excerpt from article, Desperate for relief, she hired technician Scott Wiseman to remove and replace the disgusting rubber gasket. Once he took the washer apart, Wiseman found mold inside the machine, too. The job cost $300.
“It’s a very common problem,” Wiseman tells me. “I get calls about this all the time.”
What’s going on here?
After a while, all washing machines can have some odor caused by mold, mildew or bacteria. But the problem seems to be worse with front-loaders because they are designed differently from top-loaders.
Front-loaders are tightly sealed. Close the door after removing the laundry and any moisture inside the machine will be trapped inside. With a top-loader the water is more likely to evaporate.
Having the tub on its side, rather than up-and-down, can also create problems.
= = =
Sigh. Will start using paper towels around the door seals. And distilled vinegar in the liquid fabric softener dispenser.
No need for paper towels. I keep an old terrycloth towel or even a wash cloth in the laundry room and dry the door seal after the last use.
It also gets some of the lint out.