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Front loading washer door gasket

pejeeper

Ninjas need not apply
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LG WM2240C

The door gasket gets full of crud and it is getting on the clothes leaving gross brown/black smears. It washes out, but that's kinda redundant to wash clothes that the washer got dirty.

Problem: The door gasket traps greasy gunk and I can get it all out. I am using rags to wipe out all I can reach, but the gasket isn't removable and I can only pry back so much of it. I am assuming the gunk loosens up and mixes in with the clothes, or the clothes drag through the gasket and pick it up.

Remedy: I have wiped out as much as possible that I can reach, Fail. Clothes are still getting gunked. I have increased the number of loads I use hot water to wash to try and break up and rinse out the gunk.

Idea: I am going to pour boiling hot water into the gasket to rinse the greasy gunk away and rewipe the gasket that I can reach and then run the tub clean cycle on the washer. (I run tub clean every other month as is).

Suggestions?
 

Qckslvr

succomb to the madness
Staff member
Moderator
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I am really starting to wish I had gotten a top loader as well. I have the same problem, and just lay an old towel in the door opening when I unload it.

Next wash will be a top loader. If this Kenmore ever dies.
 

themonk

ex-monk.
VIP
LG WM2240C

The door gasket gets full of crud and it is getting on the clothes leaving gross brown/black smears. It washes out, but that's kinda redundant to wash clothes that the washer got dirty.

Problem: The door gasket traps greasy gunk and I can get it all out. I am using rags to wipe out all I can reach, but the gasket isn't removable and I can only pry back so much of it. I am assuming the gunk loosens up and mixes in with the clothes, or the clothes drag through the gasket and pick it up.

Remedy: I have wiped out as much as possible that I can reach, Fail. Clothes are still getting gunked. I have increased the number of loads I use hot water to wash to try and break up and rinse out the gunk.

Idea: I am going to pour boiling hot water into the gasket to rinse the greasy gunk away and rewipe the gasket that I can reach and then run the tub clean cycle on the washer. (I run tub clean every other month as is).

Suggestions?
Clean it maybe? How To Clean Your {Front Loader} Washing Machine! | One Good Thing by Jillee
 

pejeeper

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I always leave the door wide open. I've used a few different tub detergents on the tub clean cycle. This is actual greasy grime that gets trapped in the folds of the gasket and between the drum and the gasket.
 

BrandonM7

MaMway Platinum Member
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Weird that the clothes can get to the grime but you can't get to it to clean it. I think you need to get more creative with your cleaning method.
 
having the same issue. I was told that the liquid detergents are the culprit and that switching to powdered detergents dumped right in with the clothes would be the remedy.

As soon as the latest jug of soap is gone I will be making the switch.
 

pejeeper

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having the same issue. I was told that the liquid detergents are the culprit and that switching to powdered detergents dumped right in with the clothes would be the remedy.

As soon as the latest jug of soap is gone I will be making the switch.
Crap, :wifey: just bought a new jug at Sam's.

Did the hot water thing I mentioned above. See what happens.
 

themonk

ex-monk.
VIP
Did you try running some bleach through it (minus clothing)? I'm not aware of my parent's having an issue either with the Kenmore they had or the Whirlpool they have now.
 

pejeeper

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I have used the Affresh & Tide cleaning pods, bleach, vinegar, in the tub clean cycle etc. I've had this washer for almost 3 years now and it sees heavy use (10-15 loads per week). Most loads are cold, maybe 5 are warm and 2-3 are hot. Using ALL Free&Clear HE detergent and Sam's brand softener in maybe half the loads. I run tub clean on average every other month, sometimes once a month if I remember it.

Unfortunately, I think BrandonM7 is right. I'm going to need to find a way to clean behind the gasket.
 

Jays89YJ

Udaho
VIP
Get one of those small steam cleaners. Blast steam in the gasket folds and get all of that shit out of there.
 
Last edited:

BrandonM7

MaMway Platinum Member
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Moderator
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Ultra-Premium
having the same issue. I was told that the liquid detergents are the culprit and that switching to powdered detergents dumped right in with the clothes would be the remedy.

As soon as the latest jug of soap is gone I will be making the switch.

It is, but I don't know if powdered soap is any better. The head of maintenance at the school told me a few years ago that HE soaps were congealing into a nasty goo and it was becoming a real problem. After some googling I found that some of the lipids/fats used in the soaps would build up a gross gel. But I don't know that the powdered stuff doesn't have it - everything I could find tied it to HE rather than just liquid. I hope you're right, because that would sure as hell be an easier solution. I just run the Tide stuff in mine about once a month and try to let it flush as much as possible and all the other things you're supposed to do. Works okay, but you kind of still feel like you're racing a clock.

I have used the Affresh & Tide cleaning pods, bleach, vinegar, in the tub clean cycle etc. I've had this washer for almost 3 years now and it sees heavy use (10-15 loads per week). Most loads are cold, maybe 5 are warm and 2-3 are hot. Using ALL Free&Clear HE detergent and Sam's brand softener in maybe half the loads. I run tub clean on average every other month, sometimes once a month if I remember it.

Unfortunately, I think BrandonM7 is right. I'm going to need to find a way to clean behind the gasket.
I wonder if putting a shitload of old t-shirts or towels or something in while running a cleaning cycle with the tide stuff would do any good? If something could get to the nasty junk pull it into the cleaning, know what I mean? Otherwise you might be in for a lot of drum-shoving and finger-pinching trying to get to this one nasty crease. Make sure you let us know what you eventually come up with, because a lot of us are probably bound for the same fate.
 
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