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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →For routine cleaning, run your Samsung top-load washer’s dedicated tub-cleaning cycle—called Self Clean, Self Clean+, Pure Cycle, or, on some regional models, Eco Tub Clean—with the tub empty. Samsung says routine Self Clean does not require detergent or bleach. If the washer already smells musty or has visible mold, use the separate odor-treatment procedure below instead.
Run the tub-cleaning cycle for routine maintenance
- Empty the tub. Remove laundry and any other items.
- Select the cleaning cycle. Choose Self Clean, Self Clean+, Pure Cycle, or the equivalent named in your model’s manual. The cycle name and controls vary by model.
- Start the cycle and let it finish. Samsung’s US support guide estimates about one hour for a top-load Self Clean cycle; actual duration depends on the model. No cleaner is needed for routine Self Clean, according to Samsung’s washer-cleaning guide.
- Check for residue. If suds or residue remain, run the cleaning cycle again.
- Let the washer dry. Leave the lid open after the cycle. If your washer has a detergent drawer, leave it open as well where the design allows.
Samsung recommends running Self Clean about once a month. Its US guide says the reminder light on covered top-load models appears after 20 washes; use the cycle and reminder behavior described in your own manual if your model differs.
If the washer smells musty or has visible mold
This is a separate procedure from routine monthly cleaning. Samsung’s US instructions call for bleach as part of treating existing odor or visible mold—not as an additive for routine Self Clean.
- Empty the washer and remove standing water. With the tub empty, run Spin-only.
- Add liquid chlorine bleach to the detergent compartment. Fill only to the compartment’s max line. Do not pour it into the bleach compartment for this procedure.
- Start Self Clean promptly. Do not leave bleach sitting in the washer, and do not put laundry in the tub.
- Wipe visible residue after the cycle. Then run Rinse+Spin. Repeat the treatment if residue remains.
- Air-dry the washer. Leave the lid open after the final cycle.
These directions come from Samsung’s mold and mildew guidance. If your dispenser layout or control labels differ, follow the manual for your exact model. Contact Samsung support if odor or mold remains after several attempts.
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Clean the detergent drawer when your model has one
For applicable drawer designs, Samsung’s cleaning guide recommends washing removable compartments and the recess with warm water and a soft brush, then drying them thoroughly before reinstalling. Check your model manual before removing or reassembling drawer parts; layouts and removal instructions are not universal.
Check your model manual before cleaning filters
Do not follow front-load pump-filter instructions for a top-loader. Samsung’s US cleaning guide says top-load washers do not have that pump filter. Some top-load models in other regions have different components: for example, Samsung Gulf’s guide describes lint-filter and water-inlet mesh-filter maintenance for applicable machines. That does not establish that every top-loader has those filters. Use the exact model manual before removing filters or hoses, and see Samsung Gulf’s top-load cleaning guidance for its regional examples.
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If your washer has no dedicated cleaning cycle
Consult the model manual. Samsung advises using a washing machine cleaner when Self Clean or Pure Cycle is unavailable and following the cleaner’s label. The cited guidance does not endorse a particular product. Do not add a cleaner to a dedicated Self Clean cycle unless your manual specifically instructs you to.
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