There are many chores that we may have to do around the home and sometimes, we may have our personal favorites. At the same time, we may also have certain chores that we don’t care much for doing and for some families, those chores include laundry. After all, it is a multi-step process and it seems as if it never stops. When we get to the point where we are at the bottom of the pile, we turn around and suddenly, the pile is back up to its former level again.
Another problem that many people face when it comes to washing and drying clothes is that it doesn’t turn out quite as they would like. They may go through the entire process but by the time they are done, the clothes stink a little. This is one of the more frustrating issues that we may face when cleaning around the home and, to be candid, we wash our clothes so they smell clean and fresh, not so that they smell like they are ready for the laundry again. What is it that causes the musty odor in our supposedly clean garments?
Believe it or not, there may just be a perfectly logical reason why your clothing is coming out of the washing machine smelling worse than it did when you put it in the washing machine. What you learn about it, you will find out that it is actually quite disgusting. It isn’t a problem with the clothing or your detergent, it is the washing machine.
Have you ever looked carefully at the inside of a washing machine? Most people don’t ever think to do it, outside of making sure they don’t miss a sock here or there.
Your clothes go inside of the washing machine and it has a metal interior. At first glance, it looks rather clean and you might think that is all that is necessary to do for a general inspection. If you are checking the inside chamber of the washer on a regular basis, however, you may be missing something.
If you look inside the bottom rim of the washing machine, you may see a rubber lining. It may not always exist, such as with frontloading washers but if you don’t see it on the bottom, look under the rim of the washer instead.
When you take a closer look at this rubber liner, you will see something shocking. Look closely and you will see mold!
This is a problem in almost every area because that part of the washing machine provides the perfect breeding ground for mold to grow. It is the reason why your clothing may come out smelling musty and it can even have a negative impact on the health of your family.
If you have a problem with mold in the washing machine, you probably also have a problem with mold on your ‘clean’ clothing. As you wear the clothing, you are in close proximity to the mold so you are touching it and inhaling it. This can result in some rather serious health issues, not only for those who are allergic but for those who are not allergic as well. It can include congestion, sneezing, irritated throat, watery eyes, bloodied noses, rash, and hives.
Major appliance companies have been the target of some mold-related lawsuits recently. It is because of this exact scenario, and they are losing a lot of money as a result of those lawsuits.
If you are not checking your washing machine for mold, you are setting your family up for danger. We may think to clean various tools and appliances around the home but when it comes to those that clean something specific, we may also think that they clean themselves. That isn’t the case with the washing machine.
Fortunately, it isn’t difficult to clean the washing machine thoroughly and get rid of the mold that may be causing you problems. You only need two household products to get started and more than likely, you already have them available.
The first thing you need is Clorox bleach and you also need 16 ounces of white vinegar. It is important to never, EVER use vinegar and bleach together because it could cause a dangerous reaction. You will need to use each product in turn rather than using them together.
Mix bleach with equal parts of warm water and wipe down the areas that are affected by mildew. You can then run the washer on the hottest cycle to wash away the bleach. After the bleach has been rinsed away, add 16 ounces of vinegar to the dispenser in the washing machine and run it on the hottest cycle. After that cycle, the black mold spores should be gone.
You don’t need to wait to do laundry after cleaning your washing machine. You will probably find that it is cleaning better than ever and your clothes are smelling fresh when you are done.