Affresh Washer Cleaner Kit Review
We’ve had our Whirlpool Duet Front-Loading Automatic Washer for about 4 ½ years now and we have been very happy with it. This past year though, it has started to smell a little like mildew. Checking the Use & Care Guide (yes, still have it – save everything), all it recommended for washer care was to wipe it down with a soft damp cloth. For the door seal, it said to use a soft damp cloth or sponge when necessary and to check the fold for foreign objects. Not much help.
I have tried running a cycle with hot water and bleach to freshen it up, leaving the door open to let it dry out, and cleaned the rubber door seal using Clorox Disinfecting Wipes – but the smell wouldn’t go away. The odor didn’t transfer to my laundry, but still the smell could only mean build-up somewhere – and a potential repair bill down the road.
So, when I received a mailer advertisement for the Whirlpool W10194073 Affresh High Efficiency Washer Cleaner with Grit Grabber Cloth
The product claims to remove the detergent residue that bleach cannot, thus removing the source of breeding grounds for odor-causing bacteria.
One tablet is placed in the washer by itself – no clothes – and run on the Normal Cycle with hot water, or the Clean Washer Cycle (if you have that). The slow-dissolve, foaming tablet makes quite a racket for the first few minutes, sounding like a hockey puck in the drum.
The first time you use the product, it is recommended that you run three consecutive wash cycles in hot water, using up all three pucks. I thought that might be excessive, but it really took all three cycles until my washer looked and smelled relatively fresh again.
After the first cycle I started to worry because it seemed to smell worse! It was probably due to lifting some of the soap scum and disturbing the years of gunk. I opened the door and used a Grit Grabber cloth to wipe down the rubber gasket around the door, and ended up using two cloths to remove all of the black dirt I never realized was there! The second cycle was a major improvement from the first go-round, and only one Grit Grabber Cloth was needed.
It wasn’t until after the third and final cycle, that I could actually see and smell the improvement. One last pass with a Grit Grabber Cloth and a once over with a dry towel, I left the door wide-open overnight to dry everything out thoroughly.
The result? A great improvement overall – not 100%, but had I known about this product a few years ago, it probably would not have gotten so out of control. If you have a High Efficiency washer, this would be a good product to use in order to prevent build-up. So if your machine still fairly new and you would like to keep it looking and smelling like new, this may be an easy way to do the job.
(I purchased this product and the above opinion is my own. I may receive a small commission if you purchase by using the affiliate links on this site – click here to read our disclosure)
