A dirty washing machine leads to decreased efficiency—our experts are here to help.

Quick question: Is your washing machine starting to smell worse than the sweaty leggings you throw in there? If the answer is yes, it's high time to add cleaning it to your "new year, new you" ...

Pour vinegar in, run a hot cycle, then sprinkle baking soda and run another—say goodbye to funky smells and gunky residue. Give the drum baffles and rubber seals some love with a toothbrush and soapy ...

Yes, you do need to clean your washing machine — and these potent tablets make all the difference.

Even if you have your laundry routine down to a science, you might not even know that your washing machine has a lint trap—much less that it requires regular cleaning. But, much like your dryer’s lint ...

Dr. Elizabeth Yuko is a bioethicist and adjunct professor of ethics at Fordham University. She has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, CNN & Playboy.

We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more› By Andrea Barnes Andrea Barnes is a writer covering large cleaning appliances.