How to Descale a Washing Machine: Citric Acid, Vinegar and Baking Soda
updated 11 July 2026
Quick answer
Descale a washing machine with citric acid: pour 100-150 g into the empty drum and run an empty cycle at 90°C (194°F). Alternatively, pour a cup of white vinegar straight into the drum, but do not leave it sitting there and do not do it too often, because vinegar weakens the rubber seals. Never mix citric acid with vinegar in one cycle.
Step by step
- 1
Recognize limescale
Limescale builds up mainly on the heating element and shows up as longer wash cycles, cooler water, louder operation and higher electricity bills. If clothes come out feeling rough or the drum smells musty, that is a signal too. Hard water speeds up the whole process. The deposit is sometimes visible to the naked eye on the heater through the drum holes, and as a white film on the dispenser and door gasket.
- 2
Descale with citric acid
Pour 100-150 g of citric acid straight into the empty drum, with no laundry inside. Run an empty cycle at a high temperature, ideally 90°C - hot water dissolves the deposit on the heater and drum. If your machine has no 90°C program, pick the hottest one available.
- 3
The vinegar alternative
Instead of citric acid, you can pour about a cup (250 ml) of vinegar straight into the drum and run a short hot program. Do not pour vinegar into the detergent drawer and do not leave it in the machine overnight. Do this rarely, because frequent contact with vinegar damages the rubber door gasket.
- 4
Baking soda for film and odor
Baking soda works for residue and for freshening the drum - add 2-3 tablespoons to the drum or the drawer on an empty wash. Soda does not dissolve hard scale the way acid does, but it handles film and musty smells well.
- 5
Commercial descalers
Stores sell ready-made washing machine descalers in liquid or powder form. Use them according to the dosage on the package, usually also on an empty, hot cycle. They are a convenient option when the machine is badly neglected. Pick products labeled for washing machines, because descalers for kettles or dishwashers have a different concentration and formula.
- 6
Clean the gasket, drawer and filter
After descaling, wipe the rubber door gasket and look into its folds, because dirt and mold collect there. Take out the detergent drawer and wash it under warm water. Also check the pump filter behind the flap at the bottom of the machine and clear out any debris.
- 7
Keep up the prevention
With hard water, descale the machine every 2-3 months, and dose detergent according to water hardness so you do not overdo it. After each wash, leave the door ajar and the drawer pulled out so the drum can dry. Less moisture means less scale and odor.
Citric acid, vinegar or a commercial product
Citric acid gives the best value for money: it dissolves scale from the heater and is gentle on the interior. Vinegar works similarly but is harder on the rubber seals, so reach for it less often and always rinse it out with another short cycle.
Commercial washing machine descalers cost more, but they are convenient and predictable on neglected machines. Baking soda is no substitute for acid against hard scale - treat it as an add-on for freshening and fighting odor.
What not to do
Do not mix citric acid with vinegar in one cycle - they are two acids that do not work better together and only waste product. Never combine either of them with bleach or chlorine-based cleaners.
Do not descale the machine with clothes in the drum, because concentrated acid can damage fabrics. Do not leave vinegar sitting in the machine and do not use it with every wash, because it will shorten the life of the seals.
How to descale less often
Hard water is the main culprit, so match your detergent dose to its hardness - excess detergent leaves residue too. Regularly airing out the drum and drawer limits the moisture in which scale settles and mold grows.
Pay attention to wash temperature: if you almost always wash at 30°C, scale and grease build up faster, so run a hotter or maintenance program every few washes. Clean the pump filter roughly once a quarter so debris does not block the drain.
Frequently asked questions
›How do I descale a washing machine with citric acid?
Pour 100-150 g of citric acid into the empty drum and run an empty cycle at 90°C or the hottest available program. The hot water will dissolve the deposit on the heater and drum. Do not put any clothes in.
›How do I descale a washing machine with vinegar?
Pour about a cup of vinegar straight into the drum and run a short hot program with no laundry. Do not pour vinegar into the drawer and do not leave it in the machine for long. Use this method rarely, because vinegar weakens the rubber seals.
›How often should I descale my washing machine?
With hard water, every 2-3 months; with soft water, twice a year is enough. If washes take longer, the water stays cooler and the drum smells musty, do not wait for the schedule - descale right away.
›Does limescale damage the heating element?
Yes, a layer of scale insulates the heater, so it heats more slowly, uses more electricity and burns out sooner. That is the most common reason for descaling a washing machine in the first place.
›Can I add citric acid to a wash with clothes in it?
Do not do it - concentrated citric acid in contact with fabrics can damage or discolor them. Always descale with an empty drum. Wash clothes normally only after the cycle has finished and rinsed through.