Fabric softener dispensers are compartments within a washing machine that allow fabric softeners to get released during a laundry cycle effectively. Fabric softeners soften clothing and prevent them from getting static, reducing wrinkles.
The softener dispenser adds the softener to your laundry during the rinse cycle of machine wash.
Using fabric softeners offer many benefits. Maintaining your fabric softener dispenser is important because it protects your clothing and gives a clean and nice smell to your laundry. One way to maintain them is by properly cleaning them.
How Can I Clean My Fabric Softener Dispenser?
It’s very important to maintain this part of the washing machine because of its heavy usage by many individuals.
Knowledge of how to clean the fabric softener dispenser is not very common, and as such, many individuals just constantly use them without cleaning or probably just employ the help of cleaning services.
It’s not so hard to do this. You could actually perform this task by yourself.
Materials Used For Cleaning The Fabric Softener Dispenser
To begin cleaning the fabric softener dispenser, you might want to get a few things from a grocery store if you haven’t got them at home. Things like;
- Heated water
- A clean cotton handkerchief
- Vinegar/liquid detergents
- A pair of rubber gloves
- A big bowl
- A can of bleach
Getting Started
When you’ve got all the materials for cleaning the softener dispenser, you might want to check if your washing machine has a removable or non-removable softener dispenser unit.
You can look it up in your washing machine’s manual if you do not know how to do that.
For Removable Fabric Softener Dispensers
- Check if your washing machine is a front or top loader.
There are different types of washing machines. Therefore, cleaning the softener unit inside depends on where they are situated.
The dispenser unit should be located beneath the covers on the top or in the corner of the machine.
You can read the machine’s instructions manual to get the information if you don’t know how to do this.
- Remove the fabric softener dispenser unit
Once you’ve located the softener dispenser unit, extract the dispenser from the agitator cap in the machine.
Since your washing machine has a removable softener dispenser unit, you can do this by pulling the dispenser unit out or by clasping a lever on the machine, if any.
- Formulate a cleaning solution
After you remove it, create a solution by mixing mildly hot water, a cap full of bleach, and some liquid detergent in a big bowl, or you can use vinegar if you don’t like detergents.
You could add baking soda to the mixture too. It’s best to put on gloves because of the bleach in the solution.
- Run the dispenser unit through the solution
Now, put the dispenser in the solution and leave it for up to 10 or 15 minutes to remove the dirt, impurities, and softener residue from the fabric softener dispenser.
You may stir the solution to add a little force to dislodge the dirt.
- Wipe with a clean cloth. Now you can put it back.
After doing this, you can remove the softener dispenser from the solution and rinse it.
Then using a clean cotton handkerchief, clean the dispenser again to remove dirt that may have remained, and then dry the dispenser.
Then you can put the dispenser unit back into the washing machine.
For Non-Removable Fabric Softener Dispensers
- Check for the location of the dispenser unit
For non-removable dispensers, begin by looking for where the fabric softener dispenser is located in the machine if it’s a front or top loader type, like I said earlier.
If you can’t locate it, consult the machine’s instructions manual to find it.
- Formulate a cleaning solution.
Create a mixture just like the one above with warm water, at least 2 to 3 tablespoons of bleach, and some laundry detergent or a little vinegar.
Also, ensure you have your gloves on at all times.
- Pour the solution into the softener dispenser unit.
Now pour the mixture into the softener dispenser unit and program the washing machine to complete warm rinses to remove any softener residue effectively.
You may also pour heated water into the dispenser if your machine doesn’t have this feature.
- Properly rinse the unit.
Repeat the process above about 3 to 4 times for proper removal of the residue.
Then clean the insides of the dispenser with a clean cotton handkerchief, and that’s all you need to do.
Why Does My Fabric Softener Dispenser Gets Soiled?
Laundry machines are an essential part of the laundry process. They allow you to do your own laundry and dry your clothes effortlessly.
That’s why maintaining the fabric softener dispensers within them is critical to ensuring the machine’s overall performance.
Fabric softener residues may rack up in the dispenser over time as a result of regular use of the washing machine. This may lead to fabric softener stains on clothing and other laundry items.
Soiled fabric softener dispensers can also be caused by not cleaning the dispenser after each use or not diluting the fabric softener before adding it to the softener compartment.