What Is the White Powder Under My Maytag Washer?

Powdered Laundry Detergent

• Powdered laundry detergent can leak from the washing machine, or it can spill from your detergent container and get swept or blown under the washing machine. White powder under the washing machine might simply be this detergent residue.

Removing Detergent Residue

• Powdered laundry detergent is water soluble and as such, you can remove it by soaking the area with water. Large amounts of detergent residue can be hard to remove completely with water, and may take several attempts to wash away. Speed up the process by sweeping up the powdered detergent residue with a stiff broom. Then rinse the area with water from a clean cloth. Continue rinsing until the white residue is gone.

Hard Water Residue

• Hard water is water that contains a high level of minerals. When the water dries out on a surface, it will leave behind these minerals, which appear as powder. Depending on the mineral content in the water, the powder can appear white, green or blue. Spilled water or water that leaks from your Maytag washer can leave this white residue under the appliance.

Removing Hard Water Residue

• Hard water is an alkaline stain that you can only remove with an acid cleaning solution. While strong chemicals such as commercial hard water removers can remove these stains, a milder acid is a safer alternative. White vinegar is a natural, non-toxic and food-grade acid that can remove hard water. To use it, spray the white vinegar over the hard water residue until it is soaked. Let it sit for 10 minutes before scrubbing it away. Repeat the process several times until the hard water residue is gone.