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Mold in my front-load washer
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Anonymous
| My expensive, front-loading, HE washing machine has a rubber gasket full of mold. I have tried every remedy under the sun to try to kill the black mold but it keeps coming back. I only use HE detergents so I'm not sure what the problem is. Has anyone else had this problem? |
Anonymous
| Yes, we have the exact same problem only I haven't bothered to clean it & now I'm glad I didn't waste my time. Our machine is in the basement which can get quite warm and often isn't aired out - perhaps that's contributing. We actually rent, so it's not my machine & every time I look at it I think about how I would probably try harder to clean it if it were my own!! Would be interested to hear about solutions. We sometimes leave the door of the machine open (I think the manual says you should do that). Perhaps we should do that more often? |
Anonymous
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I assume that you are leaving the door open between loads. That should be in your instruction manual. Also, it won't help if you leave wet clothes in there for more than a day.
I know that you can get rid of some mold/mildew by running an empty cycle with bleach and do it on hot. If that doesn't work, I think you need to call customer service for the right way to resolve the problem. I believe some people use vinegar but I am not sure whether or not it will harm your washer. |
Anonymous
| Always leave door open between loads. To get rid of mold, spray it with diluted bleach and then run your washer on the shortest cycle on hot with a cup of bleach in the dispenser. |
Anonymous
| Tide makes a monthly cleaner that you run on a empty cycle to combat this problem which is apparently part of front loading washers...just got the cleaner yesterday so I don't know how well it works. |
Anonymous
|
You should ALWAYS leave the door open between every load. That's key.
I use bleach whenever I wash my white towels, and I think that helps, too. Every so often I take a sponge and wipe out the rubber gasket around the door, the window, etc. I think it's the kind of thing that's a lot easier to nip in the bud, than to get rid of once it's an established problem. |
Anonymous
|
there was a recent article about that on msnbc....
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33997384/ |
Anonymous
| I don't leave the washer open because I worry about the cat, or much worse, my dd, climbing in it and a horrible accident happening. Am I the only one who worries about this? I just live with the mold, but do occasional hot bleach and hot vinegar cycles. I'll try the tide product mentioned too. |
Anonymous
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Never had the problem with my HE Kenmore, but I always leave the door open--I think that is what the brochure says to do.
But don't get me started on my heinous Bosch dishwasher..... |
Anonymous
Oh yes...the very expensive Bosch dishwasher that, apparently because of the fabulous seal, stinks after 2 days. |
Anonymous
| I have a Kenmore front-loader and also was told to wipe out the inside of the rubber gasket after each load. I keep an old towel on top of the machine and do it after each load--we've never had any mold. I also do leave the door open in between loads. |
Anonymous
I do, but I can lock the door to the laundry. Is there a way you can secure the area instead of just the washer? If not, I think one of these washer locks might allow you to leave the door open but prevent it from being shut unless you engage the lock. Read the description and see if that helps. http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3502242 |
Anonymous
You are lucky if you get two days without stench. Ours would stink even if empty. And, by the way, it's not the seal. It's just a crappy machine that is REALLY fussy about detergent. Not to hijack this post, but we get no stench if we use Electrosol geltabs and not any addtional rinse aid. But I hate this machine. If we ever feel like we have money to buy a new machine, I am taking a sledgehammer to this one. Seriously. And I also love how I have to run it every day because it fits about 10 cups and 11 plates. Very efficient.... |
Anonymous
|
Bad smells and spider corrosion in front load washing machines.
When all other remedies for curing bad smells coming from front load washers have been tried and have not been found satisfactory I believe the source of the smell may well be corrosion of the aluminium spider with the products of this corrosion harbouring ‘water’ that turns foul as described below, or, should no corrosion have occurred the ‘water’ left in the recesses of the hubs of the spiders will, if left long enough, turn foul. Aluminium, and its alloys, are corroded when immersed in an aqueous solution with a pH value below about 4.0 (acidic) [nitric acid is a well known exception] or above about 8.0 (alkaline), most laundry aids, detergent including HE detergent, borax, bleach (sodium hypochlorite), sodium carbonate (washing soda), sodium percarbobante (found in Affresh and OxiClean), sodium hydroxide, Affresh and OxiClean can have pH values above 8.0 should the required concentrations be reached. At the normal operating levels found in washing machines these values are not exceeded. However when the machine is shut down any water remaining will contain, inter alia, soil from the laundry, products of the interactions between the soil and the laundry aids used, unused laundry aids, and the chemicals found in the tap water. As the water from this mixture evaporates the concentration of the ‘impurities’ rises until such time as a ‘smelly sludge’ develops and/or a pH level above about 8.0 is reached and corrosion occurs. Prime areas for these deposits to occur are, in my opinion, the recesses found at, or very near, the hub of some of the aluminium alloys spiders found in front load washing machines. The final spin, no matter how fast, will not, in my opinion, remove all the ‘water’ from theses recesses. To view a corroded spider (not to the point of catastrophic failure) and one with a build of ‘smelly crud’ please visit: - http://www.ripoffreport.com/appliances/electrolux-home-prod/electrolux-home-products-n-am-4cd6d.htm These spiders were removed from Frigidaire built ‘Kenmore’ machines. To see fractured spiders from Frigidaire built machines, Whirlpool ‘Duets’ and other manufacturers’ please visit: - http://fixitnow.com/wp/2009/10/28/front-loading-washer-corrosion-contagion-a-menagerie-of-metallic-misery/ Or, for a Whirlpool spider http://www.mysears.com/aboutme/jpm0940 Not all manufacturers use spiders with recesses, Speed Queen do not (Speed Queen call them trunnions) and photographs at: - http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?30834 show Miele spiderss without recesses. There may be others. Unfortunately the only way to cure the bad smell and/or corrosion in these cases is to strip the machine down, clean it, perhaps modify the spider, reassemble and alter your laundry practices. Not a popular solution I would guess! |
Anonymous
| I have an older front-loader (not HE) and I JUST started having this same mold problem. Weird because we've been in our house for 7 years & just noticed this in the past few months. I will try some of the tips mentioned in this thread & hope they help. |