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In the cleaner vs. DIY decision, neither wins on every machine, because each washer’s maker sets the approved method. Whirlpool recommends Affresh tablets for cleaning its washers. Samsung uses a self-clean cycle with bleach or vinegar. Use the method that matches your washer’s brand, and follow it exactly.
Table of Contents
What Affresh Is (and Is Not)
Affresh washing machine tablets contain sodium percarbonate, sodium carbonate, glucono-delta-lactone, polyethylene glycol, sodium acetate, and fragrance. There is no citric acid in the washer tablet. The main actives are sodium carbonate (washing soda) and sodium percarbonate (an oxygen-based bleach).
That settles the “Affresh vs. citric acid” question: the two are different chemistries. One is a washing soda and oxygen bleach tablet, and the other is a straight acid. Citric acid shows up in Affresh’s dishwasher cleaner, not in the washer tablet.
What Each Brand’s Instructions Say
Whirlpool and Affresh. Cleaning is recommended once a month, when the “clean washer” indicator lights, or when an odor is present. Packaging gives the same interval: once a month or every 30 cycles. The steps:
- Empty the drum.
- Place one tablet in the drum, never in the dispenser.
- Run the Clean Washer cycle.
- If the washer has no such cycle, use the highest water level and the hottest water available.
Do not stop the clean washer cycle. Do not open the door or lid during it. If the tablet is still intact afterward, check the expiration date, because tablets lose effectiveness after a while, and make sure the water was the hottest available.
Samsung. Run Self Clean with the drum empty, and never with laundry inside. For odors, pour liquid chlorine bleach into the detergent compartment (not the bleach compartment) up to the max line and start the cycle immediately. Samsung also states that up to 6 cups of distilled white vinegar or bleach may be added to the tub during the cycle and that stubborn odors may need multiple cycles.
LG: The owner’s manuals call for a tub clean cycle with liquid chlorine bleach or a tub cleaner, repeated monthly. A tablet cleaner goes directly in the drum, not the drawer. If a descaler is used, it must be suitable for washers, and Tub Clean should be run before washing clothes. LG doesn’t name citric acid specifically, so treat it as brand-dependent, not a universal recommendation.
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Does Affresh Sanitize the Washer, or Just Clean It?
Affresh’s own site draws a line between the two. Cleaning removes dirt, detergent residue, and grime. Sanitizing is a deeper step meant to reduce bacteria, and it’s recommended after illness in the household or when odor persists.
For sanitizing, Affresh’s own guidance points to vinegar, chlorine bleach, or a specialized cleaner, not the washing machine tablet. The tablet is positioned for routine deep cleaning once a month or every 30 washes, with sanitizing done separately and only as needed.
So the two aren’t competing for the same job. Affresh tablets handle routine residue and odor control. Vinegar or bleach, used in the tub or a brand’s own cleaning cycle, is the sanitizing step when one is actually needed.
Affresh vs. DIY Options, by Washer Brand
| Method | Chemistry | Documented by | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affresh tablet | Sodium carbonate + sodium percarbonate (no citric acid) | Whirlpool/Affresh | Monthly or every 30 washes |
| Liquid chlorine bleach | Chlorine-based oxidizer | Samsung, LG | As needed (Samsung); monthly tub clean (LG) |
| Distilled white vinegar | Acetic acid | Samsung (tub, up to 6 cups) | As needed for odor |
| Citric-acid descaler | Acid-based | LG (the decaler must be washer-safe, not citric-specific) | Brand-dependent |
Where to Find the Products
- Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets (3 count) made for front-load, top-load, and HE washers.
- Viva Doria Pure Citric Acid, food grade (2 lb): only for machines whose manual allows a descaler or citric acid.
Distilled white vinegar and liquid chlorine bleach are sold at most grocery stores. Pick them up locally if the manual calls for them.
Rules for Any Brand
- Run cleaning cycles with the drum empty.
- Don’t stop or interrupt an active cleaning cycle.
- Use only products your model’s manual allows.
- Check the manual for brand-specific steps before changing anything.
- If a cycle leaves residue or suds, run another cleaning cycle.
Safety: Never combine bleach with vinegar or other acids. Use one product per cycle.
FAQs: Affresh cleaner vs. DIY cleaner
1. Does Affresh contain citric acid?
No. Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner tablets contain sodium percarbonate, sodium carbonate, glucono-delta-lactone, polyethylene glycol, sodium acetate, and fragrance. Citric acid appears in Affresh’s dishwasher cleaner, not in the washer tablet. That difference matters when comparing Affresh with citric acid: one is a washing soda and oxygen bleach formula, and the other is a straight acid. They are different chemistries, not interchangeable versions of the same product.
2. What’s in Affresh?
The washer tablet lists six ingredients: sodium percarbonate, sodium carbonate, glucono-delta-lactone, polyethylene glycol, sodium acetate, and fragrance. Sodium carbonate (washing soda) and sodium percarbonate (an oxygen-based bleach) are the two main active ingredients. The formula also includes time-release ingredients and fragrance. Keep tablets away from eyes and skin, as with any cleaning product.
3. How do I make a DIY Affresh-style cleaner?
No official source publishes a homemade version of Affresh, so no recipe or ratio is given here. The general approach is to match what the machine’s own manufacturer allows: a hot, empty cleaning cycle with an approved additive. Samsung allows distilled white vinegar or liquid chlorine bleach in the tub, and LG uses liquid chlorine bleach or a tub cleaner. Because an Affresh tablet is a washing soda and oxygen-bleach formula, citric acid or vinegar does not copy it. Check the model’s manual before choosing any additive.
4. Is Affresh better than vinegar?
It depends on the washer, and the manufacturer pages do not rank the two. Affresh is made for washing machines, and Whirlpool recommends it for monthly cleaning. Samsung, by contrast, lists distilled white vinegar as an allowed additive for odors during a cleaning cycle, with multiple cycles for stubborn smells. For a Whirlpool, Affresh follows the brand’s own method. For a Samsung, the built-in cycle with vinegar or bleach is the documented route.
5. Can Affresh be mixed with OxiClean, bleach, or vinegar?
Not with bleach. Mixing bleach with vinegar or other acids can release toxic gas, and Samsung treats vinegar and bleach as separate additives, not a combination. No brand addresses combining Affresh with OxiClean or vinegar specifically, so there’s no approved way to do it. The safe default is one product per cycle, exactly as the instructions for that product describe, with the manual of the specific washer taking priority.
6. How often should I use Affresh?
Once a month, or every 30 washes. Whirlpool recommends monthly cleaning, or when the clean washer indicator lights up or an odor appears. The tablet packaging gives the same monthly or 30-cycle interval. Heavier use or hard water can call for more frequent cleaning. Tablets past their expiration date lose effectiveness, so check the date before relying on one, and always place the tablet in the drum rather than the dispenser.
7. Does Affresh sanitize or disinfect the washer?
No, not on its own. Affresh’s own guidance treats cleaning and sanitizing as two different jobs: cleaning removes dirt, detergent residue, and grime, while sanitizing is a deeper step meant to reduce bacteria. For sanitizing, Affresh points to vinegar and chlorine bleach or a specialized cleaner, not the washer tablet itself. The tablet is meant for routine deep cleaning once a month or every 30 washes. Sanitize separately, and only when it’s actually needed after illness in the household or when odor won’t go away.
Bottom Line
The right choice follows the washer’s maker, not a universal ranking. Affresh is a washing soda and oxygen-bleach tablet with no citric acid: one tablet in the drum, monthly or every 30 washes, on a hot cycle that is never interrupted.
Samsung uses a different route: an empty self-clean cycle with liquid chlorine bleach or up to 6 cups of distilled white vinegar for odors.
LG points to a monthly tub. Clean with liquid chlorine bleach or a tub cleaner, and a washer-safe descaler only if one is needed. Citric acid isn’t named by Samsung, Whirlpool, or LG, so treat it as brand-dependent. Whichever route is chosen, use one product per cycle, never combine bleach with vinegar, keep the drum empty, and follow the model’s own manual first. Run the cycle this month, then repeat it on the schedule the manual sets.