How to clean the mold from a front load washer

Front-load washing machines are famous for being quiet, efficient, and gentle on clothes, but they’re infamous for accruing nasty mold and mildew. Here’s how to clean front-load washer mold, along with tips to limit the machine’s susceptibility to future growth.

What Causes Front-Load Washing Machines to Mold?

Front-load washers are all the rage, but their design makes them more prone to mold. After all, water and detergent slosh up against the door, so it must feature a watertight seal to prevent leaks. The rubber gasket used to achieve this seal also provides the perfect hiding place for mold and mildew.

Then, picture top-load washers. These appliances feature a loose-fitting metal door that doesn’t seal tightly when you close it. As a result, the drum can dry out quickly between loads, which is the primary reason why mold isn’t prevalent in top-load washing machines.

Common laundry preferences don’t help, either. Soapy suds and liquid fabric softener leave film and residue behind that invite mold colonies to form. Once established, energy-saving cold water cycles and eco-friendly detergent isn’t enough to blast through and remove the mold.

How to Clean Front-Load Washer Mold

Try these solutions for ridding your front-load washing machine of mold and mildew, along with the associated smells and health risks:

• Clean the gasket: Spray a rag with mildew cleaner and wipe the gasket, being sure to reach down behind it as well.
• Clean the dispensers: Remove the slide-out detergent dispensers and scrub them with soap and water. If they don’t slide out completely, wipe them as thorough as possible.
• Run a “sanitize” cycle: Check the settings on the machine and look for a “sanitize” cycle. This is an empty wash designed to clean the drum. Add one of the following to boost the cycle: a cup of bleach, a cup of baking soda, one-half cup enzymatic dishwasher detergent, or one residue-busting washer pellet.
• Have a professional clean your washer: If you try all of these tips and the washer still smells, hire an appliance repair technician to disassemble the machine and clean behind the drum.

Ways to Prevent Front-Load Washer Mold

Front-load washers require a bit more upkeep than top-load machines. Fortunately, a bit of prevention is usually enough to keep mold growth at bay. Here’s what to do:

• Dry out the drum after each use: The front-load door should have the option to sit ajar without hanging open. Keep your washer in this position at all times except when a batch is running. To help the drum dry out, remove clothing promptly and wipe down the gasket after each cycle.
• Select a different detergent: Front-load washers are considered high-efficiency (HE) machines, so choose detergent with this designation to keep the suds down. Also, experiment with using less soap to get your clothes clean while reducing residue buildup.
• Avoid liquid fabric softener: To keep mold-attracting residue down, ditch the fabric softener. Instead, keep your clothes soft with dryer sheets or dryer balls when you run them through the dryer.
• Wash with bleach occasionally: Once a month, run a hot water cycle with bleach. This can be an empty load, or you can throw in sturdy work towels, outdoor fabrics, or muddy gardening clothes.

Schedule Washer & Dryer Repair

It may be unpleasant to wash your clothes in a moldy washer, but you could be experiencing a problem that prevents you from washing your clothes at all! Just remember, Mr. Appliance® is one call away for all your washer and dryer needs. To schedule laundry appliance service and repair, please contact us today.

A front loader has many advantages like better energy efficiency, less water consumption, improved cleaning performance and a plethora of washing programs. But, one of its main disadvantages is that they can reek of mold and mildew. Initially, it would be just unsightly black patches on the rubber sealing ( gasket) of the front loader. But soon, the whole washing machine starts stinking and even your washed clothes. In our comparison, we have found this problem occurs more in Bosch and IFB washing machines. This is because their gaskets fold in such a way that detergent and residue get settled inside. Comparatively, LG is better in this aspect.

But irrespective of the brand you choose, if you are careful enough and follow some basic tips, you will be able to eliminate mold in your washing machine. Let us get into that first.

Tips To Prevent Mold In Your Washing Machine

As with everything else, prevention is better than cure. Mold, as you know is a living organism. They need moisture, food and a dingy environment to thrive. Cut these off and mold cannot survive anymore. Let us explore how to do that.

• Ensure that you don’t add excess detergent while washing clothes. The excess detergent residue gets settled on the gasket and becomes fodder for mold.
• When not in use, keep the door of front load washing machines open. The airflow allows the excess moisture to evaporate.
• Keep a clean towel beside your washing machine and wipe the gasket after every wash cycle. If this is not possible, at least wipe it down every week.
• Do not leave wet clothes inside the washing machine for a long time. Use time delay function so that your clothes are ready just on time.
• If possible, keep your washing machine in a place with sufficient ventillation.

Related reading: How To Clean Your Washing Machine?

How To Remove Mold Off The Rubber Seal On A Front Load Washer?

If you find mold on the rubber gasket of your front load washing machine, act immediately. Else, it will spread all over making it tough to clean. Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to remove mold from the gasket of a front loader.

Time needed: 13 hours.

How To Remove Mold Off Front Load Washing Machine?

1. Wipe The Gasket

   The first step is to wipe the gasket to remove any mildew, hair and such residue off the gasket. Use a clean cloth and wash it separately so that you don’t transfer the mold to any other objects. Alternatively, use paper towels to clean so that you can dispose them off.

2. Make A Paste of Baking Soda and Bleach

   We are not providing an exact quantity of how much baking soda to use as it depends on the extent of mold infestation. Take baking soda in a bowl and add just enough bleach to make a paste.
   Use baking soda and not baking powder. Also, ideally, use Clorox bleach instead of Ala. Clorox has 7% Sodium Hypochlorite, while Ala has just 4%. So, Clorox provides better results compared to Ala.

3. Apply the paste

   Use a toothbrush to apply the paste thoroughly on the affected parts of the rubber seal. Apply liberally so that the area is completely covered. Leave it overnight or for 12 hours.

4. Wipe It Off

   Using a damp cloth, wipe off the paste from the rubber gasket. Bleach would have almost eradicated mold within this time.

5. Run Washing Machine With Bleach

   Pour a quarter cup of bleach into the drum and run the washing machine on the hottest cycle. Mold grows not just in the rubber seal, but also in the tub which encases the drum. So, it is important that you disinfect the drum thoroughly to get rid of any odour and kill the mold in the drum
   Do not pour bleach into the conditioner dispenser as the washing machine takes it into the drum only in the final stages. This wouldn’t disinfect the drum sufficiently.

Precautions

• Though effective, bleach can damage the rubber sealing. So, do not use this method on a constant basis. Instead, opt for methods to prevent mold.
• As mentioned, use baking soda and not baking powder. Also, opt for Clorox Bleach instead of Ala. If you are using other brands, ensure it has at least 7% sodium hypochlorite concentration. Also, NEVER mix bleach with vinegar or acid as it emits chlorine fumes, which is harmful when inhaled.

In the step-by-step instructions, we have shown the picture of the results achieved using Ala. But, the above picture shows the results after cleaning with Clorox. As you can see, Ala does not clean the mold off completely. A few specks remain, which is not the case with Clorox.

With frequent cleaning and care, you can eliminate mold and avoid your washed clothes from developing any odour. Let us know in the comments if you have any other tips to share for preventing and removing mold from the washing machine gasket.