How to Clean a Laundry Room Properly (The Most Overlooked Room)

There's an obvious irony in the laundry room. The room responsible for cleaning everything in the house — clothes, bedding, towels — is typically one of the least cleaned rooms in the home. Lint accumulates in filter traps and behind machines. Detergent residue builds up in dispensers and on machine surfaces. Moisture from constant washing creates mould risk in seals, drains and behind machines. And the floor under and behind the machines often hasn't been mopped since installation.

This guide covers the complete laundry room clean — machines, surfaces, drainage and the areas behind and under appliances.

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Washing Machine (Front Loader)

Front-loaders are the dominant washing machine type in Australian homes and require more specific maintenance than top-loaders given their sealed drum design and door seal.

Door Seal (The Mould Zone)

The rubber gasket around the front door opening of a front-loader is a consistent, common mould location. The folds of the gasket trap moisture, lint and detergent residue, and the seal never fully dries between washes given its position.

Cleaning the door seal:

1. Pull back the folds of the rubber gasket and wipe the interior surfaces with a cloth dampened with a diluted bleach solution (1:10 with water) or a dedicated washing machine cleaner.
2. Remove any visible lint, hair or debris from the folds — this material traps moisture and accelerates mould development.
3. Wipe the outer visible surface of the seal.
4. Leave the door slightly ajar after every wash to allow the seal to dry between cycles. This single habit significantly reduces mould development rate.

Detergent Drawer

Remove the detergent drawer completely (most front-loaders have a removable drawer). Soak in warm soapy water. Scrub the compartments with a toothbrush — residue accumulates in the corners and in the fabric softener siphon tube. Rinse and replace.

Clean the drawer housing (the cavity the drawer pulls out of) with a damp cloth and toothbrush — this area accumulates significant detergent residue and mould that's invisible until you remove the drawer.

Drum and Interior

Run a drum cleaning cycle using a dedicated washing machine cleaner (available at supermarkets) or use one of these approaches:

Vinegar and baking soda cycle:

• Add 2 cups of white vinegar to the detergent drawer
• Run a hot, empty cycle
• Follow with half a cup of baking soda in the drum and another hot empty cycle
• The vinegar dissolves detergent residue and mineral deposits; the baking soda deodorises

Commercial drum cleaner tablets or liquid: Follow product instructions — these are formulated specifically for washing machine drum cleaning and are more concentrated than the DIY approach.

Frequency: Monthly is appropriate for machines in regular daily use.

Filter Cleaning

Front-loaders have a lint/debris filter — typically accessible via a small panel at the front lower section of the machine. This filter catches lint, coins, and small items that escape pockets.

A clogged filter reduces drainage efficiency and can cause error codes and water pooling. Clean every 1–3 months:

1. Place a shallow tray or towel under the filter access panel before opening — there's typically water behind the filter.
2. Unscrew and remove the filter.
3. Remove debris, lint and any objects.
4. Rinse under the tap.
5. Clean the filter housing with a damp cloth.
6. Replace securely.

Machine Exterior

Wipe down the exterior with a damp cloth. Pay attention to the area around the door seal where detergent splash accumulates, and the top surface which accumulates dust and any product placed on top of the machine.

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Washing Machine (Top Loader)

Top-loaders have different maintenance needs — no door seal mould issue, but the agitator and drum interior need attention.

Drum cleaning: Same drum cleaning cycle approach as above.

Under the lid: Wipe around the inner lip of the lid and the top rim of the drum — these accumulate detergent residue and lint.

Fabric softener dispenser: If fitted, remove and clean as per the front-loader drawer approach.

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Dryer

Lint Filter (After Every Load)

The lint filter should be cleared after every load — this is a fire safety requirement as much as a maintenance one. A blocked lint filter reduces drying efficiency (longer cycles, more energy) and is a leading cause of dryer fires.

For a lint filter that's accumulated residue from dryer sheets or fabric softener (which coats the mesh and reduces airflow even when the visible lint is cleared): wash the filter under running water with a toothbrush and a tiny amount of dish soap monthly. Allow to dry completely before reinstalling.

Dryer Interior and Drum

Wipe the drum interior with a damp cloth to remove any residue from items dried that weren't lint-free (particularly new dark clothing which can transfer dye to the drum, which then transfers to subsequent light loads).

For any heat damage marks (small dark spots from synthetic items that partially melted): try a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a cloth — this can address the residue.

Exhaust Duct (Important Safety Item)

The dryer exhaust duct (the hose running from the dryer to the exterior vent) accumulates lint along its length. Lint buildup in the duct is a significant fire risk — dryer duct fires are documented and largely preventable with regular cleaning.

Annual duct cleaning: Disconnect the duct from the dryer and the wall exhaust point. Clear the duct with a long dryer duct cleaning brush (available from hardware stores). Check the exterior vent for lint accumulation and clear. Reconnect securely.

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Laundry Trough and Drain

The laundry trough (if fitted) handles everything from paint brushes to pet bathing to hand washing of delicates. It accumulates:

• Paint residue if used for brush cleaning
• Pet shampoo and hair if used for pet washing
• Detergent residue
• Mineral scale from Adelaide's hard water

Clean with: A diluted bathroom cleaner or diluted bleach solution for general cleaning. For paint residue: let it dry and chip off where possible before cleaning. For mineral scale: white vinegar applied and left for 15 minutes before scrubbing.

The drain: Laundry drains accumulate lint and hair. A monthly flush with boiling water, followed by baking soda and vinegar, maintains drainage. For a blocked laundry drain, a plunger (dedicated laundry drain plunger) or a drain clearing tool addresses minor blockages; significant blockages warrant a plumber.

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Behind and Under Machines

This is the most neglected area of most laundry rooms, and the most significant one from an actual hygiene and maintenance perspective.

Behind the washing machine: Accumulated lint, dust and often moisture from minor hose connection weeps or vibration-caused condensation. Access is awkward but important — pull the machine out from the wall annually.

Behind the machine, check:

• Water supply hose connections for any signs of slow leaking (rust staining, mineral deposits)
• The hose condition (rubber hoses should be replaced every 5 years — they fail without warning and cause significant water damage when they do)
• Mould on the wall behind the machine if moisture has been present
• Dust and lint accumulated on the floor

Under machines: Dust and lint rolls under both washing machines and dryers. Pull machines out and vacuum/mop underneath annually.

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Floors, Walls and General Space

Floor: Laundry room floors accumulate lint from every load, drips from loading and unloading the machine, and spills from detergent dispensing. The floor near the front of the washing machine and under the trough needs regular mopping. Under and behind machines requires the annual pull-out clean.

Shelving and storage: Detergent and cleaning product storage accumulates drips, spills and residue from product dispensing. Wipe down all shelving surfaces and the exterior of stored product containers periodically.

Ventilation: Laundry rooms generate significant moisture from machine steam, drying and the washing trough. Check that the room's ventilation is adequate — a permanently damp laundry room is a mould risk on the walls and behind the machines.

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Laundry Room Maintenance Schedule

Task	Frequency
Lint filter (dryer)	After every load
Wipe door seal	Weekly
Leave machine door ajar	After every wash (habit, not a schedule)
Detergent drawer clean	Monthly
Drum cleaning cycle	Monthly
Lint filter deep clean (under water)	Monthly
Machine exterior wipe	Monthly
Trough and drain maintenance	Monthly
Behind/under machines	Annually
Dryer exhaust duct clean	Annually
Washing machine hose inspection	Annually

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For a professional deep clean that includes the laundry room as part of a whole-home service in Adelaide, book a professional house cleaning service in Adelaide.

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Written by Victor Jacon — Master Cleaner & Home Detailing Specialist, Founder of PF Cleaning Adelaide.