Kenmore Elite Washer Clean Washer Cycle Guide

Quick Answer

To clean your Kenmore Elite washer, place a cleaning tablet like Affresh or two cups of liquid bleach directly into the drum and select the Clean Washer cycle. If your specific model lacks this button, run a Normal cycle using the hottest water setting and an extra rinse to flush out the system.

In my fifteen years of fixing these machines, I've found that the biggest enemy of a Kenmore Elite is actually too much detergent. That soap builds up behind the drum where you can't see it, creating a slimy layer that traps bacteria and smells like old gym socks. Regular cleaning breaks down this biofilm and stops the rubber door boot from rotting prematurely, which saves you a pretty expensive repair bill.

KenmoreWasherSeverity: low

Time to Fix

60–120 min

Difficulty

beginner

Parts Cost

$0 (no parts needed)

Tools Needed

Affresh washer cleaning tablets (or equivalent HE cleaner), Liquid chlorine bleach

Kenmore Elite Washer Clean Washer Cycle Guide

The telltale sign you're overdue for a clean is a musty scent on your clothes or small gray flakes showing up in the wash. Run this maintenance cycle every 30 loads or once a month. If you've got a front loader, this is also the perfect time to clear out that drain pump filter, because that little filter is honestly responsible for like half the smell complaints I get called out for.

Common Causes

Using too much detergent, or using regular detergent in an HE machine. The extra suds don't rinse out, they just sit in the tub and start growing things.
Leaving the door shut tight between cycles. Moisture gets trapped with nowhere to go, and mold absolutely loves that.
Never cleaning the drain pump filter, which collects lint, hair, and whatever else your pockets had in them. I've found chapstick, a guitar pick, and a kid's bouncy ball in those filters over the years.
Running cold water cycles almost exclusively. Hot water actually kills the bacteria. Cold washes save energy but they let the biofilm party go on completely unchecked.
Hard water mineral deposits building up on the drum and heating element over time, which gives bacteria even more surface area to grip onto.
Using liquid fabric softener regularly, which coats the drum walls and dispenser tray with a waxy film that's basically a welcome mat for mold.

Symptoms You May Notice

Your clothes smell musty or sour even right out of the washer, which is honestly the most common complaint I hear on these calls.
Small gray or dark brown flakes showing up on dark clothing after a wash cycle.
Visible black spots or a slimy film on the rubber door gasket, especially in the fold at the very bottom of the seal.
The machine smells like a locker room when you open the door, even if the drum looks totally clean from the outside.
White or grayish detergent residue or crust visible on the inside walls of the drum or around the dispenser opening.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Affresh washer cleaning tablets (or equivalent HE cleaner)Liquid chlorine bleachMicrofiber clothsOld toothbrushShallow pan or baking sheet (for drain filter)Phillips #2 screwdriver (some access panels are screwed shut)White vinegar (optional, for exterior wipe-down)

Diagnostic Checklist

Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Kenmore Elite still smell after cleaning?

If the smell's still there, the gunk is probably trapped in the drain pump filter or the vent hose. Check that bottom access panel and clean out the filter. Also get behind the rubber door folds because that's the primary mold breeding ground in front loaders. If you've done all that and it still smells, honestly, run two clean cycles back to back. Really bad buildup sometimes needs a second pass to fully break down, especially if it's been a year or more since the last cleaning.

Can I use vinegar instead of bleach for the Clean Washer cycle?

Yeah, vinegar's solid for dissolving hard water scale and mineral deposits. It's not as effective as bleach or commercial cleaners for actually killing mold spores though. If you go the vinegar route, pour two cups directly into the drum and run the hottest cycle your machine has. Never mix it with bleach. That's not a 'probably bad' situation, that's a 'call poison control' situation. Pick one or the other and stick with it.

How often should I run the Clean Washer cycle?

Once a month or every 30 wash cycles, whichever comes first. A lot of the newer Kenmore Elite models will flash a reminder or show a code when it's time. Don't ignore it. I've seen outer tub replacements run $400 to $600 in parts alone, and most of those jobs were completely preventable with regular maintenance cycles. Seriously, it's a free cycle once a month versus a $500 repair. Not a hard call.

What is the best detergent to prevent buildup?

Always use HE liquid detergent and use way less than you think you need. Most people are using two or three times the right amount. That extra soap doesn't get rinsed out, it just accumulates, feeds bacteria, and creates the slimy biofilm that leads to smells and eventually mechanical failure. Cut your detergent dose in half and see if your laundry smells any worse. It won't. Might actually smell better.

My Kenmore Elite doesn't have a Clean Washer button. What do I do?

Totally normal on older models, don't stress it. Just set it to the hottest water temperature available, pick your longest or heaviest cycle (usually Normal or Heavy Duty at max soil level), add your Affresh tablet or bleach the same way, and make sure Extra Rinse is on. It'll do basically the same job. The dedicated Clean Washer cycle is mostly just a factory preset for these exact settings anyway, so you're not missing out on anything special.

Models Known to Experience CLEANING Errors

This repair applies to most Kenmore washers with this error code. Common model numbers include:

796.41072010, 796.29272000, 796.40272900, 796.41373210, 110.47591600, 110.44832200, 110.27082600

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on March 17, 2026