Short answer: For the musty smell, a washer cleaner on a hot cycle does the job. For black gunk on the door seal, chlorine bleach beat every purpose-made cleaner in Consumer Reports’ 2026 test. Check your manual first.
Fur clumps cling to the drum, so get heavy fur off before the wash. Our tablets help dissolve loose hair left behind.
We sell washer cleaner tablets and a puppy schedule kit, and we link to them below. We didn’t lab-test any brand, and we say so wherever it matters.
The towels came out of the wash smelling worse than they went in. There’s a grey film on the door seal, and dog hair stuck to every sock.
That’s what a few months of blankets, crate pads and accident loads do to a washer. The fix is cheap, and most of it takes ten minutes.
What is the best washing machine cleaner?
For routine odor control, a cleaner tablet on a hot clean cycle works well. For heavy mold on a door seal, chlorine bleach did better in testing, if your manual allows it.
Washer makers mostly agree on a regular clean. Maytag says to clean it once every 30 wash cycles. Other brands say monthly or every 50 wash loads.
| Option | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Washer cleaner tablets and powders | Pre-measured monthly cleans and musty smells | In Consumer Reports’ test, they struggled with black seal buildup |
| Liquid chlorine bleach | Mildew, heavy grime and black seal buildup | Some washers call for oxygen bleach instead, and never mix it |
| White vinegar | Cheap, and already in your cupboard | Some brands warn it can damage seals and hoses |
| Baking soda | A mild DIY freshen between cleans | We found no test showing it clears mold |
| Hand wipe of drum and seal | Hair, lint and the black gunk in the seal folds | Takes five minutes, and nobody enjoys it |
Tablets made with baking soda and citric acid are a chlorine-free option. We haven’t tested them against bleach, so we won’t claim they beat it.
Do washer cleaner tablets actually work?
Yes for smell, no for heavy seal mold. In Consumer Reports’ 2026 test, the cleaners cleared mildew smell, but only bleach removed black seal buildup.
The 2026 test covered seven store-bought cleaners plus plain bleach. The brands were affresh, Carbona, Clean People, Glisten, OxiClean, Tide and Truly Free. Uproot Clean, a popular pick for pet homes, wasn’t in this test.
On the door seal, most of the products we tried struggled, the testers wrote. On affresh tablets, their home evaluator didn’t find that they did anything for the seal.
Hunker’s write-up of the test names the one product that worked. Clorox disinfecting bleach was the only thing that got rid of black buildup on the seal. The cleaners did clear the mildew smell, and so did the bleach.
In fairness, Maytag recommends affresh, and both brands belong to Whirlpool. That doesn’t make the advice wrong, but you should know it.
We hold every tablet to that result, ours included. Tablets keep a clean washer fresh. A neglected seal needs a cloth, and maybe bleach if your manual approves.
How do you clean a front load washer?
Wipe the door seal, run the washer’s own clean cycle with a cleaner, then clean the detergent drawer. Leave the door open after so everything dries. Our how to clean a washing machine guide walks through all six steps.
- Wipe the seal. Gently pull back the gasket, wipe it clean, then dry. Check the folds for socks and hair.
- Run the clean cycle. LG calls it Tub Clean, and Samsung calls it Self Clean. Select Maytag washers have a Clean Washer with affresh cycle.
- No clean cycle? Run the hottest, longest cycle with an empty drum and one cleaner.
- Clean the drawer. Pull out the detergent drawer, rinse off the film and let it dry.
- Clear the filter. Many front loaders have a drain pump filter behind a small front panel. Your manual shows how to drain and open it.
- Dry it out. Leave the door and drawer open, if your puppy can’t reach the laundry room.
How do you clean a top load washing machine?
Wipe the upper rim of the tub and the agitator, then run a clean cycle with a cleaner. Follow it with a rinse and spin, and leave the lid open.
- Wipe the rim. Consumer Reports suggests wiping down the circular upper rim of the tub and agitator. Grime and hair collect up there.
- Run the clean cycle. Use the clean washer setting, or the hottest cycle, with one cleaner in the empty tub.
- Rinse and spin. Maytag suggests a rinse and spin cycle after, to clear what’s left.
- Clean the dispensers. Wipe the softener and bleach cups, where film hides.
- Air it out. Leave the lid up until the tub is dry.
Do washing machine cleaners remove pet hair?
Most don’t. Our supplier confirms our tablets dissolve loose pet hair left in the drum. Heavy fur should still come off before the wash.
Wet fur doesn’t rinse away. The mix of water and pet hair results in clumps that stick to fabrics. Those clumps also cling to the drum and can clog the drain pump.
Run hairy bedding through a 10-minute, no-heat dryer cycle first, then shake it out outside. A pet hair remover glove lifts what’s left on blankets and couch throws. For other surfaces, the free Pet Hair Removal Finder suggests where to start.
Some brands sell enzyme washer cleaners for pet homes. Enzymes break down organic soil. Our supplier confirms our tablets dissolve loose pet hair. We haven’t seen an independent test of any brand’s hair claim yet.
Is vinegar or bleach safe in a washing machine?
It depends on your washer, so check the manual first. Some makers warn against vinegar, some washers call for oxygen bleach, and bleach must never be mixed with anything.
Maytag says you should not pour vinegar in your washing machine drum. It says the acidity can damage rubber seals and hoses.
Bleach has its own rules. Some brands specifically call for using oxygen bleach, which is different from chlorine bleach.
Never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia or another cleaner. Mixing can release dangerous gases. Run one cleaner at a time, with a rinse cycle in between.
Why does my washing machine smell?
Usually it’s damp residue in the seal, drum or drawer, where mold grows. A sewer smell is different, and often points to the drain hose. Rotten eggs or sewer? Our washing machine smells guide matches each smell to its first fix.
| The smell | Where to look | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Musty or mildew | Door seal folds and drum | Wipe the seal, run a clean cycle, leave the door open |
| Sour or soapy | Detergent drawer and dispensers | Use less detergent, skip softener, rinse the drawer |
| Like a sewer | Drain hose and standpipe | Check the hose depth, and call a plumber if it stays |
| Like a wet dog | Drain filter, drum and seal | Clear hair, dry-cycle bedding before washing |
| Back within a week | Wet loads left sitting | Move loads to the dryer as soon as they finish |
Consumer Reports says to skip the fabric softener, which may leave residue. In an HE washer, use only HE detergent.
The drain hose should sit only 6 to 8 inches into the drain pipe. Deeper than that can siphon foul-smelling water back into the washing machine.
Puppy homes get hit harder. You run more loads, and much of it is wet, hairy or soiled.
Start at the source. A scented booster can cover the smell, but the damp layer underneath stays.
A story from Michael Northcutt, our founder: A friend came over for dinner and walked in the front door. She said, “Oh! You have a dog.” She said it before she even saw the dog.
I’d stopped smelling it weeks before. I was cleaning up accidents, but I only washed the puppy’s bed, crate pad and blanket when they looked dirty.
The next day, I put a simple wash plan on the laundry room door. Two weeks later, the same friend said, “Nope. Smells like coffee.”
How often should you clean a washing machine with pets?
Once a month is the common rule, and every 30 to 50 loads is the range brands give. Clean sooner after a run of pet bedding or accident loads, or as soon as it smells.
A busy puppy house can hit 30 loads well before the month is out. So go by loads and smell as well as the calendar.
Wash pet bedding on its own, and keep a second set so one is always clean.
Keep any cleaner, tablets and bleach included, closed and up high. Puppies chew boxes, pods and anything that smells interesting.
Who should buy cleaner tablets, and who can skip them?
- Good fit: pet homes that want a no-measure monthly clean, and front loaders that get musty between washes.
- Skip them: if your washer already stays fresh with hot washes, the right detergent dose and a dry drum.
- Not enough alone: if the door seal has black buildup. Wipe it, and use a cleaner your manual approves.
Washing pet beds next? Our guide on how to wash a dog bed walks through covers, foam and accidents.
Washing machine cleaner FAQ
What is the best washing machine cleaner for pet hair?
Most cleaners only handle smell and residue. Our supplier confirms our tablets also dissolve loose pet hair. Shake heavy fur off in the dryer first.
Is affresh better than bleach?
For the black buildup on a door seal, bleach did better in Consumer Reports’ 2026 test. For mildew smell, the cleaners and bleach both worked, so check which one your manual allows.
Why is there black gunk in my washer door seal?
It’s usually residue, lint and mildew trapped in the folds of a damp seal. Pull the seal back gently, wipe it clean and let it dry.
Do I need a washing machine cleaner at all?
Not every home does, especially with hot washes and a drum that dries between loads. Pet bedding and accident loads make buildup more likely, which is when a monthly clean pays off.