How to Clean Mold from a Front Load Washer
Updated: Jan 20
It’s happened to all of us at one time or another—you head down to start a load of laundry only to realize that you forgot to dry the last load. You’re not sure when the last time you did laundry was, but you know it was more than a few days. At this point you may be wondering if those soggy, wet clothes you left in your front load washer are growing mold.
Mold grows in damp areas and on fibrous, organic materials such as cotton. It can begin growing in as little as 24 hours under ideal conditions. So now that we’ve established that there’s a strong possibility that you do have mold in your front loading washing machine, let’s talk about how to clean mold from your front load washer—and even more particularly, how to clean mold from the front load washer gasket, which provides the watertight seal around the door.
Why does mold grow on front load washer gaskets?
Mold grows on the gasket of front load washers, because unlike the rest of the machine, it’s somewhat porous. Mold has a hard time taking root in hard plastics and metals. It can’t break down these materials, and the hard non-porous surface means that the spores don’t have anything to hold on to. Mold grows on the gasket because it’s typically made of silicone, which is more porous than metal or the clear acrylic plastic.
How to Clean Mold from a Front-Loading Washing Machine
The simplest solution is to buy an off-the-shelf antifungal cleaner to remove the mold from your front load washer. Spray it on, and let it sit for the recommended amount of time. Then wipe it off and rinse the surface.
We recently discussed homemade cleaning solutions in a previous article. You can also make a simple front load washer mold cleaner using white vinegar and water.
To remove mold from the front load washer gasket:
Mix a solution of one to one white vinegar and water.
Spray it on the moldy front load washer gasket
Let it sit for at least an hour
You can use a stiff bristle brush to remove any stuck on mold
Be sure to get in the cracks and crevices of the gasket
You can use Q-tips to get in the tight spaces
Rinse the gasket thoroughly with warm water
Repeat until there’s no sign of mold on the gasket
Can you Remove the Front Load Washing Machine Gasket?
Many brands of front load washer have a gasket that’s removable so that it can be cleaned, but in most cases, we don’t recommend it. It’s a very in-depth and technical process best left to professionals.
Mold in your front load washer? Where else might mold be hiding in your San Francisco, CA Home?
If there’s one thing we want our customers to understand, it’s that the mold you can see is only the tip of the iceberg. If you have visible mold in one place, that doesn’t mean your mold problem is contained to just that one area. It’s highly likely that there is mold elsewhere in your home. For a full air quality assessment and mold inspection contact our professionals at My Pure Environment. We offer free consultations to our San Francisco, California customers in person or remotely via a video conference call. Reach out to us today!
Image used under creative commons license – CC BY 2.0 (2/26/2021) Dejan Krsmanovic (Flickr)