I cleaned my washing machine seal using 99p cupboard staple and the mould banished

Oct 16, 2023

Trapped moisture in the washing machine often makes the seal area a breeding ground for bacteria and mould to thrive in.

In many cases, mould on the washing machine door seal can be transferred to clothes and cause skin rashes or irritations.

This means it is important to remove and clean it regularly to prevent it from becoming stubborn and causing nasty smells.

I recently cleaned and removed mould from my washing machine seal using Stardrops White Vinegar which I picked up in Asda for just 99p.

Mould absolutely hates acidic substances which makes white vinegar the perfect cleaning product, when used in moderation.

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To start with, I pulled the seal back to reveal the mould before liberally spraying the white vinegar solution onto the surface.

I left the product to work for around five minutes before returning with a clean, dry microfibre cloth.

I used the microfibre cloth to wipe around the seal which was quite tricky but it picked up lots of mould onto the cloth.

Some marks did remain but I think they are marks due to the washing machine being fairly old now.

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Britons could also opt to use baking soda or a specialised washing machine product to prevent deterioration which can sometimes be caused by white vinegar, but I check regularly for these signs.

To finish off the washing machine clean, I placed some baking soda into the drum of the appliance, while adding half a cup of white vinegar into the detergent drawer.

I set it off on its longest, hottest clean and the washing machine was sparkling and had no nasty odours remaining. It is important to leave the door ajar after a wash cycle so that it can dry out, preventing mould.

Taking to an online forum to ask for help, Mrs Hinch fans also agreed that the cupboard staple was an “essential” when cleaning the seal.

Posting on the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page, Naomi Bennett wrote: “Please help! How do I clean the rubber seal on my washing machine?”

Alison Christine said: “White vinegar is essential and gets completely rid of the gunk in the machine and seal, mould is gone.” Rumana Pervin commented: “Clean with baking soda and vinegar, it’s great.”

Some Mrs Hinch fans recommended soaking the seal with a kitchen towel overnight to let it really work, although five minutes did the job for me.

Perry Teasdale wrote: “Soak the vinegar in cotton wool or kitchen towel if the grime is really bad, it’ll cut through it.”