Best washing machine cleaners for banishing odours and limescale

Using a washing machine cleaner regularly will freshen up your machine to ward off unpleasant smells and it could keep your machine washing effectively for longer.

We've tested cleaners from eight different brands, including Dettol, Dr Beckman and Vamoosh, to see just how effective they are at banishing limescale and odours from your machine.

Read on to discover which products came out on top. 

Need a new machine? See the best washing machines according to our rigorous tests

Best washing machine cleaners

Only logged-in Which? members can view our washing machine cleaner test results.

Join Which? for instant access.

Why do I need to use a washing machine cleaner?

You absolutely do not have to use a washing machine cleaner – a service wash should do. But they are designed to clean away any gunk that builds up inside your washing machine, so if you've skipped a few service washes, a washing machine cleaner should help you keep on top of maintenance.

Mould can develop in the damp areas of the machine and on surfaces, such as the rubber door seal. 

Limescale can build up on components such as the heater element, and deposits of dirt and undissolved detergent can be found spread around the machine.

If you don’t regularly clean your washing machine, you could end up reducing its lifetime as components decay or become less effective, and you might end up with a smelly washing machine.

Note that, while washing your clothes at lower temperatures is a great way to save energy, it can make it harder for your appliance to wash away grime, so you may need to clean it more often.

How to use washing machine cleaner

The instructions on the back of most washing machine cleaners recommend that you pour the product into the detergent drawer and run a 60°C cycle on your washing machine with an empty drum. Below, we outline the instructions for three popular washing machine cleaner products:  

How to use Ariel washing machine cleaner: Pour half of the contents of the bottle (125ml) into the detergent drawer and run one cycle on your empty washing machine. Ariel doesn't specify a minimum temperature but we'd recommend 60°C or higher.

How to use Dettol washing machine cleaner: Pour a 250ml dose into the detergent drawer and run a wash cycle without any laundry in the drum at 60°C.

How to use Dr Beckman washing machine cleaner: Pour 250g of the powder directly into the drum and then start the main wash cycle (at least 60°C) without detergent or laundry, and with no pre-wash.

Can I clean my washing machine with natural ingredients?

Despite what you might read online, never put vinegar in your washing machine. Many appliance repairers warn that the acidity of this could erode the drum bearings (and other internal parts) and make your washing machine eventually leak or become very noisy. Discover 8 things you really shouldn't clean with vinegar.

If you want to avoid using a commercial washing machine cleaner, you can simply set your washing machine to run a maintenance wash (sometimes called a service wash) with an empty drum. If your machine doesn't have a pre-set maintenance or service wash, run a regular 60-90°C wash cycle. 

Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is recommended online and by some washing machine manufacturers as an effective cleaning option, but we would advise against adding it directly into the drum. It's unlikely to cause any serious damage, but excessive use can lead to blocked filters, clogged dispensers or chalky residue on your clothes.

A paste of bicarb and water is great for cleaning the door seal and detergent drawer though, as it can be completely wiped away when you're done. 

How to run a service wash

The best way to clean your washing machine is to run a maintenance wash, sometimes called a service wash. This is where you run the machine at its highest temperature – or on a special machine clean program – with a specialist washing machine cleaner, if you choose.

Check the manual for your machine to find out what the manufacturer recommends and whether it comes with its own cleaning program.

If you're using a washing machine cleaner, you won't need to use a washing machine detergent or a pre-wash as part of the cleaning process. 

Advice on how regularly you should run a maintenance or service wash varies between manufacturers of washing machines, laundry detergents and washing machine cleaning products, as well as how often you run your machine.

As a rule of thumb, keep around once a month or every 30 washes in mind as the frequency you should be aiming for. Some washing machines will also remind you when they need to be cleaned.

Now discover the best and worst laundry detergents according to our tests

Do manufacturers recommend using a washing machine cleaner?

Manufacturers advise owners to keep their washing machines clean. They might encourage you to buy their own products for this, or highlight hot wash programs designed to give the insides of the machine a good clean using detergent only with no clothes.

Washing machine cleaners from washing machine manufacturers tend to cost more than the cleaners available in the supermarket.

What manufacturers recommend:

• AEG - AEG says that you should run a maintenance wash once a month, clean the detergent drawer every two months and perform a 'deep clean' and descale every six months. It advises running an empty cottons cycle on the highest temperature (or the maintenance program, if there is one) and recommends its own Clean&Care products – although you can also use your standard detergent. Read our AEG washing machine reviews. 
• Beko - Beko recommends using limescale remover or powder and running the washing machine on a cotton program at 70°C or higher. Many machines in its range come with a drum cleaning program designed to do just this. Read our Beko washing machine reviews.
• Bosch - Bosch advises regular maintenance washes. Some of its machines indicate to owners when this needs to take place (after 20 washes an LED will flash on the digital display or a message will be displayed). It advises running the drum clean program at 90°C, where it’s available, and to do this with washing powder but without any clothes in the drum. It also says that descaling shouldn’t be necessary if the correct amount of detergent is used when you run regular washes. Read our Bosch washing machine reviews.
• Hisense - specific advice can be found in the instruction manual for your Hisense washing machine, but its general recommendation is to run the drum clean cycle 'occasionally' if you regularly wash at low temperatures or use liquid detergent. Read our Hisense washing machine reviews. 
• Hotpoint - Hotpoint says that frequency of cleaning will depend on 'intensity' of use, but once every other month is a good start. Hotpoint advises setting your machine to the hottest setting and using the cleaning cycle, but avoid doing this after washing synthetics as residues from these materials transfer easily. Read our Hotpoint washing machine reviews. 
• Hoover - Hoover recommends deep cleaning your washing machine once a month to keep it smelling fresh. It advises running an empty cycle at 60°C or higher (depending on your model) with a dedicated machine cleaner. Read our Hoover washing machine reviews.
• LG - LG suggests cleaning your machine every few months to keep any build-up at bay, but also says performing simple tasks like cleaning the drum, detergent dispenser and door gaskets is best done monthly. Some machines have specific cleaning cycle settings, but otherwise you should run an empty cycle at 90°C. Read our LG washing machine reviews.
• Miele - Miele advises owners to run a maintenance wash at 75°C to remove bacteria, mould and other washday detritus that can build up while we wash at low temperatures. It recommends using its own Miele washing machine cleaner, but also says that standard detergent can be used. And its advice is to put the cleaner or detergent straight into the drum. Read our Miele washing machine reviews.
• Samsung - most Samsung washing machines have self clean cycles (also called Pure Clean), which it advises using at least once per month or when the reminder light appears. For models without dedicated cleaning cycles, Samsung recommends running a monthly empty wash using any washing machine cleaner. Read our Samsung washing machine reviews.
• Siemens - Siemens recommends cleaning your washing machine at least every three months, including the detergent drawer, drain pump and filter insert. It sells its own washing machine cleaner, but otherwise, you can run the main program on empty at 90ºC or 95ºC. It also advises against using home remedies like vinegar, citric acid or sodium bicarbonate to avoid causing damage to your machine. Read our Siemens washing machine reviews. 

Most brands and manufacturers also recommend wiping out the detergent drawer and rubber seal of the washing machine before running any maintenance cycles. This is best done with a cloth and warm, soapy water, but check your model's instruction manual for specifics.

Head to our guide on the most reliable washing machine brands to find out which manufacturers you rate highest

How we test washing machine cleaners

Before testing the descaling ability of washing machine cleaners, we first performed 25 high-temperature wash cycles in our test machines with hard water. Each cycle contained a small load of cottons and a standard dose of laundry powder.

Once the heating element had built up a significant amount of limescale, we then used each washing machine cleaner as directed. After the cycle had finished, we took out the heating element and weighed how much limescale had been removed. 

To determine the effectiveness of each cleaner at removing bad smells, we first ran our test washing machines on a 30°C cycle and filled them with a substance that replicates heavily soiled laundry. After leaving the door to each machine closed for 24 hours, we then asked our test panel of 10 people to make a note of the odour.

We then used each washing machine cleaner according to the instructions, before asking our test panel to determine whether or not all traces of the bad smell had been removed. 

What we didn't test

Some of the products we tested claimed to remove almost all of the bacteria from inside your washing machine, but that isn't something we tested for.

However, we are looking to conduct this test again at a later date and will be including bacteria swab testing as an integral part of the test.