Preventing Mold Growth In Front-Loading Washing Machines

14 February 2018
 Categories: , Blog


Do you get a nose-full of bad odors when you open your front-loading washing machine door? If your clothes come out of the machine smelling like mold or have black specks all through them, there's a good chance that there is mold growing somewhere. The most likely place for the mold to be growing is around the door seal. Here, you will learn how to prevent the mold growth from occurring once you get it gone.

Utilize the Self-Cleaning Feature

Your washing machine probably has a self-cleaning feature just like your oven. So many people ignore this feature and never run it. This is where the mold growth begins. Go to your local home improvement or appliance store and look for washing machine cleaning products. These products are used with the self-cleaning feature to remove any mold or hard water build up that is present inside the machine. The feature should be used every couple of weeks to prevent future mold growth.

Don't Forget the Load

The worst thing you can do for your washing machine is allow wet clothes to sit inside for long periods. The warm, damp clothes will cause mold to grow inside the washing machine quite quickly. So, do your best to remember that you have a load of laundry in the washing machine and move it to the dryer as soon as possible.

Manual Cleaning

Once you've finished washing clothes for the day, grab a towel with a little bit of white vinegar. Spritz the towel with the white vinegar and wipe down the machine. Wipe the exterior as well as the inside of the door – the glass, the seals and as much of the inside as you can without straining yourself.

Between loads, do not close the washing machine door. The more air that is circulating through the internal components, the less mold you will have to deal with.

Don't forget to remove and clean the detergent dispenser. Once removed, soak the dispenser tray in hot water. You don't want the mold to grow in the dispenser because it will evenly distribute the mold spores into everything that you're washing in the machine.

If the mold has gotten out of control, contact your local appliance professional. He or she will be able to assist you in finding the right replacement parts or recommend a new machine that will not be as much of a problem for you in the future.


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