
Left Picture: View of rubber gasket from outside washing machine.
Right Picture: View of inside rubber gasket showing mold and mildew deposits.
If you own a high efficiency front load washing machine then you have
probably been very pleased with the fact that these washing machines
1) clean your clothing better with less water, 2) make your clothes come out of the washing
machine dryer (due to a high speed final spin cycle, which allows for
less drying time), and 3) save time and money due to their energy saving features.
One thing you may not be happy about is the fact that these washing
machines can and will cause your laundry area as well as your clothes to
have a mold or mildew type smell. Also, you might notice that occasionally you can get a dark mark on one or more of your laundry items.
The odor and mark are both caused by the rubber gasket that is located immediately inside the
front door of the machine. As you can see in the pictures above, the inner lining of the
gasket is manufactured in such a way that water can collect at the
bottom of the gasket causing the water to sit there between loads. Wet rubber can mark clothing on its way into and out of the machine. Couple that
with the fact that the area inside the gasket gets no light, is damp,
and warm, and you have a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew spores to form
and grow.
Manufacturers of these washers suggest that you always leave the door
slightly ajar to allow air in. They also sell or recommend using a machine cleaning solution or small tablets
that you can use in a wash cycle every two to three weeks to help clean the inside of
the gasket. While doing these two things may help, they do not totally
remove the mold, odor, or prevent the occasional marking of clothing.
Here is how to fix these problems: Clean the inside of the gasket
thoroughly using our
EATOILS™ SUPERFRESH™ Certified Green
Cleaning Solution. Mix at 4 ounces to a gallon of warm water and clean the
inside of the gasket using a small soft bristled brush and a rag. 1) Spray liberally inside the gasket with the diluted
SUPERFRESH™
solution, 2) lightly scrub the gasket with a soft bristled brush, 3) let it sit for about
10-15 minutes, 4) and wipe with a damp rag. You will be amazed at the
amount of mold and mildew that you will remove. At this point the mold and mildew will be eliminated and removed from the gasket along with the odor. After thoroughly
cleaning the gasket, spray some more of the
SUPERFRESH™ solution inside the whole
circumference of the gasket and machine and allow to air dry.
Once you are done cleaning the gasket, you can spray any clothing or
towels that may have absorbed the odor. Using your spray bottle, mist
the clothing or towel items just until lightly damp and this will remove
any residual odor. Remember the
SUPERFRESH™
is Certified Green
and will not harm you or your clothing. After treating the clothing or
towels you may choose to launder again but this is not necessary.
To keep the mold, mildew, and odor from returning, spray some of the
EATOILS™ SUPERFRESH™ diluted at 2 ounces per gallon of water inside the
gasket every 1-2 weeks and continue to keep the door slightly open when
the machine is not in use, per manufacturer instructions.
Here is what one client wrote to our distributor in Texas who provides the product and cleaning service to his clients, "Thanks for making my washer not so stinky! Your
odor removal product ROCKS!!!! (and it's green...yea for me!)" - Mrs. C. Wheeler, Splendora, Tx.
EATOILS™ SUPERFRESH™ is an excellent cleaning and deodorizing product for hard surfaces like kitchen,
garbage areas & bins, bathroom, tile and grout, pet litter & pet areas, - try
EATOILS™
SUPER CARPET-FRESH™
for carpeting and upholstery(spot cleaning, pre-spray and full extraction cleaning), clothing(laundry pre-treat, spot removal & deodorizing), and fabric
cleaning challenges.
SUPERFRESH™ will also remove most odors on contact -
even SKUNK odor!
For more information about our
EATOILS™ SUPERFRESH™ Certified Green
Cleaning product, it’s many uses, as well as all of our other Certified
Green Cleaning products, please feel free to call us toll free at 866 621 8244 Monday - Friday 9:00 - 5:00 Eastern time and
visit us at
our website.