Descaling the washing machine and preventing new limescale

Washing machines are standard equipment in most households and are used regularly. The same applies to this household item: It must be cleaned regularly to keep your laundry clean and radiant in the long term. Descaling the washing machine is also a task that should not be neglected. We give you important tips on how to recognize a calcified washing machine, clean it correctly and prevent new calcium deposits.

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Do you have to descale washing machines?

The short answer: Yes, you should definitely descale your washing machine regularly. How often you need to descale your washing machine depends on two factors: How high is the Water hardness in your region And how often do you run your washing machine? In regions with medium-hard and hard Experts recommend that you descale the washing machine monthly with water (from 8 °dH). With soft water (0 to 7 °dH), it is usually sufficient to descale the device once a year. However, with frequent use, it is useful to shorten these intervals. You can also use descaling to clean your machine.

Calcified washing machine: potential problems

If you live in a region with hard water and don't descale your washing machine often enough, calcifications can cause some difficulties:

increased energy consumption: Every washing machine has a heating rod, which is installed behind or below the drum. The task of this electric heating element is to heat the water in the washing machine. If this heating rod calcifies, the machine takes longer and longer to heat up. Accordingly, more energy is required and your electricity bill increases.
limited washing performance: Calcareous deposits in the machine also cause the washing performance of your washing machine to gradually decrease. Your laundry is no longer properly clean and you may have to wash individual items of clothing, for example with heavy soiling, several times.
reduced lifespan: In the long term, calcium deposits damage the machine itself. The pipes leading to the washing machine are also clogged with lime, which in the worst case can lead to pipe bursts.

How can you tell if your washing machine is calcified?

Do you already descale your washing machine regularly, but are not sure whether you should carry out the cleaning actions more frequently? These signs suggest that you should clean your washing machine at even shorter intervals:

visible deposits: If there is lime in your washing machine, you may recognize this by white deposits on the metal of the drum. However, most of the lime will be deposited in the invisible parts within your machine, particularly on the heating element.
reduced washing performance: If you notice that your device doesn't wash as well as it used to, this may be due to calcium deposits. Another clue may be white stains on your laundry — these are particularly visible on dark clothing.
unpleasant smell: An unpleasant smell emanating from the washing machine can also be an indication of calcium deposits and other dirt.

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Decalcification in the home

Descaling the washing machine

Table of contents

Do you have to descale washing machines?

How do you descale washing machines?

Washing machine: Prevent lime by softening water

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How do you descale washing machines?

Regular descaling offers you a number of benefits. But how can you properly descale a washing machine? For this purpose, there are various means that you can use — depending on your preferences and the degree of calcification of your device.

Home remedy for descaling

Common laundry detergents already contain water softeners such as sikilates or citrates. For good washing performance, it is therefore recommended to use more detergent with hard water. In this way, calcifications can be kept at bay between descaling. When it comes to major cleaning operations, vinegar is a home remedy that is often recommended and used for decalcification. Although vinegar effectively dissolves lime, its high acid content means it risks permanently damaging the more sensitive parts of the washing machine, such as rubber seals or hoses. It can also happen that your laundry has a sour smell for some time after descaling with vinegar. A less aggressive alternative to vinegar is citric acid, which you can buy as a powder or as a liquid at a supermarket or drugstore. To descale the washing machine, you can add the acid directly to the drum.

Chemical descalers

If you are struggling with stubborn calcium deposits, it makes sense to use chemical descalers specifically for the washing machine. Since these agents are produced explicitly for this purpose, it is also easier to dose them correctly. These descalers are available at drugstores or supermarkets in the form of liquids, powders or tablets.

Descaling the washing machine correctly: step-by-step instructions

If you want to descale your washing machine, proceed as follows:

For all-round care of your washing machine, you should thoroughly clean it before descaling. This also includes the detergent compartment and the lint filter.
Put the descaler, whether a home remedy or a special cleaner, directly into the drum of the washing machine. For washing machine descalers, be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging for dosing.
If the product is in the washing machine, start a cooking cycle without prewashing. Use citric acid to descale, choose a lower temperature of no more than 40 °C.
Once the wash cycle has reached the maximum temperature, it is recommended to pause it for about thirty minutes, if possible. This allows the descaler to work and effectively remove deposits. If you are unable to pause your washing machine, choose the longest possible wash cycle.
After the descaler has been applied, let the machine run as usual.

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Washing machine: Prevent lime by softening water

Regular descaling is very important to maintain the washing performance and longevity of your washing machine. But if you live in a region where water has a high degree of hardness, it can take you a lot of time to descale the machine every few weeks. This is remedied by water softening systems that prevent lime from even being deposited in your devices in advance. There are two common procedures here: With water softening systems with ion exchangers The calcium molecules, which consist of calcium and magnesium, are replaced by sodium. The lime content of the water decreases, but the sodium value rises.

Alternatively, you can Descaling systems can be used with seed crystal formation. With this method, microscopic lime crystals form in water. These become an accumulation point for the remaining lime that is in the water. The lime is no longer deposited on pipes or in your washing machine, but is rinsed out every time you remove water.

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Avoid calcified washing machines with AQON PURE

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