Section
Quick Answer
To clean an LG washing machine, run the Tub Clean cycle monthly with an empty drum, adding a washer cleaner tablet or 1 cup white vinegar plus half a cup of baking soda. Then wipe the door gasket, rinse the detergent drawer, and leave both open to dry.
- Tub Clean: Monthly, or every 30 cycles
- Door gasket: Wipe after every wash — the #1 mold source
- Detergent drawer: Rinse monthly
- Between washes: Leave door and drawer open
- Detergent: HE only, less than you think
A musty smell in clean towels, black specks in the door seal, or a tCL code are maintenance issues, not repairs. Here is the routine our certified technicians recommend for LG washers.
Step-by-Step: Running the LG Tub Clean Cycle
Empty the Drum Completely
Tub Clean relies on high water levels and unrestricted drum rotation to scour the tub walls. Even a single towel absorbs the water it needs to work.
Add a Cleaner (Optional but Effective)
Drop a washing machine cleaner tablet into the empty drum, or use 1 cup of white vinegar plus half a cup of baking soda. Never add laundry detergent — it foams heavily in an empty drum, and suds are what you are removing.
Select Tub Clean and Press Start
Tub Clean is its own button or a dial position; on newer panels you hold it for three seconds. It runs 1 to 2 hours and cannot be shortened — let it finish or the wash counter will not reset.
Wipe the Drum and Door Dry
A thin film often settles on the door glass and lower drum lip. Thirty seconds with a dry towel stops it re-hardening.
Repeat Monthly — or When tCL Appears
LG recommends Tub Clean every 30 wash cycles, and many models display tCL when it is due. That is a reminder, not a fault code, and running the cycle clears it automatically.
Wipe the Door Gasket After Every Wash
On a front-load LG the rubber door boot is the number one source of odour, and no automated cycle reaches it. Lint and detergent residue collect in the fold at the bottom and sit there in the dark between loads. Pull the folds back and wipe all the way around with a 50/50 vinegar and water solution, scrubbing black spotting with a soft toothbrush.
Clean the Detergent Drawer Monthly
Pull the drawer out — most LG models have a release tab in the softener compartment. Rinse every compartment under warm water, scrub hardened deposits with an old toothbrush, then wipe the housing it slides into, where mold grows out of sight.
Leave the Door and Drawer Open Between Washes
This habit prevents more odour than every cleaning product combined. A sealed door traps warm, damp air against the gasket for hours. Leave the door ajar and the drawer pulled out an inch after your last load, and remove clean laundry promptly.
Use the Right Amount of HE Detergent
Too much detergent is the leading cause of odour in front-loaders. LG machines use a fraction of the water an old top-loader did, so anything left over coats the drum, drawer, and gasket and feeds bacteria. Use HE detergent only, about two tablespoons for a normal load — less than the cap line suggests.
Signs you are over-dosing detergent: a slick film in the drum, suds during the final rinse, stiff towels, and a smell that returns days after cleaning.
When the Smell Will Not Go Away
If you have done all of the above and the odour still returns within days, the problem is no longer housekeeping:
- A clogged drain pump filter — trapped lint and hair hold stagnant water that never drains
- A failing door seal or partly blocked drain hose — water sits in a low spot and goes stale
Both are straightforward for a technician. We service LG washers across Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Oakville and the surrounding GTA. $89 Diagnostic — Waived with Repair; most repairs run $150–$350.
Your Monthly LG Washer Routine
Frequently Asked Questions
LG recommends Tub Clean once a month, or roughly every 30 wash cycles. Many models count for you and show a tCL reminder when it is due. If you wash pet bedding or mostly use cold water, run it monthly regardless.
tCL is a maintenance reminder, not an error code. It means your LG washer has counted roughly 30 cycles since the last Tub Clean. Nothing is broken and the machine keeps washing normally. Run Tub Clean with an empty drum and the reminder clears itself.
Tub Clean scrubs the drum, not the door gasket or the detergent drawer, and that is where odour usually lives. Clean both by hand first. If the smell survives that, suspect a clogged drain pump filter or standing water, which needs a technician.
Yes. Most LG top-load models include Tub Clean as a button or a dial position, and the routine is identical: empty drum, no laundry detergent, monthly. Top-loaders have no door gasket, so the drawer and the lid rim are the parts needing hand cleaning.
Use HE detergent only, and about two tablespoons for a normal load — far less than the cap suggests. LG front-loaders use very little water, so extra detergent never rinses away. That residue feeds mold and is the most common reason a clean washer still smells.