LG Washing Machine tCL Display
Applies to front-load and top-load washers with a Tub Clean cycle.
What to check first
- Empty the tub, add a powder washing-machine cleaner, and select the Tub Clean cycle.
- In a hurry, the reminder can be dismissed by selecting another cycle or pressing a button (LG NZ guidance) — but run the clean soon; the reminder is reporting real build-up conditions.
- Use the right cleaner: LG NZ recommends an oxygen-bleach washing-machine cleaner, and warns that chlorine-based or acidic cleaners can cause discoloration and rust.
tCL is the washer asking for its own wash. Residue, moisture and detergent film build up in any machine that washes clothes but is never itself cleaned, and LG builds the reminder into the display: tCL appears when a Tub Clean cycle is due. LG's front-load list describes the response in one line — add the cleaner, select Tub Clean, run it on the empty tub — and adds that running it monthly keeps the reminder away.
Like CL, tCL is in LG's code list mainly so owners do not mistake it for a fault. There is nothing to repair here; there is a cycle to run.
Safety first
- Tub Clean runs hot water in an empty tub — no laundry, and keep children and pets clear of a hot machine just as you would for a hot wash.
- Cleaner choice matters to the machine, not just the clean: chlorine-based or acidic cleaners risk discoloration and rust, per LG NZ — read the cleaner's label before it goes in.
- Stop condition: stop using the machine and unplug it — and do not run it again until it has been checked — if you smell burning, see smoke, find damaged electrics (a scorched plug, a melted or cut cable), or water is leaking in quantity.
Common causes
The Tub Clean interval has come due
The reminder is scheduled by the machine's usage — it appears because the tub is due its clean, not because something has broken.
Build-up conditions inside the tub
The reason the reminder exists: residue and moisture accumulate in the drum, seals and sump over ordinary use. A monthly Tub Clean is LG's stated prevention.
Running the Tub Clean cycle
- Empty the tub completelyNo laundry, nothing left in the drum — the cycle cleans the machine, not a load.
- Add a powder washing-machine cleanerUse a powder washing-machine cleaner as LG directs — an oxygen-bleach formula is the type LG NZ recommends. Avoid chlorine-based or acidic cleaners.
- Select Tub Clean and let it finishRun the full Tub Clean cycle. When it completes, the reminder is answered — and LG's cadence is monthly from here, which prevents tCL from becoming a regular sight.
When to call a technician
A reminder that returns immediately after a properly run Tub Clean — right cleaner, full cycle, empty tub — is the one tCL case worth a service conversation, since the machine is then failing to register its own maintenance. Everything short of that is resolved by the cycle itself.
Model differences that matter
| Machine type | What changes |
|---|---|
| Front load | tCL is on LG's front-load list: add powder cleaner, select Tub Clean, empty tub; monthly cleaning prevents recurrence. |
| Top load | The same reminder and the same response on LG's top-load documentation (NZ): the reminder can be dismissed by selecting another cycle or pressing a button if a wash cannot wait — the clean still needs to happen. |
One-page checklist
- Tub emptied completely
- Powder washing-machine cleaner added (oxygen-bleach type; no chlorine/acidic cleaners)
- Tub Clean cycle run to completion
- Monthly clean noted — the reminder should not return soon
Official LG references
Questions people ask about tCL
Is tCL a fault?
No — it is a maintenance reminder, like CL it sits in LG's code list so it is not mistaken for an error. The correct response is a Tub Clean cycle, not a repair.
I need to wash now. Can I skip the reminder?
Yes — LG NZ's guidance is that the reminder can be dismissed by selecting another cycle or pressing a button. Run the Tub Clean as soon as the machine is free, though: dismissing the message does not dismiss the build-up.
Which cleaner should I use?
A powder washing-machine cleaner, per LG — with LG NZ specifying an oxygen-bleach type as the recommendation, and warning that chlorine-based or acidic cleaners may cause discoloration and rust inside the machine.