The One Place You Haven't Thought To Clean With Bar Keepers Friend But You Should

When you've browsed the cleaning aisle of your local home improvement store, you've most likely walked past many a bottle of Bar Keepers Friend. This popular cleaning supply brand offers a wide variety of products, but most notable are its cleansers, which can be used on multiple surfaces, from polishing stainless steel to removing water stains from wood. The formula is known for ridding your home of rust, soap scum, calcium scale, and other unwanted stains. While you might assume this type of product is solely used in the kitchen and bathroom, it can actually work magic in your laundry room.

Originally manufactured back in 1882, Bar Keepers Friend's first formula was made out of a powder, and its Powder Cleanser still remains popular today. Thanks to its ingredient, oxalic acid, Bar Keeper's Friend is an easy cleaning and polishing tool that can also work on enamel-coated metal items, like your washer and dryer. While your laundry appliances might not get as filthy as your dishwasher or microwave, these surfaces can still gather dust and sticky buildup from laundry products. 

You can opt for either the powder or liquid cleanser to clean your washer and dryer, depending on the state of your laundry appliances. Yours might have build-ups of lint, mold, detergent, fabric softener, and anything that was dislodged from your filthy laundry. If the machines only need a light wipe down, you can choose the liquid Bar Keepers Friend. If the stains are stubborn, the powerful powder might be your best bet since you can adjust the strength of the product based on how much water you use alongside. No matter which cleaner you use, it's recommended to clean your dryer and washer at least once a month.

For the outside panels of your washer and dryer, you can grab a sponge, a bowl of water, your Bar Keepers Friend Powder Cleanser, and get started. First, you'll want to wet the surface you intend to clean and then add a sprinkle of the powder on top. Add more powder and less water if you want a stronger mix. Use your sponge to scrub the surfaces clean. Once your stain is fully removed, you can rinse the area with water and dry it off with a cloth. 

To clean the inside of your washer, you can take a damp sponge with a dash of Bar Keeper's Friend to the washer tub to remove any soap scum or stains. Don't forget to also wipe down the rubber seals of your washer to remove any mold or other build-up.