Does a clean washing machine mean cleaner clothes?

I realized this week that my washing machine was really dirty.  About a year after we bought our house, my parents purchased a new house and didn't want the washer and dryer that were in the house.  They were newer then the ones that we currently had, so we bought those and donated ours.

When I first got the washer, it smelled terrible!  It was very musty smelling so my mom suggested just leaving it open for a while to air out.  I tried this and it helped a little, but I could still smell it.  At that time, I purchased the Tide washing machine cleaner and it worked like a charm.

Well, that was three years ago now and when I looked at the washing machine this week, this is what I saw:

Pretty disgusting!

After searching around online, I found a couple of solutions to try.  I first took apart the fabric softener container in the middle of washing machine and could not believe how dirty that was.  I don't know how my clothes were coming out clean!  I soaked that in a bucket with a combination of white vinegar and hot water. I had to take an old toothbrush and scrub to really get it clean.

I then filled the washing machine with warm water and added about 2 cups of white vinegar as well.  I let it soak for 1 hour and then turned on the machine.  After an hour I was again shocked at all the stuff floating in water.  I also took a wet cloth and wiped down the spot where you would pour in bleach and the inside cover of the washing machine.

Here is what my new washing machine looks like...

Hopefully with a clean washing machine, I will get even cleaner clothes.