Thoughts on vinegar rinses vs. those commercial cleaning tablets?

I went through this exact same nightmare with my top-loader last summer. I tried the vinegar trick first because it's cheap, but it honestly didn't do much besides make my laundry room smell like a salad. That brown sludge is usally a mix of fabric softener and body oils—technically called "scrud"—and vinegar just isn't strong enough to cut through it once it's caked on the outer drum.

I eventually switched to using the Affresh tablets once a month on the "Clean Washer" cycle with the hottest water possable. It actualy foams up enough to reach the parts of the tub you can't see. For the agitator specifically, I had to get in there with an old dish brush and some hot water mixed with OxiClean to get the physical chunks off. It's gross, but those chemical cleaners are designed to break down the waxy buildup that DIY methods usually miss. If you're seeing actual mud, you probably need two back-to-back cycles with the heavy-duty stuff to realy clear the pipes.

Honestly, the obsession with vinegar needs to stop. It’s not just about the smell; the acidity is a death sentence for the aluminum spider arm in many front-loaders and some top-loaders. If you have that brown gunk, you need something with a high pH or specific surfactants to break down the wax and fats. I switched to using Affresh tablets once a month on the dedicated 'Clean Washer' cycle, which uses the highest heat setting posible.

Most people don't realize that using too much liquid detergent and constant cold-water washes is what causes this buildup in the first place. I moved back to using powdered Tide for my whites and hot loads. The powder acts as a mild abrasive and the high temperature keeps the oils from ever settling. If you’re alredy at the point where you see sludge, those natural DIY fixes are just wasting your time. You need the heavy-duty chemicals to actualy strip the biofilm off the hidden parts of the outer tub.

Look, Affresh is fine for maintenance, but if you're allready seeing mud, you need to step it up. I’ve been running a Speed Queen TC5 for years and the key is avoiding liquid softener entirely—that stuff is pure animal fat that creates the 'scrud' you’re seeing.

If it's real bad, grab some Glisten Washer Magic. It's got a citric acid base that's way more effective than white vinegar but won't eat your seals if you use it properly. Also, stop washing everythign on 'Eco' cold. Your machine needs a 140°F Sanitize cycle once a week to keep the biofilm from even starting.

OMG I’m so glad I found this thread before I totally ruined my new setup with vinegar!! I’m literally running to the store for those tablets right now becasue the thougth of 'scrud' is going to give me nightmares tonight. Since we’re talking about gross buildup, does anyone here have a recommendation for a good dishwasher cleaner too? I’ve noticed my glasses are starting to look a little cloudy and now I’m paranoid the inside of that machine is just as slimy as these washers!

While the previous mention of citric acid is technically sound for certain mineral descaling, one must realize that the 'cloudy' appearance on glassware often indicates silica film or actual etching rather than simple hard water deposits, particularly if you are using modern phosphate-free detergents in an enviroment with soft water. For the washing machine, if you truly wish to address the accumulation of lipid-based biofilm without compromising the integrity of the ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) seals, I suggest you scrutinize your detergent dosage; most users grossly over-saturate thier cycles, leading to the very 'scrud' accumulation currently causing such distress.

Quick update—thanks for the 'scrud' warning! I skipped the vinegar after hearing about the potential damage to the machine. I ended up using a heavy-duty cleaner like someone suggested and it cleared that brown gunk right out. I’m officially done with liquid fabric softener too since that seems to be the main culprit. everythign finally smells fresh again instead of like a swamp!