If your washing machine is starting to stink, it might be time to give the front door seal a once-over, as it’s a hotbed for mould and bacteria.
The rubber seal around the door of a washing machine is notorious for harbouring black mould, which can leave both your laundry and your home with a musty stench.
Cleaning guru Lynsey Crombie dubbed the Queen of Clean, has recently revealed that washing machine seals are more prone to mould in the summer months due to the warm, moist conditions that mould loves.
In an Instagram post, Lynsey advised: “Don’t forget this time of year, your machine will smell more than ever with the higher temperatures.”
Getting into the nooks and crannies of the seal to clean it properly and keep the mould at bay can be a real pain, but thankfully, Lynsey has let slip a nifty kitchen staple that’ll “banish stinky odours and mould build-up in your washing machine rubber seal”.
Baking soda is a top-notch choice for tackling seal mould thanks to its mild antibacterial and antifungal qualities – it’s alkaline, so it can dissolve the acidic buildup that mould feasts on.
Lynsey instructed: “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!”
Once the timer runs out, give those baking powder-sprinkled seals a good scrub with something like an old toothbrush before wiping them clean with a moist cloth.
Baking soda is something many households will have to hand. If not 180g of this kitchen item retails for 59p at Sainsbury’s or can be purchased in bulk from Amazon for £4.96.
For those who fancy an extra germ-kicking boost, splash about some white vinegar on top for muscle power, but dry it well to dodge any moisture mischief.
To keep that washing machine seal sparkling and mould at bay, tackle it once every month without fail.
And here’s a nifty trick after each spin cycle, give the seal a quick wipe and leave the door ajar to banish any bacteria brewing up a stench.
In Lynsey’s comments section, her followers were over the moon with this nifty nugget of cleaning know-how. One user declared: “Never tried this but will definitely give it a go!”
A clearly relieved cleaning fan posted: “This is so good! I was wondering why my machine was smelly.”
A grateful user wrote: “Thank you! This is such a good tip mine definitely needs doing.”
