Sludge and slime in the washing machine: how to clean this appliance properly

One of the most frequent cleaning chores we have to do is dealing with the washing machine's door seal gasket (usually made of rubber). A little water, hair, fur and other debris collects in the gasket from time to time. And if this dirt is not removed, dark spots of mold will form on the rubber - which is far from good for our laundry washes.

But what can we do when this problem recurs with every wash? Well, perhaps it's time to use more thorough cleaning methods.

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Amongst the cleaning methods for the gasket, the most advisable is the one based on hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is great at eliminating mold spores. So, after having removed the bulk of the dirt with gloved hands, soak a clean cloth in hydrogen peroxide and place it into the gasket, leaving it in contact with the rubber for half an hour. Then wipe everything away, rinse off with another cloth and leave the door open to dry thoroughly before using the washing machine again.

In fact, often the mold that we see in the gasket - and which is also the cause of bad-smelling laundry - is also due to the fact that the door is always closed too early, thus trapping humidity inside the washing machine.

However, when the problem occurs more frequently, it is likely that there is sludge/slime build-up inside the washing machine, which is ten released during each wash. In this case you can try these remedies:

• Rock salt: put 1 kg in the drum and start an empty washing cycle at a low temperature;
• Citric acid: pour a full glass into the drum, before starting an empty cycle at a medium or high temperature;
• Sodium percarbonate: two tablespoons into an empty wash at high temperature.

It is advisable to choose one of these options to do once a month if you use the washing machine very often, otherwise once every two or three months will be sufficient. However, if you should notice that bad smells and dirt persists after these treatments, contact an expert.