concentration. This will not enhance the effect, but only lead to unnecessary cash costs.

And we must not forget about the obligatory wiping of the sealing rubber cuff dry after the cleaning procedure.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

After watching videos on the practice of using paintwork to clean the washing machine, you can be convinced of the effectiveness of this method.

Cleaning the washing machine from start to finish:

Analysis of the effectiveness of using citric acid for descaling proves that this product does the job perfectly.

The main thing when cleaning the washing machine is not to get carried away by amateur performances and carefully follow the specified rules and recommendations for the procedure.

When the first automatic washing machines appeared, many housewives could not believe their happiness. The new assistant did an excellent job with one of the hardest parts of homework. Of course, such a miracle of technology needed the most careful handling and care. Therefore, every happy owner wanted to know how to clean the washing machine so that it would work properly for a long time. After all, the very thought of having to wash it by hand again made even the most calm and experienced housewives worry.

In this article:

Modern washing machine care products

This is how special care products for automatic washing machines appeared on the market. With their help, you can clean the washing machine from mold, unpleasant odors and limescale. Undoubtedly, this will lengthen the service life of the wonderful technology, however, the cost of all these funds is sometimes simply transcendental. The pranksters even claim that if you set aside the money that you were going to spend on the widely advertised funds, in a couple of years you can buy yourself a new model.

Advertising generously adds fuel to the fire, showing more and more "disasters" that can occur if you do not clean your beloved assistant with special descaling powders. A wonderful technique breaks down, the water floods the neighbors, and the poor housewife is left with a full basin of dirty laundry. Or he calls some strange master, who, instead of fixing a breakdown or cleaning the teng from a plaque, begins to hammer it with a hammer. Like, nothing will help the unfortunate woman. Let's see if this is actually the case.

Why scale is dangerous

Limescale is solid deposits that form on the internal parts of the washing machine and interfere with its proper operation. If the plaque is not cleaned, it interferes with the heat conduction, as a result of which the heating element has to work with greater intensity. Electricity costs increase, and the heating element itself, due to such excessive efforts due to the fault of scale, sooner or later burns out.

But this does not mean that the technique will have to be thrown out. You just need to call a normal master or, with the help of the husband's skillful hands, replace the broken part. Then the machine will work again like new. But it is even better to just avoid such situations, and descale the washing machine in time.

Citric acid is the best helper

The easiest way to descale a washing machine at home is with ordinary citric acid. To do this, pour 80-150 g of citric acid into the washing powder tray. Its amount depends on the volume of the drum and the hardness of the water in your tap. Now you need to start the longest wash cycle with the highest temperature. Please note that we do not put laundry in the drum!

You can descale in this way once a year, if you rarely use the services of your automated assistant and do not "torment" her with high washing temperatures. If your hardworking technique washes almost every day and boils the laundry regularly, you will need to use citric acid every six months. If you're anxious, use citric acid once a quarter. There is no point in cleaning more often.

After this procedure, no trace of scale will remain. By the way, the same tool will help clean the machine from mold if it has already taken root inside your assistant.

How to get rid of mold

Mold is a very harmful fungus, which is extremely difficult to get rid of. Its presence may be indicated by the appearance of an unpleasant odor from the drum of the machine. It is extremely dangerous for young children and allergy sufferers, therefore, all parts of the equipment must be cleaned immediately after the first signs of fungus appear.

You can clean the outside of the machine from mold with chlorine-containing substances. It is worth rinsing them with a cloth soaked in bleach or other effective mold remover, and it will be very easy to clean. The tray for loading washing powder must be periodically removed and washed under running water. If even a little mold appears on it, soak it in a solution of whiteness for half an hour, and then rinse thoroughly with water.

You can clean the inside of the machine from mold with the same citric acid and the maximum washing temperature. 90-95 degrees of water in the presence of acid will instantly kill a living fungus.

Methods for preventing the appearance of scale and mold

To prevent scale and mold from bothering your pet, follow our recommendations:

regularly wash all external parts of the machine and wipe them dry;
leave the drum door ajar after each wash;
If possible, install a washing machine in the kitchen to ensure regular ventilation. This will save it from the appearance of mold. As a last resort, install a forced draft hood in the bathroom;
clean the filter from time to time and, if necessary, replace it with a new one;
be attentive to your assistant: as soon as it seems to you that she does not wash very well due to the appearance of scale, you urgently need to clean it with citric acid;
you also need to regularly clean the rubber seal and all the cracks in the door of the washing machine, since this is where the most dirt accumulates. At home, it is best to use an old toothbrush;
To eliminate the unpleasant odor from the drum, add a little bleach and run the washing machine “idle”.

Now that you know all about caring for an automatic washing machine, you can ensure that it continues to work for the benefit of your family for a long time to come. And she, in turn, will save you from the most routine and hard work.

For many housewives, a washing machine is an indispensable assistant that greatly facilitates household chores. However, like any other household appliances, you need to take care of it periodically: change filters, wipe dust and, of course, descale the heating element. For this there are a lot of expensive and not very expensive means, but the most economical and no less effective is cleaning the washing machine with citric acid, but the hostess must know how to do it correctly.

The main reason for machine breakdowns is the high hardness of the water, which provokes the formation of scale on the heating element, which ultimately disables the heating element. Knowing how to clean a washing machine with citric acid, how much to pour this miracle remedy, you can preserve the performance of this technique for a long time. Many housewives have doubts about the safety of citric acid for a washing machine. Let's try to understand this issue in as much detail as possible.

In most regions of the Russian Federation, water has a high degree of hardness. Ordinary water flowing through water pipes is saturated with a variety of salts. The consequences of boiling such a liquid in the form of a white coating settle on the walls and bottom of the kettle, pots, in which hard water is often boiled. The same plaque settles inside the machine as well, or rather on metal parts and heating elements.

Over time, the layer of salts deposited on the heating element becomes critical and leads to malfunctions of the device, since in order to heat the required amount of water, the heating element with scale works more intensively and longer. If you do not take any action to remove deposits, then at first the energy consumption will increase significantly, and then the accumulated salts will lead to the combustion of the heating element.

Therefore, from time to time, the washing machine must be descaled on the heater using ordinary citric acid in the right quantities and at specific temperatures.

This method combines several positive aspects at once:

citric acid in reasonable quantities is an absolutely safe food product that can be used for domestic purposes without fear of negative effects on human health;
the process of cleaning the metal parts of an automatic machine using this tool is as simple and accessible as possible, does not require additional physical efforts on the part of the hostess;
the cost of citric acid is much lower than professional descaling agents designed specifically for a washing machine.

Getting inside the washing machine, citric acid reacts actively with salts, destroying and chipping off scale from metal parts. However, this tool must be handled correctly.

There will be no harm to household appliances if you do not exceed the maximum allowable amount of lemon powder: 65-75 g for a 4-5 kg machine and 80-100 g for a machine with a capacity of 6-7 kg. In this case, you also need to observe the temperature regime. It is best to keep the temperature between 65-70 ° C during cleaning, since higher temperatures promote more active dissolution of sediment, which can damage plastic and rubber parts.

How to properly clean the vending machine with citric acid?

Citric acid has long been used to clean irons, teapots, samovars. So why not clean the car with this compound? Keep in mind that the durability of the appliance depends on the amount of lemon powder. As already noted, in order to clean a washing machine with a capacity of 4-5 kg, it is recommended to use 60 g of powder, that is, 3 standard packs of 20 g of acid or 3 tablespoons.

The cleaning process is very simple: all you need is citric acid powder and a soft dry cloth:

First, make sure that the drum of the device is empty, as things, when exposed to acid, may discolor or even break.
Then you need to pour the required amount of cleaning agent into the tray of the machine or directly into the drum.
After that, select a full wash mode with rinsing and spinning and set the temperature to 60-70 ° C, and if the machine has not been cleaned for a long time, then you can select the temperature mode 80-90 ° C.
Now close the tray or drum and press the "Start" button.
After completing a full wash cycle, you need to wipe the rubber band of the drum from water and, possibly, pieces of scale that have fallen off.
It is also worth removing the liquid from the drain and drying the detergent drawer.
If you notice pieces of limescale, it means that the lemon one has cleaned the heating element and other metal parts of the machine.

Experienced housewives advise to carry out such cleaning 2-3 times a year or after every 30 washings.

Washing machine citric acid is a simple and economical care product for household appliances. Special hard water softeners that need to be added with every wash, as well as professional descaling compounds, are not cheap. At the same time, these funds are poorly washed out of clothes, remaining in the seams, and can cause an allergic reaction.

Never add any detergents or soda along with citric acid, as alkali will neutralize the acid!

Keep in mind that when cleaning a typewriter with citric acid, the machine is not recommended:

heat water to a temperature above 90 ° C;
pour acid in large quantities.

Observing these 2 simple conditions, your technique will work for many years.

The automatic machine is an excellent assistant, which perfectly washes dirty clothes and wrung out things. Of course, such equipment is not cheap, so the washing machine must be protected from damage and properly looked after, worried about protecting the heating element from scale.

In addition to citric acid, to protect the heating element from the formation of salts and, as a result, its overheating and burnout, magnetic filters are installed on the water supply pipes to the machine to retain calcium and magnesium, but other salts pass unhindered. Therefore, magnetic filters are ineffective.

Can I clean my clipper with vinegar or lemon juice? After all, this is also an acidic solution. Yes, these are also acids, but vinegar has a very bad effect on parts of household appliances. And citrus juice contains an insufficient amount of acid concentrate. Instead of these products, regular Coca-Cola will do better for cleaning metal parts. Three liters of drink must be poured into the unit and turned on to a mode with a temperature of 60 ° C.

However, the deposition of salts on the heating element is not the only problem with the washing machine. Sometimes citric acid is used in order to get rid of mold formed in the machine and the accompanying unpleasant odor. In this case, the lemon powder is supplemented with a stain remover or bleach and the appliance is turned on for a gentle wash.

At the same time, it is better to prevent the appearance of mold than to take measures to combat it. To do this, while the machine is not in use, it is better to keep the drum door open, providing ventilation, and also after each wash, wipe the powder tray dry and remove the water from under the rubber band. Timely and regular maintenance ensures that there is no mold or mildew.

And in order not to bring the machine to the appearance of scale or to minimize the number of cleanings per year, it is also recommended to follow some washing rules:

Firstly, the amount of washing powder should not exceed the norms indicated on the package. In this case, the detergent must be designed specifically for washing in an automatic machine.

Secondly, do not wash old things falling apart, as they leave particles of fabric on the surface of the unit's parts. Subsequently, scale is actively collected on these tissue particles.

Thirdly, it is better to carry out any wash at a temperature not higher than 80 ° C. The water will be hot enough but will not boil, leaving salt on the metal parts of the washing machine.

Remember, the better you take care of your technology, the longer it will last you. And the rest will be taken care of by FIXIES .

The washing machine made life easier for many women. Now you do not need to spend a day off on a large-scale wash. It is enough to put the laundry in the drum, choose the appropriate temperature regime - and the trick is in the bag. All that remains is to wait for the conditional signal of the end of washing and hang up the laundry for drying. You can devote your free time to yourself, your beloved, or to do other household chores. But what to do when your assistant starts to junk? A washing machine, especially an automatic machine, is an expensive pleasure, and therefore you need to try with all your might to extend its service life.

The need to care for the washing machine

A washing machine requires careful handling, regular preventive measures and maintenance. Otherwise, your assistant will quickly fail. The condition of the washing machine depends on the voltage, correct operation, etc. Its main enemy is tap water. It can harm electrical equipment such as a boiler, dishwasher and washing machine, etc. The condition of water pipes in our country is quite deplorable. Therefore, you will get rust, sediment, various impurities, including chemical ones, in general, a complete periodic table. All this muck is clearly visible on the filter, which must be replaced at least once a month, or at least carried out regular preventive cleaning. Putting such a filter on a washing machine is a great option. But it costs almost the same as the new miracle unit. Therefore, it is recommended to regularly clean the washing machine with citric acid.

Purchased anti-scale products

Undoubtedly, on the screens of your TVs, you have more than once watched the terrifying footage of the heating element from the washing machine, which was destroyed by scale. And after them, a remedy appears on the whole screen that will save her from a similar fate. And now we are in a hurry to get him to the household chemicals department, thinking that the price is not so high, because repairs will still cost more. We do not notice at all that with the money that is regularly spent on this product, you can buy a new washing machine. Moreover, every modern powder already has a softener, so adding the same thing twice is pointless. In addition, this substance is not easily washed out. For allergy sufferers, this is quite dangerous. But there is a way out - cleaning the car with citric acid. With its help, you can get rid of scale, salt deposits and other nasty things, but more on that later.

What is scale and where does it come from?

Limescale is solid formations that build up on heaters, water economizers, and others that help heat water and evaporate. Most often, scale can be found inside the teapot.

The formation of scale is facilitated by the presence of various impurities in the water, which, when exposed to high temperatures, are deposited on the surface of the devices. A large amount of scale on the heating element provokes a greater power consumption due to the difficulty of heating water to the desired temperature. You can easily and quickly clean the washing machine with citric acid.

Why is limescale dangerous for a washing machine?

First of all, heating element suffers from scale. It shortens its service life and increases power consumption, which is economically disadvantageous. The higher the water temperature during washing, the more scale deposits on heating devices and not only. But I don't want to limit myself to temperature conditions either. You just need to carry out regular preventive procedures to combat scale and clean the washing machine with citric acid.

Getting rid of limescale in the washing machine

There are several ways to get rid of limescale. You can disassemble the equipment, get the heating element and scrape off the scale. But this barbaric method is bad in that there is a danger of damaging the heating element. And not every woman can boast of the ability to disassemble and assemble household appliances. Therefore, for a washing machine, this is the easiest and most cost-effective way to extend its service life. To do this, you will need:

A soft fabric known as microfiber. It will help get rid of scale particles and not damage the washing machine mechanism.
Lemon acid. For a washing machine with a load weight of 3-4 kg, 200 grams is enough.

How is the cleaning process going?

Cleaning the washing machine with citric acid does not take much time and effort. First of all, make sure there are no items inside. You need to start an empty car, otherwise citric acid will corrode not only scale, but also your clothes.

Pour some of the citric acid into the powder compartment, and the rest into the drum. Do not believe the myths that it can be replaced with lemon juice - this is not true. The juice of this citrus contains a lower concentration of substances, and their strength is not enough to dissolve scale. Only cleaning the car with citric acid will help.

After that, run it at the maximum temperature and turn on the longest wash cycle. Don't go far to see if cleaning your washing machine with citric acid is as effective. In the process, you will be able to see pieces of scale that will come out through the drain pipe.

After the process is over, carefully inspect the machine and pay special attention to the rubber elements. If there are any lumps of scale underneath them, gently remove them with a soft cloth and check the drain again for any stuck pieces.

Preventive measures for the durability of the machine

As you know, it is better to prevent disease than to cure. And scale is a real disease for technology. Preventing your washing machine with citric acid will allow you to get clean laundry for more than one year and enjoy trouble-free operation.

There are two types of descaling protection: physical and chemical.

The first type involves the installation of a magnetic device on the supply hose. It is placed according to a certain pattern to create a field. Magnetic resonance occurs. The principle is as follows. Water passing through the formed field changes its structure, which leads to an increase in the bond between the particles of impurity and water. As a result, there is no insoluble sediment, which means that there is nowhere to get scale.

In chemical prophylaxis, various substances are added that break down the sludge particles. As a result, it remains clean. When choosing such products, you need to be very careful, otherwise you can damage your clothing or equipment.

Preventing your washing machine with citric acid is one of the safest ways to get rid of limescale. In this case, neither clothing nor parts will be damaged.

Other ways to clean your washing machine

If for some reason citric acid is not suitable for you for the washing machine, you can use other methods.

For these purposes, a special water softener is suitable, which helps to destroy harmful salts and other deposits. However, this method is quite expensive, and not everyone will be able to afford it.

You can also install a filter for mechanical cleaning. It is equipped with a replaceable cartridge, so if the filter becomes clogged, you do not have to install a new one. Such equipment is capable of purifying water from impurities, rust, sand, etc.

The least expensive way to protect the washing machine is to wash it in water at a temperature of 30-50 degrees. But, in order to effortlessly get clothes without unwashed stains, do not forget about such a tool as citric acid for the washing machine.

What else do you need to know?

Each owner should remember: the more often woolen or shabby clothes are washed, the more scale the washing machine collects. In this case, citric acid does not have such an effective effect, but it still helps to clean the heating element. This is due to the large loss of particles from such tissues. As a result, they settle on the heating device and shorten its service life.

Remember that careful use allows you not only to keep your machine running, but also to save on water and energy costs.

Use quality laundry detergents.
Take good care of the machine inside and out.
Do not use abrasive substances when leaving.

We heard about limescale in the washing machine and that it is harmful to the machine. Fewer people have heard that it is possible to fight scale with scale and even fewer know exactly how to descale a washing machine.

Today we will tell you about why scale appears in the washing machine, and we will take a closer look at ways to combat scale in the washing machine.

Scale and its formation

What is scale and how does it appear? Scale - solid deposits that form on the inner walls of pipes of steam boilers, water economizers, superheaters, evaporators and other heat exchangers, in which the evaporation or heating of water containing certain salts occurs. An example of scale is deposits inside a kettle, deposits on the heating element of a washing machine.

Scale appears due to the fact that a certain amount of salts, various impurities and small particles (rust particles, for example) are present in the water. Of the salts in water, most of all are calcium and magnesium salts. The more salts are present in the water, the harder it is.

During the heating process, salts decompose into carbon dioxide and water-insoluble sediment. It is he who is deposited on the walls of the heating elements, creating scale.

Even the thinnest layer of scale creates a big hindrance to water heating. This is due to the fact that scale has a very low thermal conductivity, tens to hundreds of times less than the thermal conductivity of metal. As a result, due to scale, the water heating time increases, and, consequently, the power consumption.

Limescale in the washing machine

In the washing machine, scale is mainly formed on the heating element (tubular electric heater), which performs the function of heating the water in the washing machine tank to the operating temperature.

Scale in washing machines is dangerous because it causes great damage to the heating element, reducing its service life. As a result, it is necessary to prematurely replace the heating element by a master. Also, the energy consumption for each wash is significantly increased.

The higher the preset washing temperature, the more scale forms on the heating element. But this does not mean that you should not wash at a high temperature. After all, we buy a washing machine not so that it would stand in the sideboard and we would blow off dust particles from it, caring for it like a queen.