Cleaning Fabric Softener Dispenser

RE: Cleaning Fabric Softener Dispenser Post By ajs (Guest Post) (05/16/2008) I have a Kenmore HE. After adding the fabric softener to the dispenser I always fill to the top with water. no more gunk. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Cleaning Fabric Softener Dispenser Post by louel53 (106) | (04/10/2008) Contact Of course, I can't say for sure because I haven't seen it, but I think, based on what the gunk in mine looked like, that all it is is the build up from the fabric softener and some soap or dirt residue from the washwater. I use the same downy bottle for years, refilling from the cardboard container, and if I don't wash the top off periodically, I get that bluish/grey build up on that as well. I doubt very much that it is mold or mildew. Just old fabric softener. Report Spam or Abuse Request: Cleaning Fabric Softener Dispenser Post by Laurel_admin (380) | (04/08/2008) Contact What can I use on my washing machine fabric softener dispenser to clean and clear it? I have a Kenmore about 10 years old. Sue Answers: hot water I found that my Kenmore fabric softener dispenser came off fairly easily. Once I got it off, I used hot, hot water and rinsed it OVER and OVER. You'd be amazed at all the gunk that came out! I then soaked it for awhile in very hot water. It eventually came out really clean and I put it back in the washer (with a vow to clean it more than once every 5 years!) Diane  (12/01/2000) By admin2 vinegar I'd try white vinegar - that's a rinsing agent Sandy  (12/01/2000) By admin2 vinegar Run a load with about 1/4 c. white vinegar in the dispenser. It will clean out any residue. BTW, white vinegar is a great fabric softener, and although the vinegar smells, your clothes won't. Karen  (12/01/2000) By admin2 RE: Cleaning Fabric Softener Dispenser And I thought I was the only one whose Kenmore fabric softener quit working! Right now I just filled it with white vinegar in the hopes that will clean it out. I had it off, ran hot water, over and over again, used a toothbrush on it, tried everything, but nothing worked. I did soak it with white vinegar, but maybe this'll do it while it's running. Thanks. (09/21/2004) By Pat RE: Cleaning Fabric Softener Dispenser I soaked mine in CLR and rinsed with a ton of water, eventually it came clean but I was hoping someone might know how to open the thing up to get at all the little crannies (08/12/2005) By April RE: Cleaning Fabric Softener Dispenser I don't have a Kenmore, Maytag (but I did this with my old Kenmore too), mix up the homemade fabric softener (see related links) it is baking soda and vinegar. The dispenser will always be CLEAN. I messed up, and sometimes I have a little baking soda residue because I was silly in mixing but rinses through very easily! I found powder detergent clogged in mine that my friend used! I use borax and liquid, never had a problem! (03/26/2006) By camo_angels RE: Cleaning Fabric Softener Dispenser I just bought a brand new Kenmore washing machine. After having an old machine for years (circa 1970's) it finally broke. I was very excited to finally have a fabric softener dispenser with the new machine. After a few weeks I realized the downside of having a dispenser, having to clean it. After cleaning it out twice I decided to buy a little plastic ball that dispenses softener(don't want to mention any names here) and its works great! Goodbye gunked up dispenser! Best of all the softener ball is cleanable and it only costs around $2.00 so if it gets to the point where I don't want to clean it, I throw it out. What I used to get my "old" dispenser clean was just taking it off of the agitator and cleaning it with running water and some pipe cleaners to get into the little spots. (04/23/2006) By Mark RE: Cleaning Fabric Softener Dispenser I took the dispenser off of the agitator and soaked it in Comet and hot water. I used a spoon to scrape the inside gunk. Then I took a toothbrush to it. I worked well. Now I need to know how to clean the top of the agitator that the dispenser fits on. It is filled with gunk also. I tried scraping it but I can't get my hand in it. Any suggestions? (05/03/2006) By KC RE: Cleaning Fabric Softener Dispenser I have a Kenmore washer and had the same problem. I took off the dispenser, put it in the washing machine along with a load of old towels and washed. It is now totally clean (I used the delicate cycle) (02/11/2007) By MSA guest RE: Cleaning Fabric Softener Dispenser I purchased a used washer and found the dispenser clogged with years of buildup. I put boiling water through it along with white vinegar and heated it in the microwave. It took about an hour of repeating and shaking the solid wastes out of it. It is as clean as a whistle now. (01/13/2008) By Renee RE: Cleaning Fabric Softener Dispenser I placed mine in a Pyrex dish, filled the dispenser with white vinegar and filled the Pyrex up half way with vinegar and water mix (the key was to fill above business end of the dispenser). Then microwaved in 2 minute intervals. I scrubbed and used the top of a baster to CAREFULLY force air/mixture through it in between heating intervals. Don't be afraid to be creative. For my 8 yr old Kenmore, the replacement part is less than $10 if you should break it. (b)(/b) (01/26/2008) By Noel RE: Cleaning Fabric Softener Dispenser I used hot water and a toothpick to scrape out all the gunk. I'm going to try the vinegar to get to the spots I couldn't pick out. (03/18/2008) By Report Spam or Abuse