How to Clean a Fabric Softener Dispenser

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 30, 2021

The fabric softener dispenser on a top- or front-loading washing machine can become soiled through the machine’s normal usage. Fabric softener, soap, and grime that moves through the washing machine can build up and clog the fabric softener dispense, rendering it blocked and useless. A blocked fabric softener dispenser can eventually result in a premature malfunction or failure of your washing machine.^{[1]
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Research source} If yours is no longer dispensing fabric softener properly, you can clean it manually, using a rag or toothbrush, or by running a mixture of soapy water through the dispenser.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Locating the Fabric Softener Dispenser

1
Open the washing machine lid. If you have a top-loading washing machine, lift up the lid as if you were going to start a new load of laundry. The fabric-softener dispenser is usually located right under the lid, in one of the corners.^{[2]
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Research source} The fabric softener dispenser is usually located next to the detergent dispenser and the bleach dispenser, depending on the structure of your washing machine.
- If you’re struggling to find the dispenser’s location, check your washing machine’s manual. It should have a layout showing the location of all parts of the machine.
2
Open the front door of the washing machine. If you have a front-loading washing machine, you’ll need to look on top of the machine to access the softener dispenser. Most front-loading machines have a drawer or slot for fabric softener under a lid on top of the machine, next to the drawers for laundry detergent and bleach.^{[3]
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Research source} If you can’t find the fabric softener dispenser there, it may be located just inside of the main door.
- As with a top-loading machine, if you can’t find the fabric softener dispenser, check the washing machine manual for a display showing the location of the dispenser.
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3
Remove the dispenser. Some washing machines have removable fabric softener dispensers, while others feature a non-removable dispenser.^{[4]
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Research source} If yours is removable, reach in and gently pull the dispenser out of the washing machine. This will make the dispenser easier to clean. Since it may be clogged, the fabric softener dispenser will likely be gunky and covered with soap and fabric softener.
- If your washing machine features a non-removable dispenser, it can still be cleaned while lodged within the laundry machine.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Cleaning the Dispenser Manually

1
Create a cleaning solution. In a large bowl or a bucket, create a solution of 1 gallon (3.78 liters) warm water, ¼ cup (2 ounces) of liquid dish detergent, and 1 cup (8 ounces) of bleach.^{[5]
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Research source} Since bleach is corrosive and a potentially harmful substance, wear rubber gloves while making and using the cleaning solution. You may also want to wear old clothes, in case any bleach splashes on them.
- If you don’t already have any of the cleaning supplies around the house, you can easily purchase all of them at your local grocery store.
2
Submerge the fabric softener dispenser in the cleaning solution. Place the dispenser into the liquid gently, still wearing your rubber gloves, so that you don’t splash any of the bleach solution out onto yourself. You can let the dispenser soak for about 5–10 minutes so that the bleach and detergent mixture cleans the residue from the plastic.^{[6]
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3
Agitate the solution. You can lightly shake the bucket or bowl holding the cleaning mixture so that it flows over the fabric softener dispenser and dislodges some of the gunk and grime stuck on the dispenser. When you do this, be careful not to splash any of the bleach solution out on your clothing or skin.
- You can agitate the bucket once or twice during the 5–10 minutes you’re soaking the dispenser. More than this is unnecessary.
4
Wipe the dispenser clean with a soft cloth. Once you’ve waited 10 minutes and pulled the dispenser out of the cleaning mixture (still wearing your rubber gloves), use a clean rag or cotton cloth to wipe the dispenser clean.^{[7]
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Research source} Remove all residue of soap and fabric softener, and fully dry the dispenser with the cloth.
- If there are certain areas of the dispenser that you cannot fully wipe clean with the rag, find an old toothbrush. The toothbrush will allow you to scrub corners or other areas of the dispenser that are hard to reach.
5
Re-install the fabric softener dispenser. Now that you’ve removed and cleaned the dispenser, you can set it back in place in your washing machine. If the housing that the dispenser is set in also has a grimy buildup, you can clean this off by dipping your cloth in the soapy cleaning mixture and wiping the area down.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cleaning a Non-removable Dispenser

1
Fill a bucket with a mixture of warm water and liquid dish detergent. Pour a small capful of your regular laundry detergent into a bucket or large mixing bowl, and then fill the bowl with warm water from your kitchen tap.^{[9]
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2
Pour the mixture into the fabric softener dispenser. Being careful not to spill any of the water and detergent mixture, slowly pour the liquid into the soap and laundry softener dispensers. Then run the washing machine on the “warm rinse” setting to run the detergent through the machine and the fabric softener dispenser.^{[10]
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- If your laundry machine does not have a “warm rinse” option but only has a “cool rinse,” you can follow roughly the same cleaning procedure. However, you’ll need to pour hot, sudsy water into the fabric softener dispenser between each rinse. This allows the water and detergent to break down and clean whatever’s clogging the dispenser.
3
Run at least three warm rinses with detergent. Repeat the rinsing process at least three times, so that the detergent solution can clean out grime and build-up from the fabric softener dispenser. Each time you’ll need to pour another bucket full of warm water and laundry detergent into the fabric softener dispenser.^{[11]
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- You may need to reach inside of your washing machine’s fabric softener dispenser using a damp rag in order to wipe out any gunk or grime that has not been cleaned with the detergent and water mixture.
4
Try vinegar. Many cleaning sites also recommend using a vinegar mixture clean your fabric softener dispenser. If your dispenser is not fully cleaned by using liquid detergent and water, you can run vinegar through the dispenser to remove the clog.^{[12]
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- Vinegar—especially when coupled with baking soda—will clean the interior of your washing machine from any buildup that has accumulated over time, and will also clean out your fabric softener and soap dispensers.