Quick Answer: Best Laundry Room Cleaning Order
Dust high areas, clear lint, wipe machines and shelves, clean floors last, and keep the room dry.
Following a top-to-bottom cleaning sequence ensures that airborne dust and stray lint are captured efficiently before you finish by sanitizing the floors.
Why Laundry Rooms Smell Musty
Humidity, damp fabrics, detergent spills, lint, poor airflow, and forgotten items cause odor.
Laundry rooms naturally trap high levels of moisture from washing machines, steam irons, and wet garments. When humidity combines with residual liquid detergent in dispensers, lint accumulation, and dark, enclosed spaces, it creates the ideal breeding ground for mildew and musty smells.
Laundry Room Cleaning Checklist
Washer and dryer exteriors.
Wipe down exterior panels, control panels, and knobs to remove dust, water spots, and sticky laundry detergent drips.
Detergent trays and shelves.
Pull out and clean removable soap drawers to eliminate moldy residue, and wipe down storage shelves holding detergents and fabric softeners.
Lint around appliances.
Vacuum out the lint trap compartment on your dryer, clear lint from behind the exterior wall vent, and wipe down stray fuzz on surrounding walls.
Baseboards and floors.
Sweep up detergent crystals and dust, then damp-mop vinyl, tile, or laminate flooring to remove tracked-in dirt.
Wipe behind and beside machines only when safely accessible.
Exercise caution if moving heavy appliances to avoid scratching floors or damaging water supply hoses; only clean behind units if it is safe to do so.
Keep doors open after use to improve drying.
Leave the washing machine door or lid propped open after every cycle to let drum interiors dry out and prevent trapped mildew.
CTA: Recommend deep cleaning for laundry rooms with heavy buildup.
If your utility room needs a comprehensive refresh, professional care can make all the difference. Pair your maintenance routine with a thorough Deep Cleaning or ongoing Residential Cleaning. For great advice on protecting your home appliances and surfaces over time, check out our guide on cleaning habits that extend the life of your home.
How to Prevent Odors
Remove wet clothing quickly.
Never leave damp loads sitting in the washer basin for hours, which causes sour odors to develop rapidly in both the clothes and the machine.
Ventilate the room.
Run an exhaust fan or crack a window during and after washing cycles to pull excess humidity out of the space.
Clean spills immediately.
Wipe up liquid detergent or bleach drips right away so they don’t turn sticky and collect airborne dust.
Wash hampers and wipe surfaces regularly.
Clean plastic or fabric laundry hampers periodically to eliminate trapped body oils, sweat, and damp odors from dirty clothes.
When to Call a Professional
For whole-home buildup, post-move cleaning, or recurring maintenance.
When dust and grime accumulate across your entire home—including hard-to-reach utility rooms and baseboards—bringing in professional cleaners saves you time and guarantees a spotless finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I clean my laundry room?
Wipe down machine surfaces, clear the lint trap, and mop floors weekly, and schedule a deeper clean of soap drawers and shelving monthly.
Why does my laundry room smell musty?
Mustiness is typically caused by trapped humidity, standing water in rubber washer gaskets, dirty detergent dispensers, or inadequate room ventilation.
Should I clean behind the washer and dryer?
Yes, clearing out dust and lint behind appliances reduces fire hazards, but only do so if you can move the units safely without damaging water or gas lines.
How do I remove lint from the laundry room?
Clean your dryer lint screen after every single load, vacuum around and beneath the appliance, and wipe down walls with a damp microfiber cloth to pick up floating fuzz.
Can a house cleaning service clean laundry areas?
Yes! Professional house cleaning services routinely wipe down washer and dryer exteriors, clean utility sinks, dust shelving, and mop laundry room floors during their visits.