Picture of a front loader washer, showing the rubber door seal, where mold and mildew typically grow.

How to Clean Door Gasket on Front Loader Washer

The best way to clean mold from a washer door seal, is to avoid the mold in the first place.  Stop it before it starts, and act right away if you s,ell any dank odors coming from your washing machine. This post details how to clean door gasket on front loader washer should it ever get moldy.





How to Clean Door Gasket on Front Loader Washer

Dry Seal after Each Use

Keep the seals dry when you’re not using the washer, and we also suggest using only liquid laundry detergents, to avoid possible buildup of soap residue that can occur with dry, powder laundry soaps.

Use Right Amount of Soap for Each Load

Avoid using too much laundry detergent, which can exacerbate soap residue deposits.

Clean the Washer per Users Guide Instructions

Also, be sure to run your front loader through the manufacturer’s suggested cleaning procedures at least once per month, to further retard mildew growth.

Remove Washed Clothes Right Away

Avoid allowing wet clothes to sit in the closed washer for very long after the wash cycle completes, as this will create lots of warm, moist air inside; a perfect breeding ground for mildew and mold spores.

Wipe Around the Sealing Gasket Regularly

But when there’s no foul smell, and you’re just performing routine washer maintenance, wipe in and around the door seal with a water-moistened dishcloth or sponge after each laundry session, to rinse off any remaining laundry detergent residue.  Then wipe the entire seal dry with an old but clean dishtowel.

Leave the Door Open Between Uses

Finally, do not close the door completely when you’re not using the washer.  Leave it open.  You want to allow fresh air into the wash drum and seal areas to promote faster internal drying as well as to prevent the accumulation of moist air and the resulting condensation of water on the seal.  Keeping your washer as dry as possible when idle helps keeps the mold and mildew away.





How to Clean Door Gasket on Front Loader Washer

You should perform one or more of the steps below if you find any deposits or stains on the seal that damp-wiping alone does not remove.

Picture of a typical front loader washing machine, with its door slightly open, to minimize mold and mildew growth on the rubber seal.
Typical front loader washing machine, with its door slightly open, to minimize mold and mildew growth on the rubber seal. How to clean door gasket on front loader washer.

Hard to Clean the Rubber Door Seal Gasket Because…

Hard to remove all the stubborn mold and mildew without damaging the door seal; particularly on older front loaders.  These have seen many hours of laundry cleaning. So, we’re not after a pristine cleaning here.  Instead, we just want to clean the seal enough that it keeps working well as a seal, and not leak.  We also wish to remove any mold and mildew odors from the washer, that might come from seal crevices, as shown in the cover picture above.  Further, we find that when the front loader does begin to smell bad, cleaning the seal really does not cut the moldy odor much.  To do that well, you must deodorize the inside of the washer.  See our  How to Freshen Up a Smelly Washing Machine article for details.

Try Wiping In and Around the Seal Gasket with Hot, Soapy Water

Low success in our experience.  Only removes the loosest mould, mildew, and slime.  However, soap presents the least odorous method of cleaning the rubber around the door, and it’s easiest on your clothes and hands.  So, we suggest trying the mildest cleaning methods and compounds first, and only graduate to the more caustic ones when the less obtrusive cleaners do not remove the mildew stains.

Try White Vinegar

White vinegar is a bit more acid than mild dish soap, and may prove more effective at removing the black mold stains from the seal.  Plus, you don’t have to worry about what will happen to your clothes if you spill some on yourself.

Try Mildew Cleaner

Be sure to read its safety instructions first, to verify its suitability for front loader washer rubber seals.  We suggest Clorox Cleanup.

Try Bleach

We’ve used straight bleach with low to moderate success.  Oh, the bleach indeed disinfects the seal as well as removes any musty, damp smells from it.

But we’ve found, even after allowing even full-strength bleach to soak on the mold stains for ten minutes or so, the bleach only cleans so well.  Even the strongest cleaning solutions may not entirely remove black mold stains without risking damage to the door seal.





A bleach solution does however, disinfect, and so therefore, eliminates any damp mildew smell from the seal.  However, we suggest allowing the bleach to soak on the seal for a half-hour before scrubbing with a damp dish cloth or nylon pot scrubber pad.  Do not use metal-based pot scrubbers on the delicate door seal, as they might scratch it, and thereby decrease its water-sealing effectiveness.

Picture of a bottle of Great Value brand bleach, front view.
A bottle of Great Value brand bleach, front view. How to clean door gasket on front loader washer.

When How to Clean Door Gasket on Front Loader Washer Does Not Work

Replace the Door Seal Gasket

If you find the black stains unsightly, then hire a washing machine repair technician to install a new one.  However, as long as the seal is not leaking and not smelling, we recommend against replacing it, unless of course, you have extra money that you’re just itching to spend on something.  Black mold stains are tolerable and not harmful, so long as you’ve removed the loose spores with regular cleanings.

Related Posts to How to Clean Door Gasket on Front Loader Washer

  1. Front Loader Clothes Washing Machine Pros and Cons
  2. How to Clean an Electric Kettle Safely
  3. Maytag Bravos Washer MVWB750WQ Review
  4. How to Clean Eyeglasses with Anti Reflective Coating
  5. Cleaning a Front Loading Washing Machine with Bleach

References for How to Clean Door Gasket on Front Loader Washer

  1. How do I clean my front-load washer door seal?   from Whirlpool
  2. How do you clean the rubber gasket on a front-loading washing machine?   from Reference.com
  3. How to Clean Mold Off The Rubber Seal on A Front Load Washer   from HomeGuides.sfgate.com
  4. How to Remove Mold and Mildew from Front-Load Washing Machines   from TodaysHomeOwner.com
  5. Preventing Funky Front-Loader Mold   from Consumer Reports

Revision History

  • 2019-04-14: Added key phrase targeting, tags, and subheadings.  Removed ad code.
  • 2017-02-08: Originally published.