smm5525 - Your observations are not wrong. Of course user error is a factor, but when SO MANY people have issues with front loaders, it might be time to rethink the design.

I'm a web/ux designer for a living and we follow a saying "UX is like a joke, if you have to explain it, it's not that good." Same can be said for these washers. If you have to meticulously clean and follow instructions perfectly to keep issues from happening, it's not that good.

There was a thread on a local mom Facebook group that asked the "top loader vs front loader" question not too long ago, and these were the results.

Of course, I will still probably be getting a front loader in my new house. Hopefully I don't regret it lol.

I never babied my FL. Have an Asko FL in our NY apt. Had a Bosch FL in my last apt in NY. No smells etc. I do leave the door ajar but behind closed closet doors

Kelsey,

Getting users to change habits is not the fault of the machine. Funny, I don't see these reports of smelly washers in Europe and Australia where these machines are the norm.

I had a friend who acquired a front loader in her new house and complained about the smell. She used liquid detergent which is not a real problem but if you saw the amount she was using, you would be shocked. Most people don't know how to do laundry. People pour tons of detergent, liquid and powdered, and followed up with a full cup of fabric softener! It took a while but she got used to using a front loader and reduced her detergent habit:-).

As I stated in other threads, I have owned a front loader all of my life expect when I lived in rental apartments for short periods in between moves. I have never left the door of my front loader open, I have never wiped the gasket of my front loader. Asko has a gasketless front loader system if I remember correctly. I dose according to my loads and run multiple hot washes (greater than 120 degrees) in a week.

Many toploaders have mold in them too. Most people just don't notice it because it is behind the drum. There are complaints about newer Top loaders that use less water and the overdosing of laundry still continues. Both are a recipe for mold growth.

I am against leaving the door on the washer open because of animals and small children who may find it a comfortable place. I remember being locked in a washer as a child:-(

We aire ours out after load but it's shut too (small kids/it butts up against adjoining garage door) Here is the area that pools lots of water and gunk and I can't get clean because of the design of those holes. The inner part of the seal is impossible to lift under and clean.

Ive been doing laundry since I was 10. I use right amount of soap. I might try switching to powder. Mine isn't user error (unless I'm required to keep it open at all times) which just isn't practical because of location of machine and small kids.

Maybe the super smart person with an IQ above 75 can come out and "teach" me how to prevent the odor. I've followed everything recommended. All tips. Wasted so many hours and it still stinks.

Ironically the seal on my 3 yr old LG fridge has black spots too.

smm5525,

It appears you took offense to my posting. I meant no insult but I am truly confused why these machines get this feedback.

Do you do hot washes? I am not familiar with your machine so can't speak intelligently about it setting. Can you tell me which detergent and fabric softner(if any, you are using). Not sure this perfect for mold spots but a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide may work to lift the stain.

Here are some pictures of one of my units. This unit is 8years old

Homepro. Not at all. The comment was directed toward whoever mentioned IQ and frivolous lawsuits. Your machine doesn't have those holes that mine has.

I don't do super hot washes. We run everything normal cycle. I do the hot wash when cleaning or the self clean cycle. The area that I circled is the problem. No way to get it dry.

I use Tide HD liquid. Either regular or free and clean. No fabric softener.

The inner part of the seal can't really be pulled back to clean. Even with my small hands. It's just not possible. Homepro yours is obviously different in design

Smm5525,

My machine does not have those holes like your machine. There is always water in the gasket though. Do the holes appear to go all the way through like they are supposed to be drains? Normal cycle on most of these machines is a cold water wash. Your machine has a self clean cycle? Do you know what this cycle is supposed to do? Is there a product used in the self clean cycle like Citric Acid?

There is a product by Clorox that is usually hard to find, my local Target sometimes has it and it is a bleach dispenser pen. You could attempt to use that? It would get the bleach into the crevices. I also have a ton of these types of tiny cleaning brushes. Maybe that would help!

Do u pull back this area to clean?

Home pro those holes are only in that area, the bottom of the machine.

Smm5525,

I never pull that back to clean. I have found small buttons or small sequins in the crease that I have pulled back in the picture above. The piece you pointed out is glued to the machine and can't be pulled back.

I see. That part in my machine is where all the gunk resides. It can't really be cleaned, hence the smell. The larger rubber part you pulled back in your pic is super easy to clean on mine. But that's not where the gunk is.

Our regular cycle isn't cold. It's warm.

Smm5525,

Don't know how old your machine is but if you are using the Normal cycle, you are most likely using tap temperature water for your loads. Please see the linked post from the Laundry Forum and look at Poppy214s' post.

Smm5525,

I lied to you. That second gasket can be moved on the machine I sent you pictures of. There is nothing there either. See the picture below.

Mine is 2011. It does have cold water rinse. I follow all the directions but since it's already gross, I feel like I need to get a new gasket or new machine. I spent hours researching how to clean it and maintain. I've called the service reps and was doing everything they recommend. And it still stinks. It's fine for a week after cleaning but the smell returns.

Honestly, if it requires so much constant maintenance, it's not for me. My mother in law has a Samsung, keeps it shut and no problems. Hers is a few years older than mine. But I think she uses powdere and I don't think it has those drain holes on the bottom like mine.

I think the point u made about the design failing for ordinary use is true. I did two hot water washes last night. One clean cycle. The other a hot water sanitize load. Left it open to air. It stinks.

SMM5525,

Stepping into the discussion for a bit ... the warm water to which you refer for the Normal cycle probably is no more than 75°F to 85°F. That's what is referred to as "dumbed-down" temperatures for energy-saving purposes but it is also a contributing factor to dirty machines. The Normal cycle is engineered that way for the manufacturer to get a high rating on the energy-saving numbers. Warm temp selection on the Heavy cycle should be warmer than Warm on Normal. Hot temp selection on Heavy cycle should be higher than Hot on Normal. Selecting a hot wash temperature on Normal probably is approx 95°F to 105°F

That's why the more intense cycles (Sanitize, or Heavy at a higher soil level) with should be used on a recurring/weekly/biweekly basis. Frontloaders use so little water compared to deep-fill toploaders that running those cycles with HOT water still uses considerably less hot-water energy than a toploader.

All washers nowadays (frontload and topload) have cold water rinses. It's the wash temperature that's of concern, not the rinse.

Using chlorine bleach on a weekly (or even every other week) also helps ward-off mold and odor. A friend has a 12+ years old Kenmore HE3. She fosters rescue dogs, does a lot of critter-related laundry (bedding, towels, etc.) and often uses bleach. I changed the pump on her machine 3 years ago. There was NO MOLD in either the door gasket or the pump assembly.

Also, why do you keep referring to the drain holes in your tub gasket as if that's a bad thing? It's not. The holes are to help water drain from the gasket fold. Did you catch that HomePro01 said his gasket (without drain holes) holds water there?

Detergent overdosing is rampant among most frontload users. My sister & bro-in law got a frontloader earlier this year. A 5-years-old Samsung that was given to them by friends after the friends destroyed it with HEAVY use of fabric softener (thick wax residue coated the drum support, which caused it to corrode and break during high-speed spin, the drum tore a gash in front of the outer tub). I repaired the machine. Visiting sister recently and discussing the machine, bro-in-law mentioned he doesn't measure the liquid detergent they use, he just pours it in to the Max line of the dispenser drawer. Uhhh, NO! Liquid detergents nowadays may be as much as 6x concentrated and call for only 1 to 2 tablespoons for a small to average load. The dispenser Max line is more than that. And it's not accurate or consistent to try to "eyeball" 1 or 2 tablespoons while pouring ... accurate *measuring* is necessary.

I'm glad you all love your FL machines and be glad you didn't get stuck with a lemon.

My detergent. This free and clear or regular tide

Amount we use

level 1 on this cup. Which equals approx 2 tbs

I don't use fabric softener. Only dryer sheets occasionally that my hubby uses

And if you design a machine that requires you to circumvent the recommendations and normal clean and wash cycles, that's a problem. But I can say it til I'm blue in the face and no one will believe that maybe my machine is a lemon.

We do have really bad hard water here. We recently had Culligan install exchangeable softener tanks. I'll go back to babying my machine but the mold is already inside and I can't seem to get it out.

Smm5525,

Thanks for your patience in reading all these suggestions and answering the questions. I was going to ask about the Dryer sheets. These can also add mold loving bacteria back to the washer. Which dryer sheet do you use? I think your use of detergent is fine. Would you be willing to try a powdered detergent for a few loads to see if you have the smell after that? Tide Free and Clear in powder form would work. Also, can you change from a normal wash to something where the heater engages on the machine?

Would you be able to provide exact information about water hardness and softness now that the Culligan machine is replaced? I assume the installer should have left you with some details.

One last question, do you see a performance issue with your dishwasher?

Dadoes, I agree with most of all what you said. I purchased a used Miele that was used for three months. The home owners wanted a larger machine and did not like the long wash times. I knew the delivery date of the machines because I knew the retailer who sold it. The fabric softner dispenser had black mold in it. It was filthy in just about 3months. I removed the fabric softner dispenser and dipped it in a bucket of bleach. I then used a steam wand to clean the detergent area. The mold had not spread from there but it took a while to get rid of the smell of April Fresh Downy fabric softner. The one thing I disagree with is "HomePro01 said his gasket", I am a girl:-)

We use the Kirklands Unscented dryer sheets. Again, probably a couple times a month. I'm willing to try anything but I need to get rid of the mold that's in there now. And I can't reach it. I might replace gasket and start from scratch.

What frustrates me the most is the stupid smart diagnostics machine. It told the LG customer service rep that I do too many bulky loads. Which isn't the case at all. So they chalked it up to user error and called it a day

Salti I did look into the washer fan several months ago. I forget why I didn't get it. Maybe after I replace the gasket.

My dishwasher is ok. It's prob 10 years old. We are replacing it with kitchen remodel in next few months. It's been better since the softener was installed.

Here's more pics

Filter just removed it to clean

Just drained it too. I hate that part. Stinks!

The door doesn't need to stay open that wide. Hang a towel over the door, that'll hold it open enough, assuming it doesn't swing all the way back via the hinge design or some other factor.

Remove the dispenser drawer, any residue back in the cavity?

The drain filter looks good, but presumably that pic is after cleaning. How'd it look before? What's inside the pump housing where the filter fits?

Don't blame the people offering advice here for the dumbed-down temperatures and cycles. Blame the legislators who enact the standards and pressure machine manufacturers to follow them. Change your laundry habits to work around the issue. Changing detergents can help, a lot in some cases. Some detergent formulations have conflicts with local water chemistry. Try a powder for a few months if you've always used liquids.

The filter pic was before I cleaned it.

I didn't have time to wrestle with the dispenser, kids had to eat!

I'll switch to powder but something needs to get the trapped gunk out.

I'm not blaming anyone here for my machine. Well except for myself for buying a stupid expensive machine that I have to baby. Lol

The door swings out. There's a magnetic latch that broke that is supposed to be to keep it cracked open. You can tell from the design of my machine they were trying to prevent the mold/mildew/odor issue. They just failed.

it even has a tub clean function. I use it with bleach and also tried afresh tabs. Keeps it clean for about a couple days. Then the smell returns.

Smm5525,

Apart from that area in the gasket, do you see any other mold? I am intrigued by the fact that the smell of mold goes away after you run the clean cycle and then returns. I wonder if your washer discharge hose has a vent pipe? Mold and Sewer gas can have a similar smell. You may will have mold in the gasket but it may not be causing the smell. The dispenser area is a good target. Try some hotter cycles for a while and see if the smell of mold comes back after using that too.

one quick question, do your clothes smell like mildew after being washed?

Only damp towels or clothes that are wet and didn't get washed right away smell kinda musty afterwards. Even with scented detergent. The detergent dispenser is clean. No smell.

No mold anywhere else. Maybe it could be internally somewhere I can't see but the repair service place said its not possible. He just said its a problem with the front loaders.

The smell happens after running a load and after door is closed for a while. The door was shut for a few hours just now (no loads today) and I just opened it and it stinks. I cleaned it last night then ran a tub clean cycle and a hot water load. Aired out all night and most of the day. I'm certain the smell is the gasket

Kinda hard to see but dispenser is clean

Here's a video I found of someone steam cleaning the same model LG machine as mine

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+clean+mold+from+lg+front+load+washer&rlz=1C9BKJA_enUS677US677&hl=en-US&prmd=vsni&source=lnms&tbm=vid&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj_9ZKRjJXPAhVBWGMKHewGDHMQ_AUIBygB&biw=768&bih=909

Seems a little excessive to expect that level of maintenance in a machine.

Can you take a picture of the top of the dispenser chamber? What is the effort and cost to replace the gasket?

The steam cleaning does seem excessive. Do you own a steam cleaner? That maybe able to get into that little crevice? Are you able to,spin your tub and wipe the gasket edge with a wet wipe like the first YouTube video?

I just saw the washer fan videos. I'm going to have my appliance guy come out and change the drain hose, like in the video. I'll try the washer fan too. I'm going to have to weigh the costs of these steps vs buying a new machine.

I can easily clean the outer part of the gasket. The inner part is difficult. It's really tight in there and hard to pull back

Sorry I messed up the link. My inner gasket is like this one

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sWBET8nR3M4

Top of dispenser, it's clean

I did shine a flash light and stick a rag down the drain tube. It has black debris but doesn't smell at all. I think my problem is the drain hose. Going to have my guy take it apart to inspect

I think the drain hose is a good culprit to investigate. Thanks for being such a good sport and checking all these options. Confirm that the drain hose goes into a drain pipe that is vented.

Good luck!

Just to say, it's largely impossible to get them 100% cleaned without full disassembly once a machine is *badly* infested with mold. There are crevices and niches and notches and convolutions and seams molded into the outer tub and outer surface of the inner drum, which are part of the manufacturing process and also for structural strength, that may collect and hold residue. Replacing the tub/door boot will not by itself solve the problem if the tub & drum have a heavy accumulation. That's why adjusting and adopting good usage habits from the start is a crucial factor.

Which is not to say that yours has a bad case. It looks very good per the pictures you've posted.

And ... I've said it in other discussions and I'll say it again here ... accumulating residue is NOT unique to frontloaders. Toploaders are also subject to the problem.

Homepro1, Salti and Dadoes, thanks for helping diagnose my problem! I wasn't even intending on investigating. I had asked the LG repair center about the drain hose a while back and they said it couldn't be the problem, that it's not made of rubber or something. The details are coming back now! I just assumed it was the rubber gasket and my own repair guy said that replacing it won't solve my problem that the machines are just designed that way. So I chalked it up to just eventually needing to replace it with a top load. But the video on the Washer Fan website and stmt by dadoes leads me to believe it isn't unique to front loads. So every three years, I'll just check on the drain hose and perhaps invest in a washer fan. Don't want to mess around with mold!

And thank you I will make sure the drain pipe is vented. I wonder if that is why I didn't have a problem until moving into this house. Or it could just be that the mold is getting progressively worse as years go on ( now 5 years old).

To clarify, this machine was moved from Chicago, to our rental home in CA to our permanent home in CA. I should've just left it in Chicago! Lol

and sorry to OP for hijacking the thread. But hopefully you learned something from this :)

Glad we were able to help figure out some options that didn't not involve arson:-)

I'm happy with my Samsung. I use hot water and bleach my whites. No smells, no holes, no problems.