How to remove mold in the washing machine?
It is well known that mold tends to proliferate in humid environments. And that’s why your washing machine is a breeding ground for mold, which can end up staining your clothes and giving them an unpleasant smell.
But with a few clever tricks, you can easily get rid of mold in the washing machine and prevent its appearance. Here are our tips for easily removing mold from the washing machine.
1. What causes mold in the washing machine?
As mentioned in the introduction, mold needs constant humidity to grow and spread. It is therefore normal to see some appear in the washing machine.
Indeed, it uses water to wash your clothes, and many of us leave our damp clothes in it too long and do not wipe it after a wash cycle.
In addition, the room where the laundry appliances are installed is often poorly ventilated, which maintains a high level of ambient humidity.
2. Remove mold in the washing machine with vinegar
To easily remove mold in the washing machine:
- Pour in 5 liters of pure white vinegar and start a washing cycle, empty, with very hot water.
- Once the cycle is finished, wipe down the inside of the machine and all its components (detergent drawers, all joints, the drain pipe, etc.).
- Leave the appliance door open so that everything dries well.
To prevent mold in the washing machine, do this treatment once a week.
Another way to naturally remove mold and bad odors from the washing machine:
- Soak a large towel completely in white vinegar
- Put it in the washing machine and start the spin cycle
Washing machine door seals are often clogged and mold easily grows there, especially in front-loading appliances.
To eliminate mold in the door seal, you will need 3 ingredients:
- 3 liters of water
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup hydrogen peroxide
Mix these 3 ingredients well, and soak a cloth in this homemade anti-mold cleaner. Scrub the rubber seals on your washing machine door, then dry thoroughly. Leave the door ajar to let out any remaining moisture.
Another tip for removing mold from the washing machine door seal is to wash it using an old toothbrush soaked in a mixture of hot water, liquid dish soap and a few drops. of ammonia.
4. Citric acid to remove the smell of mold
Your washing machine smells bad and this smell is transmitted to your clothes and linens?
- Pour 8 tablespoons of citric acid into the drum of the washing machine.
- Start an empty cycle with very hot water.
A little bonus, this thing will also be used to descale your washing machine, thus facilitating its maintenance!
5. Remove mold and bad odors from the washing machine
This tip is a 2 in 1: it removes mold and deodorizes the washing machine. To do this:
- Pour 1 cup of baking soda and 1 liter of white vinegar into the drum of the washing machine.
- Then, start an empty washing cycle, in very hot water, but stop it after one minute.
- Leave to act for 1 hour, and start the wash cycle again.
- Once the cycle is finished, dry the inside of the drum and the door seal well, and leave the door open until the next wash.
For persistent mold, both inside the washing machine and on the door seal, use bleach. This is often the best trick for removing mold stains in the washing machine.
Combine 1 liter of hot water and 1 liter of bleach, and using a cloth, wash the inside of the washing machine drum and the door gasket well. Let it dry well before closing the door.
For stubborn mold stains, soak a clean cloth well in your bleach mixture, and apply it to the door seal. Leave it there for 15 to 20 minutes, then scrub.
Bleach can also be used to clean and deodorize the dishwasher as you will discover here: Clean a dishwasher with bleach.
The best way to prevent mildew from appearing in your washing machine is to leave the door open between washes. That way, it will stay dry and this will stop the proliferation of mold.
Remember to get wet clothes out of the washing machine as soon as possible!
Also, if your machine is front-loading, be sure to use an adequate laundry soap, designed specifically for this type of washing machine. And once a week, give your washing machine a thorough wash with one of our tips.