As an Engineer I’ve been doing washing machine repairs as well as tumble dryer repairs for around thirty years.

In this article I have included several easy suggestions to help you to keep your washing machine operating well and to keep it clean.

Why is there black mould living in my automatic washer?

Choosing mainly reduced temperature cycles, and using washing machine detergent which doesn’t include bleach triggers black mould, which will flourish in warm moist places. Bleach in washing machine detergents (as well as high temperatures) eliminates germs that may often grow inside a clothes washing machine. A lot of “color type” detergents and liquid detergents do not have any bleach in them, which is why they’re “user friendly” to coloured clothing.

To avoid, or attempt to remove, black mould in automatic washing machines, put the appliance on a regular boil cycle choosing detergent which contains bleach, and also with no laundry in. If you usually use biological or even liquid detergent, get a pack of traditional detergent that contains bleach and keep it just for a maintenance wash.

Always, leave the washing machine door open right after washing in order to allow it to normally dry out. In case the appliance is normally in a place where by it’s exposed to warm moisture such as inside a steamy kitchen, in that case you may want to actually dry out the drum and door rubber by hand and then leave the door shut. Mould requires dampness as well as warmth to grow.

Removing black mould on door gaskets and soap dispensers.

Black mould can easily develop in washing machines. It mostly develops around the front door gasket also in the actual detergent dispenser. On the soap dispenser it may divert jets of water into the front and make water to trickle out through the soap drawer and onto the floor. Check the top of this dispenser inner compartment (where the water comes in) and then use a good scowerer to remove it.

Black mould can possibly be harmful to your future health.

Black colored mould is actually proven to give off spores and there are known health hazards with black mould including allergy symptoms and some health issues. Although since it’s so damp in a washing machine it is possible the particular spores will not get discharged so easily unless scrubbing them. You may be able to scrub lightly affected areas on the door gasket using a scourer or even old tooth brush etc, and a cleaner such as Ciff . To stay on the safe side you should wear eye protection along with a mask while coping with black mould.

It could be really worth trying a black mould remover available from supermarkets nevertheless examine the directions to make sure it’s suitable to use on rubber if planning to use it on the door seal. If badly damaged – the only solution to eliminate it, would be to replace the door gasket.

Our laundry machine smells very bad.

Washing machine odours can be caused by a gradual build up of gunge. And they can even be created by agents as well as substances released coming from the washing, or by plumbing without having a suitable u-bend water trap. A u-bend is essential to hold water which works as a filter to smells getting from the drains back directly into the room. Make sure your washing machine does not pump out into a drain pipe that has a direct run to a drain without some sort of u-bend.

In order to get rid of stubborn washing machine smells that remain even after 1 or 2 service washes, try putting a cup filled with distilled white vinegar into the soap dispenser compartment while it is filling up on a hot wash cycle. Do not put any washing in, just simply allow your machine go through the entire cycle. Repeat if needed. It’s a well known trick, distilled white vinegar has a number of remarkable properties.

Following this guidance will help to avoid expensive appliance breakdowns.

Aiden Mackle. Hotpoint Washing machine repairs Craigavon