Moldy smelling washing machine

[Ben]

A couple of weeks ago I was fixing my washing machine. My wife saw the open machine and said something like "That's the source of the mold!" It does seem as though there is "ick" trapped between the drum and the plastic liner that surrounds it, and there is a musty smell that comes from the machine after each wash.

My question---what is the most effective way of dealing with this? Is there a treatment that I could run through the machine to clean it out, or is this a situation where I need to take everything apart before I clean?

Thanks in advance,

-Ben

[greg6755]

I'm curious.

Is it a Maytag front load?

They are notorious for that.

[Grandpa]

I found the stuff and recommendations at this site:

worked for us.

Not affiliated, just a satisfied customer.

[Tom G]

I usually recommended to my customers (sold washers) that they add a cup of white vinegar to their load of towels. This helped to keep the hard water deposits from building up in the outer tub which tended to give mold a place to grow. And also to once a month or so run a cycle with the machine empty but adding bleach to the water. The vinegar could be run the same way but adding it to the towels killed two birds with one stone. Removed the hard water deposits from the towels also and they stayed softer. Also very important to leave the machine lid open for a couple of hours after each load to let it dry out. Tom G.

[hallerb]

weeks ago I was fixing my washing machine. =A0My wife saw

i use a gallon of WHITE vinegar mixed with a gallon of cheap bleach, fill machine with HOT water let agitate, then stop machine and let sit for remainder of day

you mostly use cold water? i think that makes it more likely oily substances clump rather than get dissolved and exit machine

run a empty load after letting the cleanng load finish itself normally,

[EXT]

Are you trying to kill yourself? Adding vinegar (acid) to bleach (chlorine) will release chlorine gas, aka mustard gas from world war I. This stuff destroys lungs on contact.

i use a gallon of WHITE vinegar mixed with a gallon of cheap bleach, fill machine with HOT water let agitate, then stop machine and let sit for remainder of day

you mostly use cold water? i think that makes it more likely oily substances clump rather than get dissolved and exit machine

run a empty load after letting the cleanng load finish itself normally,

[jJim McLaughlin]

No, you will not release mustard gas.

Mustard gas is C4H8Cl2S,

Uunless you have very wierd viegar (acetic acid), of a type existing nowhere else on the planet you couldn't releade mustard gas on a bet.

You might release free chlorine (Cl2) and tahet would be a Bad Idea (tm).

Better to use heavy bleach first to kill the mold, run a rinse, then use the vinegar to "sweeten" and freshen up the smell in the tub.

Would have been a good idea to manually scrub the tub and liner when the machine was apart, and use a toothbrush over under on top of and behind all gaskets.

[hallerb]

yeah its smells bad when I do that a couple times a year, usually spring and fall with windows and door open.

was trained to do this by my grandma, she died at 82 I am 50 hasnt killed anyone yet.

although I also use gasoline to kill grass between sidewalk sections occasionally and people freak at that too, years ago no one cared or noticed

[zxcvbob]

You're wrong on about 3 or 4 levels.

Mixing chlorine bleach with *ammonia* will release dichloramine gas, which is poisonous and kind of smells like chlorine.

I think mixing chlorine bleach with strong hydrochloric acid might release chlorine.

Bob

[Oren]

Mom always _ emphasized_ never to mix these two. More than once she said; use one or the other, but not both together.

I was young then but I vaguely recall fainting would occur from the fumes if they were mixed.

-- Oren

"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"

[EXT]

OK, I am not a chemist, you guys seem to know the type of gas released, but whatever, it still isn't good for you. I have been told repeatedly over the years that chlorine gas is released when an acidic liquid is mixed with javel water, but maybe not, I still wouldn't risk my life mixing them together and breathing the result whatever it is called.

[Max]

On Sun, 13 May 2007 18:27:44 -0400, "EXT" graced this newsgroup with:

..here's some background info

[Ben]

Top loader.

[Steve Barker]

Hot water and bleach. Then leave the lid open when not in use.

[Steve Barker]

pssssst.... diesel fuel lasts longer.

[hallerb]

well I have used muriatic acid in toilets, and my job used methyl alcohol combined with other nasties as a cleane.

fedron made me ill.....

currently I use 409 household cleaner

[zxcvbob]

Here's what the government says about mixing vinegar and bleach as a disinfectant to kill stuff like anthrax spores:

"a bleach solution close to but not above pH 7 (neutral) and 5,000 to

6,000 parts per million (ppm) will be prepared by mixing one part bleach (5.25%-6.00%) to one part white vinegar to eight parts water. Bleach and vinegar must not be combined together directly, rather some water must first be added to the bleach (e.g., two cups water to one cup of bleach), then vinegar (e.g., one cup), and then the rest of the water (e.g., six cups). The pH of the solution should be tested with a paper test strip"

If the bleach and vinegar are mixed without diluting them first, they can release chlorine gas (I just learned that)

Bob

[Tom G]

yeah its smells bad when I do that a couple times a year, usually spring and fall with windows and door open.

was trained to do this by my grandma, she died at 82 I am 50 hasnt killed anyone yet.

although I also use gasoline to kill grass between sidewalk sections occasionally and people freak at that too, years ago no one cared or noticed

Yeah, and back in the 50s and 60s we used to pour the used motor oil on the gravel drive to keep the dust down. Who knew?

Tom G.

[Art]

Seems to me vinigar first load would remove minerals. After rinse finish the job with bleach. Bleach first will not get past the deposits.

[hallerb]

looking back to what grandma told me, vinegar and fill tub with water, let stand a hour, agitate add bleach let sit all day. then complete cycle, and run a empty i add softener so all off odors are gone.

grandma died in 1991 and was ill a long time before that, so my intructions are 30 years old. while i have trouble rembering what i had for lunch today

never met to create a hazard, thanks for the heads up