Although washing machines sounds like they should be self cleaning, it still needs a wash from time to time.
You might have noticed mould and fluff on the rubber seal rim of the machine and if you haven’t, make sure to have a look at the seal if it’s been a while.
If left uncleaned the washing machine door seal will begin to smell musty and cause your laundry to be stained even if you have just removed it from the wash.
Usually its recommended not to use bleach to kill mould. Not only can the harsh chemicals irritate your clothes but it can greatly damage rubber and make it more likely to cause your washing machine to leak.
So, an easy cleaning tip from Lyndsey Queen of Clean on TikTok shows an easy natural way to make sure you get rid of the dirt.
In her video she said: “Another quick tip to banish stinky odours and mould build-up in your washing machine rubber seal.
“Sprinkle into the rubber seal some bicarbonate of soda, spritz with water, scrub with a small brush, leave for 10 minutes, and then run a rinse cycle.
“The bicarb will soak up the odours and clean up the seal with ease. No more smelly washing machine!
“Don’t forget this time of year, your machine will smell more than ever with the higher temperatures.”
Bicarbonate of soda has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that make it a great cleaning agent and is a common household staple that can bought at the likes of Aldi for 59p, or at any other supermarket, such as Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
The simple hack takes 10 minutes and will leave you with a sparkly clean washing machine. People were quick to comment on the hack adding more advice.
One person said: “I leave my washer door open all the time unless i’m doing a wash cycle.No mould no smell nothing.”
To help prevent the formation of mould, it is helpful to leave the washing machine door open after every wash.
This enables air to circulate around the washing machine to help dry it out and make it less hospitable for mould.
The rubber seal, however, may still develop mould because of its hidden positioning, which can store moisture.
To keep your washing machine sparkly clean, it’s recommended to wipe the washing machine seal on a monthly basis.
