Mould

[stowfelda]

Does anyone know the best way of removing mould marks on the rubber surround of a washing machine drum? I have tried the Dettol mould and mildew remover (even though it says not to use it on rubber!) but no good. It is steadily getting worse.

[AlBags]

Once it's there and ingrained ... nothing.
Change the seal assy. It happens when the rubber/material starts to perish and break down.

[TheWinner]

Although I agree with Albags, what make is it?

[stowfelda]

It's a Hotpoint Aquarius but it is only about 4 years old.

[TheWinner]

BLACK or SLIMY MOULD IN MACHINE, or AROUND DOOR SEAL: This is a fairly common problem, where either a musty odour comes from the washing machine or washer dryer (especially after a lot of low temperature wash use) or there are dark or black mould spots on or around the door seal, that can get on to clothes. There is no component that can fail to cause a bad odour from inside a washer. In most cases, it will be from some external source, or the way the machine is used.
The major culprits are the low temperature liquid detergents, especially the BIOLOGICAL ones, as these tend to promote mould growth, especially if the door is left closed after washing. The combination of this, plus using a liquid softener will also promote soap sludge and mould over time.

[Ice.Maiden]

You have to catch black mould early, or replace the door seals. Once a month, you should do a maintenance wash (90 degrees), using detergent which contains bleach. Don't put laundry into the drum, but let it do a full wash on empty.
After the drain, wipe the seals dry and leave the door slightly open to get rid of smells. In between the boil washes, put a handful of soda crystals into the drum.
New mould can be removed by using a toothbrush and a cleaner such as Cif. If you do this regularly, and also clean out the dispenser drawer, mould shouldn't grow. It often starts when continuous washes are done at low temperatures. This isn't enough to get rid of oily build-ups - or bedbugs!

[stowfelda]

Thanks everybody for your help - very much appreciated x