How Often Should You Clean Your Washing Machine? What LG, Samsung and Whirlpool Say
Clean the drum at least once a month, or sooner if your washer's reminder comes on first (LG shows tCL after 30 washes; Samsung's light comes on after 20 or 40 cycles, depending on the model). Our advice is every two weeks if you have hard water, a musty smell or a busy home running 10 or more loads a week. Wipe the door seal weekly and clean the detergent drawer and drain pump filter monthly; one BLITZ tablet every two weeks is a year of cleans for $24.95.
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In this guide
How often should you clean your washing machine?
Once a month is the floor. Every maker we checked (LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Maytag, GE and Frigidaire) asks for a drum cleaning cycle at least monthly. Several also tie it to a load count, from every 20 to every 50 washes, whichever comes first.
The drum is only one part of the job. A cleaning cycle doesn't reach the folds of the door seal, the detergent drawer or the drain pump filter, so each needs a quick clean of its own. Here is the whole schedule on one page.
Why every two weeks for the drum, when makers say monthly? Monthly is the makers' minimum for an average home. Busy homes hit the load reminder before the month is up, and Whirlpool and Maytag both say hard water or frequent use may call for more frequent cleaning without giving a number. Every two weeks covers both cases, and it's the interval on the BLITZ box.
What LG, Samsung, Whirlpool and GE recommend
Each brand has its own name for the cleaning cycle and its own reminder. Here is what their support pages and manuals say.
- LG: LG Canada recommends Tub Clean monthly. The tCL message appears once you've run more than 30 wash cycles. It's a reminder, not a fault. See how to run Tub Clean and clear tCL on an LG washer.
- Samsung: Samsung Canada says to run Self Clean about once a month. The manuals add a load count: at least once a month or every 40 cycles on the WF45T6000 front loader, every 20 cycles on the WA45T3200 top loader, and the Self Clean light blinks when the count is reached. Details in our Samsung Self Clean guide.
- Whirlpool and Maytag: Whirlpool's help pages say at least once a month or every 30 wash cycles, whichever comes first, and more often with hard water or frequent use. Maytag gives the same monthly minimum, plus whenever the "clean washer" light is on or there's an odour.
- GE: clean the tub once a month. Most GE manuals call the cycle Basket Clean.
- Frigidaire: Tub Clean once a month or every 50 loads, depending on the model. Some models call it System Clean or Clean Washer.
Tip: If your washer has a cleaning reminder, it is counting loads for you. When it comes on, clean the drum within the next few loads instead of waiting for the end of the month.
How often by household: count your loads
A household's size matters only through the number of loads it runs. Count your loads for one normal week, then compare with LG's 30-wash reminder:
Our math: a month is about 4.3 weeks, so a 30-load reminder arrives before the end of the month once you run more than about 7 loads a week (30 ÷ 4.3). Below that, the monthly rule comes first; above it, the load count does.
The break-even moves with your washer's counter. A Samsung top loader that counts 20 cycles gets there at about 5 loads a week; a Frigidaire that counts 50, at about 12. At 15 loads a week, LG's 30 loads go by every two weeks, so a monthly clean is half as often as its counter asks.
Front-load, top-load and HE washers
The drum schedule is the same for every type: monthly at least, more with heavy use. What changes is the other parts to look after.
- Front loaders have a rubber door seal that holds water after every load and, on most models, a drain pump filter behind a small panel at the bottom. Samsung Canada says to wipe the seal every week and clean the pump filter at least once a month or about every 40 washes (the WF45T6000 manual says 5 or 6 times a year, so monthly is the safe end). Our guide to cleaning a front-load washer gasket shows how.
- Top loaders hide residue on the outer side of the wash basket and under the rim, where you can't see it. Some count fewer loads before the reminder (20 on Samsung's WA45T3200), and most have no drain filter you can reach. Whirlpool says to leave the lid open between uses. Brand by brand steps: how to clean a top-load washer.
- High-efficiency (HE) washers use less water, so too much detergent is harder to rinse out and stays behind as residue. Use HE detergent at the dose on the label, and keep the monthly or two-week rhythm.
Hard water: clean more often
Hard water leaves minerals that build up with detergent residue. Whirlpool and Maytag both say it may call for more frequent cleaning, but no maker gives a number. Here's ours, using the U.S. Geological Survey scale (over 120 mg/L is hard, over 180 mg/L is very hard):
- Soft (about 60 mg/L or less): Laval (50 to 61 mg/L) and Gatineau (32 to 45 mg/L). Monthly, unless your load count says sooner.
- Moderately hard (61 to 120 mg/L): Montréal (117 mg/L), Longueuil (113 to 117 mg/L), Sherbrooke (73 mg/L) and Toronto (119 mg/L). Every two to four weeks: closer to two near the top of the range or in a busy home.
- Hard or very hard (over 120 mg/L): Calgary (174 mg/L in the north, 224 mg/L in the south), for example. Every two weeks.
Figures come from each city's latest water quality report (2023 to 2025). Check how hard the water is in your city. On a private well, hardness varies from one well to the next, so test yours: our hard well water guide explains how.
Signs your washing machine is overdue for a cleaning
Don't wait for the calendar if you see any of these. Each one points to a different part of the washer.
Residue on a stainless drum often shows as a grey band or white specks. These real photos from the BLITZ product page show two different top-load drums: one with a band of residue, one clean after a BLITZ cycle.
A smell that comes back after a cleaning cycle usually lives where the cycle can't reach. Our guide washer still smells after cleaning lists the 8 places to check. For flakes on clothes, see black flakes in your washing machine.
How to clean the drum, seal, drawer and filters
You need: a BLITZ tablet, a soft cloth, a towel and a shallow pan for the filter.
- Drum, every two weeks (monthly at least). Empty the washer. Drop one tablet directly into the drum, not the detergent drawer. Run the hottest cycle or your washer's cleaning cycle (Tub Clean, Clean Washer, Basket Clean; on a Samsung, a hot cycle rather than Self Clean, which takes bleach only). On a top loader, choose the largest load size so the water reaches the rim. Your part takes under a minute.
- Door seal, every week (front loaders). Pull back the fold of the rubber, remove hair and lint, wipe with warm, soapy water and dry it. Black spots that don't wipe off are mould stains on the rubber: a tablet can't lift them, a gel like BLITZ Mold Stain Remover can.
- Detergent drawer, every month. Pull it out (press the release tab if it has one), rinse it in warm water, brush the softener cup and let it dry. LG says to clean it along with the monthly Tub Clean, together with the pump filter and door gasket.
- Drain pump filter, every month (most front loaders). Put down a towel and a shallow pan, open the small panel at the bottom front, drain the water and twist out the filter. Rinse off lint and anything caught in it, then screw it back tightly so it doesn't leak. Let the washer cool after a hot cycle first.
- Inlet hose screens, once or twice a year. These small mesh filters sit where the hoses connect at the back and catch sand and scale. Samsung's WF45T6000 manual says once or twice a year, and more often on well water or an older water system. Turn off the taps before you disconnect the hoses.
- After every load. Take wet laundry out right away, then leave the door (or lid) and the drawer open so the inside dries. LG, Samsung and Whirlpool all recommend it.
Careful: Use one cleaning product per cycle. Never mix bleach with vinegar or another cleaner: Health Canada warns the gases can be deadly. On a Samsung, Self Clean takes liquid chlorine bleach only, so run BLITZ in its own hot cycle.
Haven't cleaned it in months? Start with a reset
Months of buildup don't come out in one cycle. LG Canada says to run Tub Clean for 3 consecutive weeks when there's a musty smell, and Affresh says up to three consecutive cycles may be needed in extreme cases. Our reset, in one afternoon:
- Seal and drawer first. Clear hair, lint and slime so the cycles aren't fighting them.
- Two hot cycles back to back, with a new BLITZ tablet in the empty drum each time.
- Pump filter last. What the cycles loosen ends up there.
- Flakes on the next loads? Run one more empty hot cycle, then switch to one tablet every two weeks.
Get a year of washer cleans, $24.95
What it costs to stay on schedule with BLITZ
The hard part of washer care isn't the work, it's remembering. BLITZ is built around the schedule above: one unscented tablet, and a box of 24 that lasts a year at one tablet every two weeks. It works in front-load, top-load and HE washers, and it's rated 4.9 out of 5 (14 reviews) on goblitzclean.com.
| Your schedule | A box of 24 lasts | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Every 2 weeks (busy home, hard water) | About a year | $24.95 a year, about $1.04 a clean |
| Every month (the makers' minimum) | About two years | About $12.50 a year |
| Shop BLITZ |
- A Québec company based in Laval, with service in French and English.
- Free shipping in Canada from $40 ($7.95 under $40). Most orders arrive in 2 to 3 business days.
- 10% back in store credit on goblitzclean.com, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Septic-safe. Also sold on Amazon.ca.
Wondering whether a tablet does more than a plain hot wash? We answer that in are washing machine cleaner tablets worth it.
Frequently asked questions
How often should you run Tub Clean or Self Clean?
At least once a month, or when the reminder comes on: LG's tCL appears after more than 30 washes, and Samsung's light after 20 or 40 cycles depending on the model. If you run more than about 7 loads a week, a 30-load reminder will come before the month is up.
Is cleaning the washer once a month enough?
For a light-use home with soft water, yes: it's what LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Maytag, GE and Frigidaire ask for. With hard water, a big family or a musty smell, we suggest every two weeks.
Does a washer with a self-cleaning cycle still need cleaning?
Yes. Self Clean, Tub Clean or Clean Washer is a cycle you start yourself, when the reminder comes on or once a month. It also doesn't reach the seal folds, the detergent drawer or the pump filter.
How often should you clean the washing machine filter?
Samsung Canada recommends cleaning the drain pump filter at least once a month or about every 40 washes; its WF45T6000 manual says 5 or 6 times a year. Clean it sooner if water stays in the drum after the spin. Most top loaders have no filter you can reach.
How often should you clean the rubber seal on a front loader?
Wipe and dry the folds every week, as Samsung recommends, and leave the door open after each load. For black stains that won't wipe off, see how to clean a front-load washer gasket.
Can you clean a washing machine too often?
There's little to gain past what your loads and water call for, and each cleaning cycle is a long, hot cycle that uses water and energy. Every two weeks covers heavy use and hard water; once a month is the minimum for everyone else.
Does a hot wash with vinegar count as a cleaning?
Not for Whirlpool and Maytag, which advise against vinegar in the drum. GE allows it. A BLITZ tablet is made for the job: no chlorine or bleach, one tablet in the empty drum. Before you reach for vinegar, read washing machine cleaner vs vinegar.
Sources: LG Canada and LG support pages; Samsung Canada support and Samsung owner's manuals (WF45T6000, WA45T3200); Whirlpool and Maytag product help and blogs; GE Appliances support and owner's manuals; Frigidaire Canada; Affresh; U.S. Geological Survey; city water quality reports; Health Canada. All checked October 19, 2026.
LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Maytag, GE, Frigidaire and Affresh are trademarks of their owners. BLITZ is not affiliated with them.
A YEAR OF CLEANS IN ONE BOX
BLITZ Washing Machine Cleaner & Descaler
One unscented tablet in the empty drum every two weeks, on the hottest cycle or your washer's cleaning cycle. Breaks down detergent residue, grime and mineral deposits in front-load, top-load and HE washers. 24 tablets, about a year of cleans, $24.95.
Black stains on the door seal? Run the tablet cycle first and let the washer drain, then use BLITZ Mold Stain Remover (never both at once).
