Dirty washing machine? If you have shaving cream in the home, you can easily deal with this issue

by Mark Bennett

November 18, 2023

Dirty washing machine? If you have shaving cream in the home, you can easily deal with this issue
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Who washes the washer? In fact, with appliances like the washing machine, you have to keep them clean to prevent them from malfunctions: dirt build-up can cause problems with doing the laundry properly; and in the long run, the washing machine may even break down due to this.

So, in addition to removing any solid debris that remains in the drum and in the seals of the washing machine after a wash, you need to check whether there is any dirt in the rubber of the seals, in the drum housing and even in the detergent dispenser drawer. The dirt could be detergent residue or mold build-up, and the sooner you act to remove this dirt, the better. And amongst the methods we can employ, one involves the use of shaving foam/cream.

Cleaning a washing machine with shaving cream

Cleaning a washing machine with shaving cream

Creativo

Shaving cream has active ingredients such as surfactants, emulsifiers and cleansing agents that are very similar to those present in other soaps used for domestic cleaning. So, when you don't have your favorite detergent to hand, you can use shaving cream.

Grab a can of shaving cream and a microfiber cloth and proceed as follows:

  • Inside the washing machine: spray a generous amount of shaving cream on the inside walls of the drum and spread it so as to cover everything with a thin layer. Also spray on the gasket/door seal, being careful to get it into all the crevices. Leave to act for 45-60 minutes, then do an empty wash at medium-high temperature.
  • Outsides of the washing machine: just put a small amount of cream on the microfibre cloth and wipe it over the appliance, obviously being careful around the buttons, screens and knobs, since you will then have to rinse off with a wet/damp cloth.
  • As for the detergent tray/dispenser, it is best to wash this separately first, removing it from the housing and covering it with a little shaving cream (left on for about twenty minutes). At that point, clean the compartments of the tray as well. After 20 minutes, soak the tray for about ten minutes in hot (not boiling) water, then rub clean and rinse well. Dry it carefully before placing it back in its housing.

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Shaving cream can come in handy for other cleaning chores around the house

Shaving cream can come in handy for other cleaning chores around the house

@carolina.mccauley/Instagram

Shaving cream is an emergency cleaner even for other difficult cleaning tasks.

As shown by Instagrammer, Carolina Mc Cauley, you can use shaving cream to remove stubborn stains from mattresses: spray a little directly on the stain, leave to act for 20 minutes and then wipe everything away with a cloth and rinse with another, dabbing and rubbing until the stain disappears.

Furthermore, since the cream also contains triethanolamine (a derivative of ammonia), and also lanolin, it is suitable for cleaning metal or glass surfaces (such as oven tops or the mirror in a bathroom, taps and more). Use it in small quantities, leaving it to act for a few minutes (but never letting it dry out), and then rinse off properly.

It's worth always having some shaving cream at home, right?

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