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Potential Risk of Mildew Build-up in All Front Load Washer types whether Standalone, Combo or Washtower
Front load washers are designed for High Efficiency performance and as such utilize less water and detergent and consume less power. Not unlike any other high performance equipment, greater care is required to ensure optimized operability of these machines.
It has been observed and commented that some folks had encountered disagreeable experiences with their front load washers, notably smelly odors escalating to mildew and mold. Due to the low level of water utilized, wash residue such as grime, dirt, etc. along with detergents and softeners don’t always drain completely out of the tub.
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Why there is mildew buildup on gasket?
>Residue coming from detergent soaps that causes over-sudsing can accumulate in the rubber door gasket and over time mildew is formed. Mildew develops on damp surfaces that have experienced water build-up that has not dried properly. Mildew will start off as splotchy patches of black, green or white and later turn into mold if not taken care of adequately.
In the same fashion as why dish detergent does not work well in a dishwasher which requires specially formulated non-suds forming dishwasher detergent, front loading washer manufacturers all insist that only High Efficiency detergent be used. Regular detergent in a front loading washer would produce way too much suds causing delays and confusion in the washing cycles, making proper rinsing of clothes rather impossible and diminish the washer’s capability at draining itself properly therefore inadvertently setting up the stage for mildew building conditions.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to clean mildew from the gasket (door seal) of your LG washer
>What You Need
- Warm water
- Mild detergent or dish soap
- White vinegar or diluted bleach (for heavy mildew)
- Soft cloths or microfiber towels
- Soft brush or old toothbrush
- Gloves (recommended)
Here are some other list of regular household cleaning products that can be used to remove mildew on rubber gasket.
- Tea Tree Essential Oil
- Borax powder
- Baking Soda
- Chlorine Bleach
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Ammonia
- Grapefruit seed extract
- Citric acid
- Lemons
Steps to Clean the Gasket
- Turn off and open the washer
- Unplug the washer or turn off power.
- Leave the door open for safety and ventilation.
- Inspect the gasket
- Gently pull back the rubber seal around the door.
- Check for trapped dirt, lint, hair, detergent residue, or standing water—these are where mildew forms.
- Wipe loose debris
- Use a damp cloth to remove any hair, lint, or residue.
- Prepare a cleaning solution
- For regular cleaning: Mix warm water with a little dish soap.
- For mildew/mold: Mix 1 part white vinegar with 1 part water.
- For stubborn mold: Use a diluted bleach solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water).
- Scrub the gasket
- Dip a cloth or brush in the solution.
- Scrub inside the folds and creases of the gasket.
- Focus on black spots or mildew buildup.
- Rinse thoroughly
- Wipe again with a clean damp cloth to remove cleaner residue.
- For bleach, make sure no residue is left—residual bleach can damage clothes.
- Dry completely
- Wipe the gasket dry with a clean towel.
- Leave the washer door open for a few hours to let the inside fully air-dry.
Recommended Detergent Soap
>High Efficiency, or HE, refers to a washing machine that uses 20 to 80 percent less water and energy than standard washing machines. These are typically front-loaders. A logo with the letters HE will appear on the front of detergent packaging suitable for a High Efficiency washing machine.
When you think about it, a High Efficiency front-loading washing machine utilizes up to 80% less water than a conventional top load washer. Putting in the same amount of regular detergent that would normally be required in a top loader would be 5 times too much in a front loading washer. Compound to that the different gravitational pull while draining the wash residue and water, the hermetical flawless design of the door and that has all the making of a disastrous outcome unless good usage, care and maintenance are part of the laundry routine.
Prevention Tips
>When buying a front-loader one should be prepared to give that washer a little extra care to prevent such unfortunate situation by adhering to manufacturer recommendations regarding running the cleaning cycle, using only HE detergents and following these below tips and to prevent any issues from developing. The LG has a tub clean cycle and during this cycle it spends a lot of time spraying water through the door seal area.
- After each wash: Wipe the gasket dry and leave the door slightly open to prevent moisture buildup.
- Monthly maintenance: Run a Tub Clean cycle regularly (or hot wash with vinegar/bleach, depending on your model). Be sure to wipe around and under the door seal frequently.
- Use HE detergent only: Too much or wrong detergent causes residue buildup that encourages mold.
- Check drain holes: Make sure the small holes in the gasket aren’t clogged with debris.
- Clean around door seal/glass to prevent odor or mildew:
- Wipe dry the door seal/glass and the door opening area
- Wipe around the inner drum/door seal and the lower door seal
- Powder HE soap seems to work best. Liquid soap does not break down in cold and warm water. Powder soap breaks down better in any kind of water.
- Always make sure to run hot cycles every now and then. Using only cold cycles causes mildew and mould in the drain hoses and cold water doesn’t wash it out or break it down. Hot cycles break down mildew and mould spores while keeping your unit clean.
- Use a quarter cup of dish washing detergent (powder), along with a towel. Put the machine on the "sanitary" (hottest water) setting. Let it finish its cycle. This should get rid of the mould completely.
- Use powdered bleach for colours and liquid bleach for whites, this helps to maintain the mould suppression.
- Leave the door/lid (and the soap dispenser) open or slightly ajar between washes to let in fresh air. Mould can only grow in stale air.
For BRAND recommendation and usage instructions, kindly search the Internet for: “removing mold with regular household products”.
>Regrettably, some customers come across this invaluable information way too late in the mildew buildup development stage. The amount of time required spent at scrubbing away disinfecting the rubber gasket material might outweigh the cost of simply getting boot gasket replaced by an expert certified repair technician.
A customer once reported back from having chosen to replace a worn-out boot gasket on their front load washing machine by themselves that, in hindsight, they would have better off to have benefited from LG Electronics ONE Price program. The amount of time spent at completing the task, not to the mention the aggravation from stepping away from their comfort zone, would have been more constructive and beneficial used at their own skillsets. The loss of wages from time away handling the disassembly & reassembly of the washer, wound up costing them more then having a certified repair technician in the house fixing the washer.
Internet research will substantiate that mold & mildew are not an isolated case dealing with front load washers. For example, mold can easily be found on shoes in your closet. There is an interesting reading material addressing that very particular issue and it goes through some similar situations causing both front load washers and shoes mold affliction.
Should you be considering getting the rubber boot gasket replaced on your washing machine, please consult our webpage offering Past 1st Year Warranty FLAT RATE repair service program designed to eliminate the guess work of an estimate.