Our laundry room contains our washing machine, dryer and an extra fridge (where we store drinks). Though the room is small, storage space is very adequate thanks to two sets of upper wall cabinets that are ceiling height. One set of cabinets is located above the washer and dryer (for storing laundry products, extra light bulbs, etc.) and the other is above the fridge.
Because the space also serves as an entry, I keep the decor simple. There is limited wall space, so a few small wall art items are all that's needed.
If you have gas appliances or are unsure how to safely unplug your electric appliances, please consult your utility company before proceeding.
To begin this cleaning project, I unplugged the washing machine and dryer and moved them away from the back wall - sounds difficult but it was easy, thanks to the tile floor.
I then vacuumed and mopped the floor. Actually, I didn't use a mop - a cleaning cloth and Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Basil Multi-Surface Concentrate diluted in a pail of hot water worked great.
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| Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Basil Multi-Surface Concentrate |
I didn't take a "before" photo, but, be thankful - it wasn't pretty! I usually clean under and behind the washer and dryer several times a year and am always surprised by how much lint and debris collect under them.
While the appliances were out of the way, I cleaned the baseboards and touched up paint. I also took the opportunity to give the walls behind and beside the appliances a fresh coat of paint. The wall paint is Sherwin Williams Macadamia in matte/flat finish.
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| Sherwin Williams Macadamia |
This time, I tried something new and added scented oil to the paint - Sweet Pea Jasmine scented warming oil. Not quite sure if the scented oil fragrance is noticeable, but I like the idea of it. LOL!
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| Sweet Pea Jasmine Scented Oil |
Dryer Cleaning
After the painting was done, it was time to clean the appliances. I removed the clamps from each end of the dryer vent hose and vacuumed the flexible hose using my vacuum attachment.
Then, vacuumed all of the openings on the back of the dryer and wiped the back and sides with the damp cloth.
Next, I removed the lint trap from inside the dryer and cleaned it with hot soapy water, rinsing thoroughly and set aside to air dry.
While the lint trap was removed, I vacuumed the lint trap opening as far as my vacuum attachment would reach. Specially designed vacuum attachments are available for dryer cleaning, and I've added one to my shopping list.
Next I wiped the inside of the dryer drum and the external power cord (unplugged!) with a damp cloth.
Washing Machine Cleaning
The washing machine received an exterior cleaning - wiped the outside on all sides, and the exterior hoses and cord (unplugged!) with a damp cloth.
I already have a habit of wiping the fabric softener dispenser, bleach dispenser and the inside of the lid and rim of the drum with each use, to prevent any build-up. And, every few months I remove the fabric softener dispenser and clean it and under it - amazing how much fabric softener can build up and under the dispenser.
Did you know that you need to clean your washing machine occasionally? That sounds odd, but the soaps and softeners can build up inside your washer and can also lead to mold and mildew problems.
To clean the inside thoroughly, I set my top loading washing machine to run the largest load setting with the hottest water temperature after adding 3 cups of vinegar and 1 cup of baking soda. After letting it agitate for a few minutes to dissolve the baking soda, I stopped the washing machine and let it sit for an hour, then resumed the full cycle.
After moving the washing machine and dryer back in place and cleaning the wall cabinet doors, I called this project DONE!
It was nice to give this much-used room a well deserved touch-up! Where are your washing machine and dryer located - inside your home, in the basement or in your garage? Do you have a laundry room or closet? Is your space a pass-thru as mine is? So many possibilities!
Sending a heartfelt thank you to Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for graciously featuring this post at her No Spend - Clean - Purge October Linky Party.
Thanks for stopping by - have a great day!
Shared with:
Snickerdoodle Sunday
Best of the Weekend Link Party
Sundays at Home
Tweak it Tuesday
Dear Creatives My Favorite Things
Small Victories Sunday Linkup
My Flagstaff Home
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
That DIY Party
Create with Joy
Creative Spark Link Party
Saturday Sparks Link Party
Friday Favorites - Must Love Home
The Creative Corner
Best of the Weekend Link Party
Sundays at Home
Tweak it Tuesday
Dear Creatives My Favorite Things
Small Victories Sunday Linkup
My Flagstaff Home
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
That DIY Party
Create with Joy
Creative Spark Link Party
Saturday Sparks Link Party
Friday Favorites - Must Love Home
The Creative Corner
My house right now doesn't really have a laundry room. I will in my new house that we are buying next week. I can't wait. Your laundry room looks great!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your new home, Charlene! That's so exciting! :)
ReplyDeleteWow, this is a fabulous list and how to. I need to do the same thing. Ours is right off the garage also and we have the extra fridge to, so similar set up. Thanks for linking up, this is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marty! So interesting that our floor plans in that area are similar. Thank you for hosting the No Spend-Clean-Purge October Linky Party - I really enjoy it!
DeleteI love having clean spaces and your laundry room looks great. It is important to keep our dryers vents cleaned out to prevent fires, so great advice too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by! Dryer fires happen far too frequently, don't they? Vacuuming the dryer vent hose, and under the dryer is one preventive step in the right direction. Have a great day!
DeleteWhat a lovely laundry room! I have a laundry closet, off the family room. It is set up so that the washer and dryer face each other, with a little space in front. It tends to double up as a storage closet, too. I really need to declutter and clean it, but it will have to wait until my health improves.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bless! That's really handy to have your laundry space near the family room. And, since yours isn't a pass-thru, you can store things there without having them in the way. That's nice!
DeleteThe room looks great! I wasn't aware about cleaning washing machines...thanks for the instructions! Thank you for sharing at the #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup!
ReplyDeleteYou laundry room looks so well put together. Thanks for sharing your tips at Snickerdoodle Sunday. Pinned and Tweeted.
ReplyDeleteDeep cleaning my laundry room is on my list of 'to do's' before Christmas. Nothing like a clean and fresh smelling room to do laundry in! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
This is such a nice space and a pleasant way to enter the house. Thanks for sharing at My Flagstaff Home!
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Carolyn, I stumbled across your post because Marty featured you today. The neat thing is that I've just been cleaning my laundry room and the washer is washing itself as we speak. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely and clean laundry room... I need to do a really good cleaning of mine. I just have a closet in the hallway, with washer and dryer.. I have shelves over it, to hold my cleaning supplies.. I am going to do the vinegar/soda washing today.. thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt's often easy to neglect the laundry room in the home. There are a few things that can be done to add a decorative touch, such as shelves and pictures on the wall. While cleaning the room, it's a good idea to clean the vents and make sure the hoses don't have any blockages.
ReplyDeleteRolando Ramirez @ Aardvark Dryer Vent