How much does washing machine cleaning cost?
Each price is the fixed price for one machine. It includes removing the drum, cleaning the inner drum and the outer tub, the pulsator (the wash plate at the base of a top-loader's drum), the door seal, the detergent drawer and the drain filter, then reassembly, one test cycle and the Up Report, the before-and-after photo record sent to you by WhatsApp or Zalo. Capacity is read from the machine's rating label. Times are a guide; a machine that has gone a long time without cleaning may take longer.
The price is confirmed in writing before you book. If the type or capacity turns out to differ from what was given at booking, any adjustment applies only with your written agreement.
| Machine | Fixed price and time |
|---|---|
| Top-loader, up to 9 kg | 450,000 VND per machine, about 1.5–2 hours. The usual apartment machine for a household of two to four. |
| Top-loader, over 9 kg | 550,000 VND per machine, about 1.5–2 hours. A larger, heavier drum, often used for duvets, bed linen and curtains. |
| Front-loader, up to 9 kg | 690,000 VND per machine, about 2–3 hours. More complex to open up; the door seal and the detergent drawer are cleaned thoroughly. |
| Front-loader, over 9 kg | 790,000 VND per machine, about 2–3 hours. |
| Washer-dryer | Add 150,000 VND per machine to the price for its door type and capacity. |
| Quoted after a photo survey | Machines made for the Japanese domestic market, commercial machines and built-in machines that are hard to reach. |
What will it cost for my home? Worked examples
These examples come straight from the price list. Where a home has more than one machine, they are cleaned in the same visit and each is charged at its own price.
| Home | Machines and total |
|---|---|
| One- or two-bedroom apartment | One front-loader up to 9 kg: 690,000 VND. |
| Household with a top-loader | One 10 kg top-loader: 550,000 VND. |
| Apartment with nowhere to hang washing | One 9 kg front-loading washer-dryer: 840,000 VND. |
| Apartment with two machines | One top-loader over 9 kg and one front-loading washer-dryer up to 9 kg: 1,390,000 VND. |
| Villa or townhouse | One front-loader over 9 kg and one top-loader over 9 kg for duvets and bed linen: 1,340,000 VND. |
Front-loader, top-loader or washer-dryer: what is different about cleaning each?
Each type of machine is built differently, which changes where the dirt collects, how many parts have to come off and how long the visit takes. The rating label lets the Up specialist identify the model before the visit and bring the right tools.
- Top-loader
- Detergent residue, lint and build-up collect on the outside of the drum, under the pulsator and at the bottom of the outer tub. The specialist takes out the pulsator and separates the drum to clean those surfaces directly. About 1.5–2 hours.
- Front-loader
- The rubber seal round the door holds water and lint after every wash, and the detergent drawer cakes up easily. The construction is more complex, so more parts come off. About 2–3 hours.
- Washer-dryer
- There is a drying system inside the casing as well, so more has to be dismantled. The price is that of the door type and capacity plus 150,000 VND per machine.
- Machines with a one-piece outer tub
- On some models the outer tub is made in one piece and does not come apart in the usual way. We tell you clearly what can be cleaned before you book.
Does the drum have to come out, or is a clean without dismantling enough?
There are two common ways to clean a washing machine. Without dismantling, a cleaning solution is run through a cycle and the visible parts are cleaned. With drum removal, the drum is separated and each surface is cleaned directly. UpClean works with drum removal as standard, because it is the only way to reach the gap between the inner drum and the outer tub, and our prices already include it. Models with a one-piece outer tub are advised on separately.
| Compare | Without dismantling and with drum removal |
|---|---|
| What gets cleaned | Without dismantling: the visible face of the drum, the door seal, the detergent drawer and the filter. With drum removal: also the outside of the inner drum, the inside of the outer tub, the shaft and the pulsator, where the build-up is thickest. |
| Odour and black flecks | Without dismantling: suits a machine that is fairly new or has little residue. With drum removal: takes off the long-standing residue that causes the smell and the flecks. |
| Checking the result | Without dismantling: the hidden surfaces are hard to see and judge. With drum removal: the Up Report shows before-and-after photos of those same surfaces. |
| Time | Without dismantling: shorter. With drum removal: about 1.5–3 hours, depending on the model and the amount of build-up. |
| When to use it | Without dismantling: upkeep between two services. With drum removal: the machine already smells or leaves black flecks, or about 6 months have passed on a machine used every day. |
What are the signs that a washing machine needs cleaning?
Dirt builds up where you cannot see it, so the first signs usually appear on the laundry before you notice anything in the drum:
- Freshly washed clothes still smell faintly damp or sour, most of all towels and anything dried indoors.
- Tiny black or brown flecks cling to pale clothes, towels and bed linen.
- On a front-loader, the door seal shows black spots, a slimy film or standing water in its lower fold.
- Residue cakes the detergent and softener compartments, and softener is left behind after the cycle.
- Water drains more slowly than usual; the drain filter may be blocked by lint or a small object.
- An unpleasant smell meets you as soon as you open the door or lid.
- The machine has stood unused for many weeks, or came with the apartment you have just moved into.
How often should a washing machine be deep-cleaned?
About every 6 months is the starting point for a machine used every day. From there, adjust to how your household washes:
| Household | Suggested interval |
|---|---|
| One or two people | A few loads a week: the interval can be longer. Go by smell and by black flecks on the laundry. |
| Large family | Several loads a day: clean sooner than every 6 months. |
| Young children or sensitive skin | Shorten the interval, and clean before you start washing a newborn's things. |
| Mostly cold or quick washes | Detergent residue settles more easily. Shorten the interval and run the tub-clean programme regularly. |
| Apartment you rent out | Clean before handing over to a new occupant. |
| Machine left unused for a long time | Clean before the first wash when you start using it again. |
What do I need to send when I book, and when are photos needed first?
For most household machines we only need the door type, the capacity and whether the machine also dries; the fixed price then comes from the price list. For Japanese-market machines, commercial machines and hard-to-reach built-in machines, we carry out a free survey from photos before quoting. Everything is arranged by WhatsApp or Zalo on 0773 521 104, and the enquiry, quote and Up Report can be in English.
Up specialists work regularly in An Khanh and Binh Trung wards (the former District 2), in Phu My Hung (Tan My and Tan Hung wards, the former District 7) and in Thanh My Tay (part of the former Binh Thanh), as well as Cat Lai, the former Districts 1, 3 and 4, the former Phu Nhuan and Nha Be. The city replaced its districts with wards on 1 July 2025, and we give both names because most people still use the district names. In Districts 5, 6, 8, 10, 11 and 12, Go Vap, Tan Binh, Tan Phu and the former District 9, the time slot is confirmed when you book.
- Send four photos: the whole machine, the rating label (which shows the capacity), the inside of the drum (for a front-loader, the folds of the door seal as well) and the way into the laundry area. They let the specialist identify the model and bring the right tools.
- Add a short video if the machine is making an odd noise, leaking or showing an error, so that its condition is on record from the start.
- The specialist confirms the type, the capacity and the price from the price list. For the three special cases above, you receive an all-inclusive written quote once we have seen the photos.
- The decision is yours; sending photos does not commit you to booking.
- Once you agree, choose a time between 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM. We send the specialist's name and photo, and a reminder the day before.
- At your home the specialist runs the machine and photographs its condition before opening it, as the reference for the walk-through at the end.
How do I keep the drum clean between services?
A few habits after each wash limit damp and residue, and keep the machine fresh for longer until the next drum-removal clean:
- Leave the door or lid open after washing so that the drum dries naturally, and pull the detergent drawer ajar. With small children or pets at home, close the door to the laundry area when nobody is there to watch.
- Once a week, wipe round the door seal with a soft cloth and ease the rubber folds open to remove hair, lint and standing water.
- Take out the detergent drawer and rinse it under the tap when residue builds up, if the machine's design allows.
- Clean the drain filter as the manual describes. On a front-loader it is usually behind a small flap at the bottom front corner; have a tray ready to catch the water.
- Check pockets before washing so that coins, paper and tissues do not get into the drum or block the filter.
- Measure detergent and softener as the packaging says, and do not overload the machine.
- Run the tub-clean programme with the drum empty, as often as the manufacturer recommends, and never use two different cleaning agents at the same time.
