Many homeowners forget the basics when it comes to cleaning their homes. Oftentimes, homeowners are so caught up with our daily routine, that cleaning various appliances becomes an afterthought. Always try to remember that just about every item in your home needs to be cleaned and maintained. Keep in mind that refrigerators, clothes dryers, and washing machines can all collect mold if not cleaned regularly. How to remove mold from a rubber seal on a washing machine? Make sure that you have the correct mixture of hot water and chemicals.
Let’s take a look below at some more details for the removal and prevention of mold from a washing machine seal.
What Is Mold
Keeping mold away from the home and the appliances that you have in your home is key. Mold is a fungus that spreads as a spore to places with high moisture and humidity. When the spores land in areas of high moisture, you immediately notice the mold. Mold can come in various colors such as black, brown, white, orange, green, or purple.
What Materials Do I Need
There are a variety of items that you could use for this project. Always remember that when using different cleaning solutions, there are a variety of environmentally friendly options. Below is a list of the items you will want to choose from in order to clean the mold away from the rubber seal.
- Hydrogen Peroxide – mixed with lemon juice and hot water creates a great mold removal solution.
- Lemon Juice – mixed with hydrogen peroxide and hot water creates a great mold removal solution.
- Bleach – mixed with hot water and cycled through the washing machine can prevent and remove mold growth.
- White vinegar – mixed with hot water and cycled through the washing machine can remove or prevent mold growth.
- Spray bottle – needed to get your solution all over the rubber gasket.
- Soft cloth – used to wipe down the excess solution and mold from the rubber gasket.
- Rubber Gloves – needed to protect your skin from any damaging chemicals that might be used.
Here Are The Steps
Understanding the step-by-step process to remove mold from a washing machine rubber gasket should be fairly easy to understand. It is a matter of what materials you chose to apply to the rubber seal. Let’s take a look.
- Put the washing machine on the run cycle with hot water and bleach. The solution of hot water and bleach will kill some of the mold building up.
- Mix a solution of bleach and water into a spray bottle. Apply the solution onto the rubber seal, so that the solution seeps into the crevices under the seal. Take a soft cloth and wipe the rubber seal down.
- Put the washing machine on the cleaning cycle with hot water, vinegar, or bleach a couple of times a month to prevent mold from growing.
- If things are really bad, and the mold growth is out of control, replace the rubber seal.
How Can I Prevent This
Preventing any issues in a home is important for homeowners to understand. Every project has a process and a way to prevent any issues from arising again. Let’s take a look at how we can prevent mold growth on a washing machine rubber seal.
- Detergent – use the detergent that meets the needs of your washer. If the washer is considered a high-efficiency washer, then you the detergent that is also considered high-efficiency. Limit the amount of detergent to the recommended amount.
- The Door – keep the washing machine door open so that the washing machine can air out properly. Leaving the door open allows the moisture to escape and the area to dry properly.
- Wet clothes – do not leave wet clothes in the washing machine. Immediately transfer the clothes to the dryer. This removes excess moisture from building up in the washing machine.
- Wipe down – be sure to wipe the rubber gasket down after each wash. This leaves no guessing about the moisture drying and mold being kept away.
- Dehumidifier – use a dehumidifier in the room that has the washing machine. This keeps the room less humid and removes the excess moisture from the room.
How Much Does It Cost
The cost to replace a rubber washing machine gasket can range from $50 to $300 depending on the make and model of the machine. However, simply removing the mold and keeping the rubber gasket clean should not cost you more than $25 for cleaning supplies.
Other Recommended Maintenance
Now that you know about mold in the washing machine, there are a few areas to maintain. One of those is the skylights in the home. If the skylight is not sealed, you will have water leaking in and this will contribute to a mold problem. Sealing a skylight is not difficult, it can be done by removing debris from the track but also using sealant and caulk.
While you are cleaning out the washer, take a look at the dryer. If you see water on the floor, the dryer is leaking water. This can be due to blocking of ventilation, vent duct issues, holes in the vent duct, or the vent flap is defective. Whatever it may be, fixing it will be cheaper than buying a new one so take care of it quickly.
Lastly, if you are changing out your refrigerator, you will need to know the amps a refrigerator uses. You will need to have a proper outlet circuit that is dedicated to the refrigerator. If you buy a refrigerator with an energy rating, this will help you keep your electric bill low. However, if it doesn’t have an energy rating, you can purchase an energy meter. This will calculate how much energy is used.
When Do I Call A Professional
Calling a professional to assist with cleaning the mold off of your washing machine seal is not likely needed. However, getting a professional recommendation regarding the need for a new washing machine seal is definitely a possibility. Homeowners that don’t have much time on their hands might opt to just purchase a new washing machine rubber seal. Before you call on a professional washing machine repair contractor, reach out to your local home inspection team. They can refer the right reputable washing machine repair contractor and inspect all of your appliances to make sure they are in good working order.
Conclusion
Cleaning mold from your washing machine rubber seal should be fairly simplistic. If you cannot manage to clean your own washing machine rubber seal, go ahead and call your local home inspection company. They can inspect your appliances for all mold as well as all areas of your home for possible mold. Call Alpha Building Inspections and they can help recommend a professional washing machine repair contractor in Merrimack, NH, and surrounding areas.
