It’s so warm today I’ve switched off the heating and am flouncing around in a skirt and t shirt. Unbelievable. (But also hooray for an insulated house)
Tried to do a load of woollens and finally gave in at how gross the washing machine is. These guys are normally so uptight about cleanliness with their baby around and the wife having all kinds of chronic illnesses, but there’s literal black mould impregnated all over the seal. The machine also used to deposit random bits of lint/mystery pieces onto the clothes, which has thankfully improved a bit after cleaning the filter and running it through a hot wash cycle with regular detergent a week ago.
Did a through spray + 5 min soak with mould remover and a very vigorous scrub, which has taken off the scum and the most superficial mould, but the bottom bit where all the water wells up is particularly difficult. I’ve just put it through a hot wash with special washing machine cleaner and after that’s done I’ll dry it out - if it’s still gross I’m thinking tomorrow I’ll try 1:4 dilution of white vinegar on paper towels to soak onto the seal for a couple hours, then another scrub and wash.
Open to any other tips from your personal experience of cleaning a front loader, and yes I realise it is probably too late to truly rid it of mould but something’s better than nothing.
Also sorry for the long posts today. One gets a bit loopy in suburbia …sometimes.
You’re doing all the right things. If these fail, then try doing the hottest possible cycle with a couple of dishwasher tablets thrown into the machine. This can damage the seal, but then so can mould. I would also check the filter again after and remove anything that cleaning the drum has shaken loose and flushed.
It might be time to broach the subject of getting the seal replaced with the owners. If the washer is under warranty that won’t cost a cent but if not, then will need a repairman to call plus cost of parts.
I was waiting for Your Witchiness to chime in! Good point re checking the filter again, I shall do that as well as a wipe of the seal.
I’m not so fussed about my own clothes but the owners probably need to be gently told that they seriously need to consider seal replacement and that using hot water for washing doesn’t mitigate the impacts of mould without a good dry. Knowing the husband he’ll probably just buy an entire new washing machine, man has this obsession with buying new things rather than repairing
I didn’t realise I had no short sleeve shirts that don’t have graphic tees so I asked my boss if I could wear the graphic shirts and he said it’s fine.
Today was warm and I didn’t realise until today that yeah I don’t actually have any “nice” short sleeves so tomorrow if the weather permits it I might wear a graphic t-shirt.
I have switched off my heating, but am sitting in my heavist woolen jumper with a blanket on my lap. I was just thinking of taking Mr Woof for an afternoon walk in the sunshine in the hopes of warming up a bit (whatever the opposite of hooray is for an uninsulated house!)
I think I’m doing better than you on the washing machine front, I have just run a load and there is definitely no mould in there.
Boourns?! This is by far the best insulated house I’ve been in for a while. I’m positively toasty! But it’s still great for a warm up walk outside, although the wind was a bit bitey.
The upshot of this sitcho is it’s encouraged me to go thoroughly clean my own front loader when I drop in this weekend - I’ve spent nearly my entire life with top loaders only so I keep forgetting that front loaders need more maintenance.
That’s about all you can do. See if you can put another lot of washing cleaner in, put it on the hottest, longest setting possible and then open it and the drawer to air dry.
It’s currently into the second hour of the post-mould-cleaner cleaning at 60C (that’s what the washing cleaner packet recommended). I’ll leave it open tonight and if it’s still gross tomorrow I’ll do the vinegar with more elbow grease, then a second round with the washing cleaner.
Nah I’d bump that temperature as high as it goes. My machine can reach 90°c that’s because it has an internal heater so it’s only connected to the cold water. If your friend’s washing machine is connected to both hot and cold and doesn’t have an internal heater then it’ll only reach around 45°c ish or whatever the hot water is set to. Bump it up to Max on the machine. This machine sounds like it’s neglected and they don’t do monthly hygiene washes.
Hm okay it goes up to 90C so I might try that for the next round.
Tbh I haven’t given my own machine a hygiene wash for several months now despite it being a monthly reminder on my phone, but I’m inspired to go do a scrub and clean when I head back to mine on Saturday. Theirs is a lot dirtier because they do multiple loads a day with a reflux prone baby and very little time to look into such things (though the rest of the house is sparkling).
For real, it wasn’t as big a deal with top loaders but I realise it’s so much more important with front loaders. Good idea with wiping round using a cloth, I’ll do that pronto with this round.
It’s so warm today I’ve switched off the heating and am flouncing around in a skirt and t shirt. Unbelievable. (But also hooray for an insulated house)
Tried to do a load of woollens and finally gave in at how gross the washing machine is. These guys are normally so uptight about cleanliness with their baby around and the wife having all kinds of chronic illnesses, but there’s literal black mould impregnated all over the seal. The machine also used to deposit random bits of lint/mystery pieces onto the clothes, which has thankfully improved a bit after cleaning the filter and running it through a hot wash cycle with regular detergent a week ago.
Did a through spray + 5 min soak with mould remover and a very vigorous scrub, which has taken off the scum and the most superficial mould, but the bottom bit where all the water wells up is particularly difficult. I’ve just put it through a hot wash with special washing machine cleaner and after that’s done I’ll dry it out - if it’s still gross I’m thinking tomorrow I’ll try 1:4 dilution of white vinegar on paper towels to soak onto the seal for a couple hours, then another scrub and wash.
Open to any other tips from your personal experience of cleaning a front loader, and yes I realise it is probably too late to truly rid it of mould but something’s better than nothing.
Also sorry for the long posts today. One gets a bit loopy in suburbia …sometimes.
You’re doing all the right things. If these fail, then try doing the hottest possible cycle with a couple of dishwasher tablets thrown into the machine. This can damage the seal, but then so can mould. I would also check the filter again after and remove anything that cleaning the drum has shaken loose and flushed.
It might be time to broach the subject of getting the seal replaced with the owners. If the washer is under warranty that won’t cost a cent but if not, then will need a repairman to call plus cost of parts.
I was waiting for Your Witchiness to chime in! Good point re checking the filter again, I shall do that as well as a wipe of the seal.
I’m not so fussed about my own clothes but the owners probably need to be gently told that they seriously need to consider seal replacement and that using hot water for washing doesn’t mitigate the impacts of mould without a good dry. Knowing the husband he’ll probably just buy an entire new washing machine, man has this obsession with buying new things rather than repairing
I didn’t realise I had no short sleeve shirts that don’t have graphic tees so I asked my boss if I could wear the graphic shirts and he said it’s fine.
Whoo!
Noice. I’m the same, no plain t shirts left. If I had a teams meeting I’d probably chuck on a pullover but otherwise I just rock the graphic tees.
Today was warm and I didn’t realise until today that yeah I don’t actually have any “nice” short sleeves so tomorrow if the weather permits it I might wear a graphic t-shirt.
I have switched off my heating, but am sitting in my heavist woolen jumper with a blanket on my lap. I was just thinking of taking Mr Woof for an afternoon walk in the sunshine in the hopes of warming up a bit (whatever the opposite of hooray is for an uninsulated house!)
I think I’m doing better than you on the washing machine front, I have just run a load and there is definitely no mould in there.
Boourns?! This is by far the best insulated house I’ve been in for a while. I’m positively toasty! But it’s still great for a warm up walk outside, although the wind was a bit bitey.
The upshot of this sitcho is it’s encouraged me to go thoroughly clean my own front loader when I drop in this weekend - I’ve spent nearly my entire life with top loaders only so I keep forgetting that front loaders need more maintenance.
That’s about all you can do. See if you can put another lot of washing cleaner in, put it on the hottest, longest setting possible and then open it and the drawer to air dry.
It’s currently into the second hour of the post-mould-cleaner cleaning at 60C (that’s what the washing cleaner packet recommended). I’ll leave it open tonight and if it’s still gross tomorrow I’ll do the vinegar with more elbow grease, then a second round with the washing cleaner.
Nah I’d bump that temperature as high as it goes. My machine can reach 90°c that’s because it has an internal heater so it’s only connected to the cold water. If your friend’s washing machine is connected to both hot and cold and doesn’t have an internal heater then it’ll only reach around 45°c ish or whatever the hot water is set to. Bump it up to Max on the machine. This machine sounds like it’s neglected and they don’t do monthly hygiene washes.
Hm okay it goes up to 90C so I might try that for the next round.
Tbh I haven’t given my own machine a hygiene wash for several months now despite it being a monthly reminder on my phone, but I’m inspired to go do a scrub and clean when I head back to mine on Saturday. Theirs is a lot dirtier because they do multiple loads a day with a reflux prone baby and very little time to look into such things (though the rest of the house is sparkling).
Yeah I get it. Things do get away from you. Hygiene wash is not optional. It’s a must if you want to keep your expensive equipment in tip top shape.
Also when it’s finished go around the whole inside with a cloth and you’ll find you can get a lot more shit off when it’s still warm and steamy.
For real, it wasn’t as big a deal with top loaders but I realise it’s so much more important with front loaders. Good idea with wiping round using a cloth, I’ll do that pronto with this round.