Mould in washing machine drawer

corblimey

I use my washing machine sparingly, maybe once every few weeks, and because the drawer where the tablet and softener go is wet after use, it's developed some black spots of mould. I removed them this weekend easily enough, but I assume with the damp drawer and room in which the appliance is kept, it'll be back soon enough.

Any tips on how to stop this from happening - without dabbing the drawer dry with a towel after every use?

Alun

Leave the drawer open after each wash for a while, do the same for the door of the machine too.

seamus

+1 on keeping the drawer open. Also might be no harm to run the machine empty with water & bleach (a couple of times perhaps) to sanitise the whole system. If it's in the drawer, then it could also be in the rest of the machine and so will continue to appear, and may eventually start making your clothes smell musty.

corblimey

Thanks both, the room itself isn't heated either, but yeah I can see keeping the drawer open for a while might make a bit of difference.

seamus wrote: »

Also might be no harm to run the machine empty with water & bleach (a couple of times perhaps)

Can you explain this a bit more? Where do I put the bleach? And by water, I assume you mean just run the quickest cycle available?

seamus

Probably all the detail you need here: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/house-home/housekeeping/how-to-clean-a-washing-machine

Basically you stick some bleach into it like you were using to wash clothes (but don't!) and run it on the longest and hottest cycle available. Obviously you can forgo the spin part, and stick an extra rinse on if that's available to you.

Alun

corblimey wrote: »

Can you explain this a bit more? Where do I put the bleach? And by water, I assume you mean just run the quickest cycle available?

Pour a cup of bleach into the main wash detergent drawer, and run the hottest cycle your machine offers, usually 90 degrees. Might take a couple of hours depending on the machine. Alternatively you can get bottles of washing machine cleaner from most supermarkets these days.

It also won't do any harm while you're at it to give the rubber seal around the door a good clean too, getting into all the folds that can harbour all kinds of nasty smelly gunk.

cnocbui

corblimey wrote: »

Thanks both, the room itself isn't heated either, but yeah I can see keeping the drawer open for a while might make a bit of difference.



Can you explain this a bit more? Where do I put the bleach? And by water, I assume you mean just run the quickest cycle available?

I am not sure i would recommend bleach in a washing machine. If there are any rubber hoses or seals it might not be too good for them. An oxygen based bleach like Napisan, or the Aldi/Lidl equivalent might be a better bet.

Using the machine more frequently might have the best cost/benefit outcome.

coylemj

My washing machine deliberately retains a small amount of water in the softener section of the detergent tray at the end of the cycle - I say 'deliberately' because it's mentioned in the manual. I reckon this is to stop the softener residue from drying and leaving a sticky mess. If the OP's machine does the same then the solution will probably be to pull out the detergent tray and empty it after each wash. A quick rinse with warm water after every few cycles will also help. I doubt if running bleach though the machine will make a blind bit of difference.