How to Clean a Top-Load Washer (LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Maytag, GE)
Empty the tub, wipe the lid and under the rim, and rinse the softener cup or dispenser drawer. Then run one BLITZ tablet in the empty basket on a hot clean: in Tub Clean on an LG or Basket Clean on a GE, and in a separate cycle with the hottest water and highest water level on a Samsung (Self Clean takes bleach only), Whirlpool or Maytag. Leave the lid open to dry. Makers ask for at least once a month; with hard water or a busy home, we suggest every two weeks.
Shop BLITZ Washing Machine Cleaner, $24.95
In this guide
The clean cycle on LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Maytag and GE top loaders
All five makers ask for a clean at least once a month. What changes is what each manual lets you put in the cycle, and so where a BLITZ tablet goes.
- LG, Tub Clean (BLITZ goes in): monthly, or when the display shows tcL (LG Canada: after more than 30 washes). LG's top-load manual says to place cleaning tablets directly into the tub. More in our LG tCL and Tub Clean guide.
- GE, Basket Clean (BLITZ goes in): monthly, with 1 cup (250 mL) of liquid bleach, vinegar or a washing machine cleaner poured into the empty basket. Pressing Power cancels the cycle.
- Samsung, Self Clean (BLITZ in a separate cycle): monthly or every 20 cycles. The WA45T3200 manual allows only 1 cup (240 mL) of liquid chlorine bleach, if there's residue, and says: "Do not use or mix any other detergent or chemicals." Run BLITZ in a separate cycle. More in our Samsung Self Clean guide.
- Whirlpool, Clean Washer: monthly or every 30 washes. With BLITZ, put one tablet in the empty basket and pick the hottest water and the highest water level.
- Maytag, Clean Washer: monthly or when the clean washer light is on. With BLITZ, the same as Whirlpool: one tablet, hottest water, highest water level.
Careful: One product per cycle: on a Samsung, run BLITZ and Self Clean on different days. Never mix bleach with vinegar or another cleaner: Health Canada warns the gases can be deadly.
How to clean a top-load washer, step by step
You need: a soft cloth, warm soapy water, a small non-metal brush and one BLITZ tablet. Time (our estimate): about 20 minutes of hands-on work, plus one cycle.
- Empty the tub and unplug the washer. LG says to unplug before cleaning. If water is left in the tub, Samsung says to run Spin Only first.
- Clean the hidden spots by hand: the lid, under the rim, the softener cup and the dispensers (next section).
- Plug it back in and add the tablet. Drop one BLITZ Washing Machine Cleaner tablet into the bottom of the empty basket, never into a dispenser.
- Run the hottest, fullest cycle. On LG and GE, Tub Clean or Basket Clean works. On Samsung, Whirlpool and Maytag, skip Self Clean and Clean Washer: pick a regular cycle with the hottest water and the highest water level (or largest load size) so the water reaches the rim.
- Rinse if your manual says so. LG suggests Rinse+Spin after a tub cleaner.
- Leave the lid open overnight so the tub dries. LG says this helps prevent odours.
First clean in months? Our advice: two cycles back to back, a new tablet each time. If a musty smell is already there, LG suggests Tub Clean once a week for three weeks.
Get a year of washer cleans, $24.95
The hidden spots the clean cycle misses
A hot cycle reaches the basket and the outer tub, but not the lid, the softener cup or the dispensers. Here's where to look on a real agitator washer.
- Lid and lid seal. LG says to wipe the lid and the inside of the lid seal after each wash. Use a damp cloth only: LG warns never to spray water inside the washer (risk of fire or electric shock).
- Under the rim. Grime and splashes collect under the top edge of the basket. Run a soapy cloth under it, then a clean damp one.
- The softener cup on the agitator. GE says to lift it off, separate the cup from its cover, soak both in warm water with detergent, and loosen buildup with a soft cloth, not a stiff brush (it scratches).
- Dispenser drawer. On models with a drawer, LG says to check it once or twice a month, rinse the inserts in warm water without soap, and brush the recess with a small non-metal brush.
- The outer tub you can't see. No cloth reaches it; only a full, hot cycle does.
How to clean a top loader with an agitator or an impeller
An agitator is the tall post in the middle of the basket. An impeller is a low cone or disc at the bottom (LG calls it a pulsator). Both get the same hot clean; what differs is where residue hides.
- Agitator: the softener cup and the inside of the post. GE says an agitator generally needs no other routine cleaning. If softener residue sits inside, GE describes removing the cup and scrubbing the inside with a long, soft brush during a warm or hot fill.
- Impeller or low-profile agitator: Whirlpool says impeller washers use less water. Dose carefully: LG says too much detergent causes poor rinsing and residue that adds to odours, and to use less than half the maximum HE dose for an average load. If coins or clips get stuck under the impeller (LG code LE1), spin, then remove them.
Smell, black flakes or grey film: what it means
- Smell back after cleaning? GE says a drain hose pushed too far down the standpipe can siphon drained water back and cause a musty odour: clip it to the side of the pipe. Other causes: washer still smells after cleaning.
- Black or brown flakes? Samsung traces them to dirt and undissolved detergent on the basket walls, often from mostly cold washes. Run two hot cleans back to back, and see black flakes in your washing machine.
- Grey film or white spots? Detergent residue and hard-water minerals. LG says to use a descaler on visible mineral buildup; BLITZ also clears mineral deposits. Check how hard your water is.
How often to clean a top-load washer
At least once a month, or when the reminder comes on (Samsung counts 20 cycles, LG 30). Our advice is every two weeks with hard water, a busy home or a smell that keeps coming back. The full schedule by brand is in how often to clean your washing machine.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Every load | HE detergent at the label dose, laundry out right away, lid open to dry |
| Every two weeks | One BLITZ tablet, hottest and fullest cycle (our advice) |
| Every month | The maker's clean cycle at the latest; rinse the softener cup or drawer, wipe under the rim |
| Shop BLITZ |
Why BLITZ for a top loader
- Works with or without a clean cycle. One tablet in the empty basket, on the hottest, fullest cycle, or in LG Tub Clean or GE Basket Clean. For top-load, front-load and HE washers.
- No bleach to handle. One tablet, straight into the basket.
- A year in one box: 24 tablets for $24.95, about $1.04 a clean at one every two weeks.
- Cleaner and descaler, unscented, septic-safe. It breaks down detergent residue, grime and mineral deposits, so musty smells are removed instead of covered up.
- Rated 4.9 out of 5 (14 reviews) on goblitzclean.com.
- A Québec company based in Laval, with service in French and English. Free shipping in Canada from $40 ($7.95 below), most orders in 2 to 3 business days, 10% back in store credit and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Also on Amazon.ca.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a cleaning tablet in Samsung Self Clean?
No. Samsung's top-load manual allows only liquid chlorine bleach in Self Clean. Put one BLITZ tablet in the empty basket and run a separate cycle at the hottest temperature and largest load size, on another day. On LG and GE, the tablet goes straight into Tub Clean or Basket Clean (details in our LG guide).
How do you clean a top-load washer without a clean cycle?
Run the cycle with the highest water level and the hottest water, with the basket empty: that's what Maytag says to do without Clean Washer. GE's version is a hot, longest wash with 1 cup of bleach. With BLITZ, put one tablet in the basket and run that cycle.
Can I use vinegar to clean a top-load washer?
Makers disagree. GE lists vinegar for Basket Clean, while Whirlpool and Maytag advise against it because its acidity can damage rubber seals and hoses over time. Never use it with bleach. We compare the options in washing machine cleaner vs vinegar.
Do I need to remove the agitator to clean it?
Usually not. GE says agitators generally need no routine cleaning; lift off the softener cup and scrub inside during a warm or hot fill.
Why does my top-load washer smell like mildew?
Detergent and softener residue stays damp in the tub when the lid is kept shut. LG blames too much or the wrong detergent and a tub that isn't cleaned regularly. Clean it, use less HE detergent and leave the lid open.
How long does a top-load clean cycle take?
Samsung Canada says Self Clean takes about an hour on its top loaders. Other brands vary by model.
Sources: LG top-load owner's manual (WT7005C, WT7155C) and LG Canada; Samsung WA45T3200 owner's manual and Samsung Canada and New Zealand support; Whirlpool and Maytag product help and blogs; GE Appliances support; Health Canada; BLITZ product page. All checked October 20, 2026.
LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Maytag, GE and affresh are trademarks of their owners. BLITZ is not affiliated with them.
ONE TABLET, ANY TOP LOADER
BLITZ Washing Machine Cleaner & Descaler
One unscented tablet in the empty basket, on the hottest, fullest cycle (or LG Tub Clean and GE Basket Clean). Breaks down detergent residue, grime and mineral deposits in top-load, front-load and HE washers. 24 tablets, about a year of cleans, $24.95.
WASHER AND DISHWASHER, SORTED
BLITZ Essentials Kit
Washing Machine Cleaner and Dishwasher Cleaner, 24 tablets each: about a year of both at one tablet every two weeks. $43.95, $4.95 less than buying them separately.
