Say Goodbye to Smelly Washers:
TechnoFresh’s Proven Approach for Long-Lasting Freshness!
Home Recipe – Vinegar Based – Super Shock Washing Machine Clearing Procedure
TechnoFresh is not used to clean the machine. It doesn’t work that way.
You use TechnoFresh to keep mold, mildew, fungus and bacteria from growing back after the machine is cleaned.
To learn about using TechnoFresh powder twice a week to control slimy washer contamination, go to the original home page: Washing Machine Cleaner and Odor Control page.
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Super Shock uses vinegar, salt and dishwasher detergent that you already have in your house.
If you use this cleaning procedure your machine will be as clean (most likely cleaner) than any of the shock cleaning products available.
It is a little more complicated than just using a tablet or packet. But it is much, much safer than using those strong chemicals. It will also do no damage to the machine like the strong chemicals. See Shocking Spiders page for details.
It is so effective that there are many reports that some people find that they can drop back to two Super Shocks s year.
An important thing to remember is that regular Technofresh use will keep the nasties from growing on any detergent build up that occurs.
Phase One
Step #1 Mix 3 ounces of cheapest regular salt (any kind) and 1 ounce of the cheapest powder dishwasher detergent you can find. (The expenisive versions have no-spot additives.that are not used in this cleaning)
If you find that this is not as effective as you would like, use TSP detergent instead of the dishwasher detergent.
TSP (trisodium phosphate) is an industrial detergent you can get from Amazon. Don’t buy too much because you should use only 1/2 ounce of TSP. It can foam up and shut down the machine with a “high suds” error.
No matter which you use, you will not be damaging the machine like you could with the shock tablets/packets.
See Shocking Spiders page for more info about the damage.
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Put 10-15% to the detergent dispenser and the rest to the drum.
Step #2. Place a large load of rags or old towels in the drum. A really large load will increase the amount of water used resulting in a higher water line in the drum and it will also increase the wash time which will help a lot.
Step #3. Pour the one to two gallons of cheap white vinegar onto the old towels / rags in drum so they are well soaked. Don’t worry, the vinegar smell will rinse out before the cycle is over.
Note If you pour the vinegar directly into the drum of the machine, it will be pumped out at the beginning of the wash cycle. The machine thinks it is water left over from the last load. So, you have to trick the machine by soaking the rags/towels with the vinegar.
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Note 2: Two gallons of vinegar seems like a lot. It really works though. Use the cheapest vinegar you can find. To clean effectively, you need to offset the alkali nature of the detergent residue in the machine. Because vinegar is weak acetic acid you need lot of it. More than two gallons would be a waste though. Also, for any follow-up shock treatments (every three or four months) you should only need one gallon or less. Compare the total cost of shock tablets or other products to the fact that this method actually works….
Step #4. Run load with the longest and hottest water setting.
Note: If you minimize your laundry detergent and use TechnoFresh regularly you may never have to shock again. Well not ever, but some customers report year long periods where the shock was not run and everything was fine
Warning:
Remember, you are trying to remove / dissolve the soap and scum off of the walls of the tank and plumbing.
If you have been using excessive amounts of detergent and softener, there will be a large buildup. It could take up to three shock runs.
As this gunk is removed, you might find that the smell could even be increasing between shock runs
If so, you are using way too much detergent
The shock exposes the anaerobic bacteria slime growing on the decomposing organic based material.
If the detergent layer is thick it will not all come off at once. However it can come off in chunks!
As the upper layers come off, the machine can start to smell like a dirty swimming pool or a fish aquarium that needs cleaning.
Keep running the super shock. The odor will clear up eventually.
Optional
This extra procedure is only necessary if you had a really bad problem and the fishy odor remains but you have to stop shocking for a day or so because your schedule won’t allow continued cleaning.
Do a chlorine bleach shock (1 cup in hot water load, absolutely no other chemicals no towels) to knock out the fishy odor if it arises.
The chlorine cleaning effect will not last long.
If it smells fishy, there is still more of the contaminated biofilm to be removed.
You may also see flecks of black mold that has been loosened and is floating around the machine.
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Some machines are really gross.
Some actually have had the drain lines plug with thick black goo.
This is way too much detergent and softener being used.
End of Super Shock treatment Phase1.
Minor Problems
If you have a small buildup in your machine and one SuperShock works to remove the odor, you can skip to the Phase 3 of this procedure.
In Phase 3, you can return to doing your laundry again using TechnoFresh as needed.
Others with a really contaminated machine and a lot of contaminated, smelly laundry should continue with Phase 2 of the procedure as you feel necessary
Phase Two:
OK, you have minimized the amount of detergent film on the plumbing by running a very effective shock treatment.
Phase Two is intended to continue to disinfect the machine and any laundry that smells by using double the TechnoFresh for these loads.
Add one full ounce (roughly) of TechnoFresh® to the machine.
A third of it sprinkled on top of the detergent in the dispenser (liquid or powder) and the rest directly into the tub before adding the laundry.
Use this full amount for every load you wash for the next week or two until you feel confident the odor is really controlled.
During this time, rewash all of the clothes and other laundry that have been smelling.
Use a minimum of detergent and the hottest water the laundry can stand.
It will accelerate the effect of TechnoFresh® .
Cold water works but warmer/hotter water is faster.
Phase Three:
Phase Three is just your normal laundry routine where you control odor week-after-week with TechnoFresh®.
From now on TechnoFresh will work its way into all the nooks and crannies of the machine and continue to sanitize it.
So, after the machine has been cleaned you can return to your normal laundry routine.
This is where you use less than one scoop in the loads in which you use TechnoFresh®.
You only need to use TechnoFresh® in a few loads every week. See “Wash Schedules” button for details.
Place most of the TechnoFresh® directly into the drum before adding the laundry.
Most of it will go through the holes in the drum to the outer drum where the nasties are growing.
Also sprinkle a little on top of the detergent (liquid or powder) in the dispenser as your wash schedule dictates.
Use less in dispenser if your machine does not dissolve the TechnoFresh. Machines vary.
No matter which detergent you use, the TechnoFresh® will mix with it and create a barrier to suppress the growth of the nasties.
Remember, from now on, only use one tablespoon of detergent or softener in any load.
Or roughly enough to just cover the bottom of the measuring cap.
No kidding…
Increase only if experience actually indicates you need more.
You will be surprised how little you need.
Do not believe the recommended amount on the machine dispenser !
Do not fill up to the first mark of the detergent measuring cap !
Remember: The build up of the material is the food source for the biofilm. Starve the nasties.
Notes:
Remember: These machines concentrate the detergent/softener at the surface of the laundry fibers so very little is actually required. Always start with 1 tablespoonful and increase only if you actually see a need. If you have a small volume washer don’t reduce to less than a tablespoonful because you need a minimum amount of detergent for the stuff to work.
A real savings if you play it right …
Hard or soft water does not have any effect on the performance of TechnoFresh®. They do have an effect on detergent and fabric softener performance as explained elsewhere.
These directions seem to have worked for a lot of people over the years so they will probably work for you. However, there may be instances where the problem is so tough the machine must be disassembled and scrubbed to remove the build up. Thankfully this level seems to be very rare. ( We have been in business since January 2008 and I haven’t heard of a tear down being required by a customer yet.)
Tip:
Pick an article of clothing that gets consistently dirty like T-shirts or kid’s socks. Try to use the smallest amount of detergent that will still get these clean. If these are clean, then the rest of the laundry is clean too. If not, increase the amount until the articles get clean. In the end, you will get an idea of how little you really need to use. Any reduction will help your problem. This experiment is pretty much required to find out how much your family needs to use in its machine. This is the maximum amount to use in the future to control the odor.
Tip: To help with the odor problem, you should try to stop using liquid softener (try vinegar – it works!). The softener sheets used in the dryer will tend to put a thin coating on the “dryness” sensor. It is a pair of metal strips inside the drum just under the door opening. Wipe these down with a little rubbing alcohol every month or two to keep the sensor contact with the damp laundry working correctly
Aloha, I had to send this email to thank you for helping me remove the smell from my washer. We live near the beach and I assumed that it was inevitable that my washer and towels would always smell. I even went out and purchased a new top loading machine and got rid of my front loader thinking I would not have odor issues. Wrong! I scrubbed my machine with borax and dish soap and ran the machines clean cycle 3 x and it could not compare to one round of the shock treatment. There is still a slight odor but I have received my Techno Fresh and have begun adding it to my wash. Thank you for the great information on your website. I tell all my friends to check it out. Mahalo, Katy 2014 |