Washing Machine Black Mould

[S Viemeister]

Interesting. I've not seen that - yet. But I don't own a Bosch.

[damduck-egg]

The problem is worse using "green" low

Doesn't bleach react with some plastics making them brittle or discoloured? Maybe Bosch uses some plastic components that could be affected, though a quick rinse or wipe would not be as risky as a prolonged soak.

G.Harman

[Andrew Gabriel]

Washing machine outer drums are often made from polyester resin (GRP). Bleach (particularly warm or hot) will damage the polyester resin, and you definitely don't want an outer drum to fail at high stress when the machine is spinning at top speed. A few times over the life of the machine might not be a problem, but doing it routinely might be asking for trouble.

The only place I see black mold form is in the farbic softener dispensor. I simply clean it a couple of times a year. I never do boil washes - most of my washes are 40C (35C really) with occasional

60C (50C really) for towels. This is using Persil Bio. As someone else said, eco powders maybe your problem - they certainly don't clean as well, so I wouldn't be surprised.

[polygonum]

Thanks - but the worst bit is on the door seal outside the point to which the washing water gets. So unlikely any formulation of wash with extra *** - where *** could be bleach, soda, heat or anything else - is going to work.

Had been thinking of a surface treatment with something that deposits a few silver atoms or something else that is not popular with mould.

[RJH]

snip

I've been using Ecover for quite a while now, and it cleans fine IMO.

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

To cut a long thread sort: Smear washing up liquid on the door seals of a new machine and put on a wash - 30C works. Our machine is now 3 years old, the seals are clean.

[James Wilkinson]

-30C would freeze the pump impeller.

That's because you disinfect them every day you silly old man.

[tabbypurr]

If you want to try that approach, copper sulphate, sinc sulphate, borax, aspirin, any of those would do, in a spray bottle presumably.

NT

[PeterC]

Same here. Also Bio-D liquid (v. similar to Ecover). Usually wash at 30C as well, so asking for trouble. The machine's a 'John Lewis', so really AEG. The door seal drains well and can be wiped out easily. The drawer has never had mould in it but there has been a few small spots in its cavity. I looked in the pump housing after a year and it was clean - the old machine was a mushroom farm in there!

[Alan Dawes]

If you use Persil they have advice on both cleaning a smelly machine and also removing mould stains from fabric:

Alan

[Adam Funk]

Do oxygen bleaches (Vanish) kill mould?

[Adam Funk]

I've never had a problem with the door seals, but every machine we've had has given me trouble with trying to remove & prevent mould above the drawer & in parts of it.

[bert]

In article , polygonum writes

I noticed on our new Samsung there is a drain notch at the bottom of the door seal presumably to alleviate this problem.

[Davey]

As there is on our five-year-old Hotpoint.

[RayL12]

Our we talking about the inner ring/ the well of the dear seal? If so, it is common all over. Which bemuses me given the detergent atmosphere. Maybe someone in here can enlighten me?

Anyway, get your hand stuck in. A heavy rag soaked in vinegar will rid them. And, if it bothers you to, rinse your hands in vinegar, too. Very good for the skin a naturally symbiotic with human bacteria.