How to clean and service a washing machine soap drawer & fabric conditioner tray

by / Tuesday, 30 July 2013 / Published in Repair Guides, Washing machines

The Soap drawer and boxes get mucky and they need cleaned pretty regularly this video tutorial will show you how.

You get the build-up of powder, fabric conditioner or softener and, combined with the nice warm atmosphere in most people’s homes and the wet or damp environment in the soap drawer it forms an almost perfect place for bacteria to grow. (which causes mould and smells)

When we talk about the soap drawer this is the bit you pull out to put the powder into. The part that this drawer slots into is known as the (soap box).

There seems to be basically two different methods for removal, a sharp tug for most of them or, in some cases like many Bosch, Neff, Siemens or Balay washing machines, a release clip. Below is a picture of the Bosch soap drawer being removed for cleaning or maintenance.

washing machine soap drawers are easily removed for cleaning

Once you have removed the drawer, you can clean it easily using hot water and a small brush, if your water has a lot of calcium in your area you may wish to bleach the areas that have scum marks on them will also need bleaching. I have had great success when a soap drawer has been soaked in hot water with some time especially with bleach it will ensure that all the bacteria gets wiped out and will help remove any build up of lime scale.

Normally at the back of the fabric conditioner section there is a removable tube that forms a siphon to which the softener is taken into the machine on the final rinse. This needs to be removed and cleaned as if it is not clear then often the siphon will not work correctly. In almost all machines these just pull off for cleaning and the tubes need to be cleaned with a small brush.

If you don’t clean this then you will get a congealed mass of conditioner or soap detergent building up which can lead to unpleasant smells and mould in the washing machine. It can also cause other issues, like the soap drawer not clearing the water properly or may cause the machine to leak from the soap drawer in extreme cases, as well as resulting in the machine not taking the conditioner into the drum on the final rinse.

49 Responses to “How to clean and service a washing machine soap drawer & fabric conditioner tray”

  1. Lindamk says : Reply

    Any tips for how to get rid of washing power that has dried like concrete inside the soap drawer? Have scrubbing, then tried soaking & scrubbing but it’s still stuck in the whole of the drawer compartment & every time i use it more sticks on & build up!

  2. Lindamk says : Reply

    Any tips for how to get rid of washing power that has dried like concrete inside the soap drawer? Have tried scrubbing, then tried soaking & scrubbing with hot water but it’s still stuck in the whole of the drawer compartment & every time i use it more sticks on & build up!

  3. Mickey McDpmnald says : Reply

    How to remove the soap drawer on a ASKO 10505?

  4. dozie ugochukwu says : Reply

    My Sharp washing machine stopped absorbing detergent placed in the detergent compartment. The detergent stays dry and cloths don’t get washed, just keeps tumbles with water. How do i fix this?

  5. Villasteve says : Reply

    Hi There, we have moved into a house with a Bosch machine, we have cleaned all of the filters etc, the problem we have is the soap drawer is covered with rock hard soap powder, tried to chip it off but obviously being plastic I’m scared of cracking it, Thanks in advance,

  6. Peter Holmes says : Reply

    Hi, We have a bosch washing machine and have a problem with the soft rinse compartment of the draw. Even after cleaning with descaler and a brush we are still left with water in the compartment. I dont think enough water is getting in to the softrinse compartment of the draw to cause a syphon action. I have tried cleaning the water feed to the soft rinse compartment with a small cable tie, is there anything else that can clear the water feed. There appears to be a lot of black material in the holes, some of which comes out with the cable tie, but i still think there is a partial blockage.
    Many thanks if you can help.
    Peter Holmes

    • xLulzx says : Reply

      I had the same problem I uses TePe Interdental Brushes Mix Sizes and Thick Pipe Cleaners, it’s a bad Design they should of made it so you could take the Roof off for Cleaning.

  7. Adrian says : Reply

    The top of my soap box is really dirty. I’ve tried cleaning it in situ but I can’t get it all off. Can it be removed for more through cleaning?

  8. D Cooper says : Reply

    Hi I have moved into a house with a Bosch washing machine. Quite old i think but normally works well. I have been trying to take the soap drawer out as its obviously clogged in the fabric softener slot. Absolutely no way that I can get it out. I have watched the videos etc. Can anyone help. Thanks.

  9. PETER GILBERT says : Reply

    I have a ten year old Bosch washing machine and like many of those of your correspondents it suffers from calcified washing powder deposits on parts of the dispenser drawer. Is it safe to use a bleach solution to remove these deposits and if so—at what strength ? If bleach is not a good idea, are there any other products that will do the job ? Your help would be much appreciated. Peter.

  10. Brian says : Reply

    Use 2 in 1 pods or same stuff in liquid form, use the bottle cap as the dispenser.

    Remove the machine soap dispenser (they clip or slide free, check you tube for demos), clean it up best as you can, leave it in bright sunshine to kill spores, chuck dispenser in a cupboard or bin. You don’t need it, it will just turn black again. The machine will not leak without it.
    If you must add extra fabric conditioner or nice fragrances find another way of getting those in the drum.

    Dump the dispenser, enjoy life!

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