Mold in FL Washing Machine

Updated on September 07, 2010
K.B. asks from Oxnard, CA
9 answers

I am having a hard time getting the mold out of my FL washing machine. I have cleaned the filter, wiped the mold from arond the rubber seal after each cycle and with a bleach water mixture, ran the tub clean cycle with bleach a handful of times but am still smelling mold. A few mintues ago I did notice some mold under the part of the rubber seal that is on the tub side but underneath. Cant pull the seal up enogh to get it. We can't afford to replace the seal but I dont want to do laundry in a machine with mold either. I thought running the tub clean cycle would have taken care of the parts you cant reacy by hand. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks much!
K.

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M.N.

answers from Los Angeles on

I can't see the other answers here, but I have had the same problem repeatedly. There are some products you can buy to take care of it. There is a tub wash cycle that I can choose on my maching. I don't know if that is standard. Afresh makes little tablets that you put into the tub (not the detergent area) that work. Also, Clorox makes a tub cleaner product that seemed to work really well. You are supposed to keep the door open all the time, which I find completely obnoxious. The Afresh says to use it monthly. The first time I used it, the smell was so bad I think I ran it three times and it went away. I know it is an incredibly common problem with the front loaders.

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V.C.

answers from San Diego on

I haven't read all the answers...but try 1/2 c white vinegar in every load will take of the any mold spores...your clothes won't smell like vinegar either. I have been using white vinegar instead of liquid fabric softener & on my whites, towels & sheets I also add a little bit of Hydrogen Peroxide...my whites looked good to me, worked on some of the stains, too. I was reading a blog about more natural cleaners. I have stopped using dryer sheets, too. The vinegar is a natural softener. good luck

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A.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

Leave the door open so it drys out My mother has had a front load since they first came out and does this now so do I. good luck.

You may want to run an empty cycle with bleach just to clean it, then let it dry with the door open.

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D.S.

answers from Tulsa on

spray bleach on it bleach kills mold and if used directly by spray bottle more effective than hand cleaning.

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L.L.

answers from Hartford on

Try leaving the door open and drying it out for a few days. I know it's hard not to do laundry, but really let it dry out. Then do the bleach cleaning cycle. You can also use a vinegar and water solution to wash downs the inside. I was having a problem with my clothes smelling musty and it was because the door was getting shut. So we leave it open all the time now and have not had any further problems. The soft plastic seal could just be stained from where the mold had settled before.

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M.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Try Listerine - the original stuff.

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M.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

What helped my similar problem was draining the water out of the machine. In the front of the washer, on the bottom (at the floor) there is a little hatch/door/cover the same color as the washer (which is why I never noticed it) and when you pull that off, there is a plug that you can unscrew and (have a bucket ready) nasty water will drain out. Mine was pretty moldy, so I soaked it in bleach and thoroughly washing it before screwing it back in. That helped as well as switching to powder soap. The liquid causes the mold as it coats the pieces. Good luck!

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T.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

there a product called Smelly Washer Cleaner that you can get at smellywasher.com. That cleared up my problem.

Also new in store product called Affresh that seems to work as well.

Being mindful to wipe down the inside rubber parts of the washer and leaving the door open between use also really help to shift things.

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