Why You Need to Clean Your Washing Machine's Baffles ASAP

By Ally Childress

Published on Oct. 11, 2024

Baffled? Here's a hint: This often-overlooked feature is essential for keeping your clothes clean.

Ever heard of washing machine baffles? Me neither, but apparently you have to clean them or they’ll get extremely disgusting. TikTok is abuzz over a viral video of an unsuspecting mom and her grimy washing machine, and when I saw it, I knew I had to investigate. I mean, what’s social media good for if not shaming us into doing something no one’s ever heard of before?

Screwdriver in hand, I opened my washer to get started. After staring blankly at the basin for a few minutes, I decided I better get an actual pro involved. James Fleming is a 25-year appliance technician who now helps people fix their own appliance problems at Frontdoor, the home-maintenance app that’s like telehealth for your house. And he knows how to clean a washing machine—including this often-overlooked spot—the right way.

Read on to find out what baffles are, what they do and how to clean them so you can be confident your clothes are getting clean, not picking up gross, TikTok-worthy slime from your washing machine.

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A baffle is a hard plastic or metal protrusion on the inside of your washing machine’s drum. “The baffle’s main function is to move and rotate clothing inside the drum while the unit is in washing mode,” Fleming says. “This causes friction between the clothing, allowing items to get clean.” Baffles help your laundry appliances work better—and believe it or not, dryers have baffles too.

“Most washer baskets will have three baffles, which are removable,” Fleming says. They slide or lock into place and are usually held down by screws. But not all baffles can be easily removed: Mine screw in from the outside of the drum, not the inside. (Hence my earlier confusion.) I can’t remove them without taking my washer apart—not happening!

They get super gross and grimy, for one thing, as you can see in that viral TikTok video that started this whole deep dive into my washing machine. “The buildup underneath the baffles is mainly soap scum and, if you use it, fabric-softener residue,” Fleming says. Baffles have holes in them to allow water to pass through as your machine washes your clothes. If you use a lot of detergent and softeners (which you actually shouldn’t be doing for a variety of reasons), excess can build up inside the baffles.

You could also get mold, which loves the dark, damp confines of your washer. A funky smell won’t be far behind, and that means smelly clothes. If you have hard water, waiting too long between cleanings can cause the holes on the baffle to clog, trapping even more stinky scum.

And while cold water is more efficient than hot, Fleming says that never using hot water, or the cleaning cycle, contributes to smelly, grimy baffles.

No, but most front-loaders do because baffles lift and agitate clothes for better cleaning. In front-loading machines, baffles are attached to the sides of the drum.

Top-loaders tend to have fins on the agitator instead of removable baffles, but impeller-driven top loaders could have baffles on the drum, similar to a front-loading machine, or on the impeller itself. (An impeller, FYI, is the low, rotating disc at the bottom of some washing machines; it is an alternative to an agitator.)

If your baffles aren’t removable, don’t worry—you can still clean them. Run a self-cleaning cycle or, if your washer doesn’t have one, a hot-water cycle. Give the machine a boost too: “I highly recommend using products such as Affresh washing machine cleaner for cleaning cycles,” Fleming says. Another alternative: Use a handheld steam cleaner, preferably one with a long nozzle, to direct steam into the baffles to loosen the crud before running the cycle. (Be careful not to burn yourself in the tight quarters.)

Check for buildup around the baffle, especially where the baffle meets the drum. Scrub with soapy water (or vinegar) and a toothbrush. Pipe cleaners, or those long brushes used to clean straws, can help remove soap scum and hard-water deposits from the holes in your non-removable baffles. Poke the pipe cleaner through to loosen the deposits before running the cleaning or hot-water cycle.

Just be aware that Affresh may leave a residue, especially if you haven’t used it before. After the cleaning cycle, grab a damp microfiber cloth and wipe down the drum and baffles. Follow the directions on the package for best results.

You should clean your washing machine baffles every 30 to 90 days, or as recommended by the manufacturer. Check your manual: “If the washing machine has a dedicated ‘clean washer cycle,’ use it as often as the manufacturer requires,” Fleming says. (Don’t forget the Affresh, especially if your baffles aren’t removable.)

All that said, removing the baffles every time may be excessive, according to Fleming, so use your judgment. “If the washing machine has a strong odor, or if the baffles are noticeably dirty or grimy, then that indicates that they may need to be removed for cleaning,” he says.

If you’ve never cleaned your baffles, start now! After a few rounds of cleaning your washer and baffles, you’ll get a sense of how quickly they get gunky.

At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. For this piece on how to clean your washing machine’s baffles, Ally Childress tapped her experience as a journalist who covers home and cleaning for Reader’s Digest. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.

Sources:

How to Clean Every Room in Your Home

The Best Cleaning Schedule to Follow

How to Do Laundry the Right Way