For many people, washing machines are one of the most important items in their homes.
From keeping clothes clean to saving money on laundry soap, there is a reason why they have become so popular over the years.
However, with all the benefits that come from this appliance and its convenience for busy families, it’s not surprising to notice rust in your washing machine.
A washing machine can rust on leaving the outside of the machine dirty after each wash, lack of ventilation, overloading the machine with wet clothes for too long, or using corrosive cleaners, detergents, and hot water too often.
In this post, you will get to know how you can prevent your machine from rusting. You’ll learn about what causes rusting and how you can keep your washer running smoothly for years to come.
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Why Do Washing Machine Rust? (9 Reasons)
Outside Of Machine Is Left Dirty After Each Wash
Soap scum and hard water residue can swell on the exterior surfaces of your washing machine. These residues are among the factors that promote rust formation on your machine.
When you leave these remains without cleaning them regularly, they will begin to rust over time due to exposure to moisture, which is a start of an unwelcome process in your washer’s surface area.
To avoid this from happening, wipe down all parts that come into contact with the water with warm soapy water after each use and air-dry them afterward.
Not Enough Water In The Tub During Use
Most washing machines are made to be used at full capacity when in use. Whatever washer you have, always fill it up to prevent too much heat from remaining in the machine for a long period.
This can cause your washing machine’s temperate sensors to overheat and malfunction.
Lack Of Ventilation For The Machine
When you leave your washing machine idle for days on end, moisture buildup inside the tub will also occur, causing corrosion.
To keep this from happening, you need to have a place where the air is constantly flowing into the machine, like an open window or, if possible, a ventilating fan set aside just for laundry usage.
Without proper ventilation during times of non-use, humidity can’t escape, and humidity is what brings about mildew which can be a contributing factor to rusting.
Leaving The Machine On For Too Long When Not In Use
Never leave your washing machine on for hours even if you’re not using it, no matter how long or short the cycle is that was in progress when you last used it.
It doesn’t matter if that washer has an auto-off function where it will turn itself off after running through its course.
Leaving the machine on with wet clothes inside puts excess strain on the internal components of the machine as well as moisture buildup, which can hasten its deterioration over time whether or not it’s being used at all.
This will also cause more heat to build up, leading to overheating, leading to a fire.
Using Hot Water, Detergent And Softener Too Often
Use warm or cold water instead of hot when you’re washing your laundry as much as possible. This practice will prolong the life of your washing machine parts. In contrast, it’s not being used, and ventilation is compromised.
Using more than necessary detergents and softeners in your wash load can also cause buildup on the inner surfaces of your washer, contributing to rust formation with time due to its exposure to moisture inside the tub.
Try adding fewer soap and fabric softeners if need be, but don’t eliminate them from your laundry regimen altogether since they are needed for certain clothes such as woolens.
If you have sensitive skin and suffer from dermatitis, you may want to avoid using too much of these in your wash cycles as they can irritate people with sensitive skin.
Washing Too Many Clothes In One Load
Overloading your washing machine puts a strain on the washer’s internal parts, especially the spin cycle, and also increases the risk of getting clothes tangled up within itself that is already loaded, which will cause damage to them eventually, including ripped seams and holes along with snags.
Overloading will make it difficult for water to get into contact with all of your clothing items at once, causing some items to be left soaking wet while others become bone dry by the time they’re done spinning.
This is one of the most reasons why clothes tend to end up with mildew and sometimes even mold growing on them, which can contribute to the formation of rust in your washing machine’s interior.
Not Using A Pull Rope Or Tabs On Tops Of Clothes
Most of today’s washing machines allow you to use a pull rope or tab at the top of the garment for easy removal once it’s done being washed.
Suppose you’re not taking advantage of this feature. In that case, your items will have a harder time getting pushed down into the water during its course, leaving some items lying flat on top of others still requiring how much water gets into contact with each piece by hand.
So utilize these special features offered on these washers if need to.
Overloading Wet Clothes From Rain Or Snow
Wet clothes from rain and snow can bring about mildew or mold, which can then start a process of rusting inside your washing machine as it’s not being used in the meantime due to cabin fever.
So, if you’re going out to ski or go camping for the weekend, make sure that those damp items are hung up outside to dry first before putting them into the machine once you get back home again, so they don’t cause moisture buildup and possible rust problems with your washer later on down the road.
You may also want to run a cycle without doing laundry just so the compressor of your washer doesn’t cycle on and off every time it’s filled with water which is where the condensation will occur if that happens.
Running Rinse And Spin Cycles Without Washing First
Although it’s good to clean your washers from time to time, overdoing it can cause damage in the long run as well due to not using enough soap or fabric softener, which is needed for certain items like woolens or washing them too much at one sitting.
You should only be cleaning out excess lint buildup at most once a month unless there’s mold growing on some of your items, then do so right away before it becomes a bigger problem.
If you’re overly anxious to get some clothes clean before your next washer load, then hang them up outside on a clothesline or use your dryer instead of running the rinse and spin cycles just to get your items smelling fresh again.
Additional Tips to Prevent Washing Machine From Rust
As the saying goes, it is better to prevent your apparatus from rusting than deal with the stain. Here are some additional tips for you:
Ensure Pockets Has No Metallic Objects
One of the greatest ways of ensuring no corrosion in your cleaning elements is by checking the pockets. Unfortunately, people forget some metallic metals in their pockets, which later cause problems in the cleaning element.
It is therefore important to go through all the pockets before placing your fabric into the cleaning element.
Do Not Leave Damp Clothes In Machine
At the same time, it is advisable to immediately transfer your clothes to the dryer after the washer finishes its washing cycle. Leaving damp clothes in the washer for a long time could result in corrupting the washer.
Wipe Washer Surface After Cleaning
After you finish washing, you should wipe the washer surface to ensure no water settles on the surface. That ensures that no stains accumulate on the surface, and therefore it makes it hard for the washer to corrode.
Apply Polish to Washer
It is always important to apply some polish to the washer to protect it. In addition, a protective wax coating applied to the machine’s exterior ensures protection of the machine from Corrosion.
But before you begin applying the wax, it is important to check on the warranty. Some manufacturers may not honor their warranty when you use an additional coating on the washer.
Wrapping It Up!
If you want to take care of your washing machine from rusting, it is important to know the do’s and don’ts. As long as you leave the issues unaddressed, there is a high possibility of encountering problems with your fabric cleaner.
But if you want it to ensure the device serves you for long; avoid anything that may cause problems in the machine. Good Luck!
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