Latest news with #washingmachine
CNET
2 days ago
- General
- CNET
If Your Washing Machine is Growing Mold, This Trick Can Get Rid of It
It's laundry day. You bring your dirty clothes to the washing machine only to open it and catch a whiff of rotting wood, wet socks and damp earth. Wait, is that mold? Mold and mildew feed off of heat and humidity, breeding in dark spaces that don't get properly aired out. During the peak of summer, mold can easily move into your washing machine and cause a problem you'll need to deal with. CNET A quick look around Reddit threads suggests that more than a few people struggle with stubborn mold, mildew and bacteria in washing machine door seals. While some have experimented with using chemicals like bleach, odd smells and stubborn particles in and around the door of their washing machines can be a recurring problem. Thankfully, tackling mold and mildew in your washing machine just requires some elbow grease. All it takes is a proper deep clean and your washer will be back to doing its job without mold, mildew or bacteria interfering. Cleaning the washer, along with allowing it to air out between uses can work wonders. Not sure how to properly clean your washing machine? We'll walk you through what you need to know about killing bacteria or mold in your washer and how to rid your machine of those awful smells. Read more: Are You Washing Your Bath Towels Enough? Experts Doubt It The best way to remove a bad smell from your washing machine If you have mold in your washer, here's how to get rid of it. Doing this monthly will help prevent mold growth. 1. Put on gloves and grab an old towel that you don't care about. 2. Mix a solution of either bleach and hot water or vinegar and hot water. (Never mix bleach and vinegar -- it creates toxic chlorine gas.) 3. Dip the towel in the mixture and start scrubbing away at any visible mold. Be sure to get the detergent dispenser and around the gaskets. 4. Front-loading machines have a gasket around the door. If you have a front loader, clean and dry it thoroughly, including all the folds. Be careful not to tear the gasket. 5. Run the wash cycle on the hottest setting your machine offers with a cup of bleach or vinegar. If using bleach, pour it into the compartment designated for bleach. If using vinegar, pour it into the detergent slot. If your machine has a self-clean cycle, you can use that setting. This should kill any hidden mold that you may have missed. 6. Use another old towel and wipe away all the moisture in your washing machine. This includes the drum, dispensers, seals and any other areas you can reach. 7. Leave the washer door open to allow airflow to dry any parts you missed. Simple ways to prevent mold and mildew in your washer Leave the lid open if you're not washing clothes Mold grows in dark, moist areas, which is what your washer becomes after you've unloaded the clothes. Whether it's a top or front loader, keeping the lid closed traps moisture, which can lead to built-up bacteria and a bad smell. Leaving the washing machine door open helps ventilate the area and prevents mold from growing in the first place. Remove wet clothes right away Damp clothes are another breeding ground for mold. If you're throwing in a load of laundry, make sure you'll be home to remove the clothes right when the wash cycle ends. Not only does this prevent mold from growing in your washer, but it keeps mildew out of your clean clothing, bedding and towels. Dry damp seals and other parts after each use After you're finished using your washing machine for the day, wipe down any part of the washer that's damp. This includes the lid, drum, door, rubber gaskets and detergent dispenser (if your machine has that feature). Keep an old towel on hand for this purpose. Dry the seals along with the rest of your washer to prevent moisture from sticking around. And while mold contamination can happen in any washer, it's especially common in high-efficiency (HE) front-loading washers. That's why you should regularly wash the gaskets and seals around the door and keep them dry. The gaskets make sure water doesn't leak out around the door and they also do a good job of sealing in the moisture that can help mold grow. You should also remove pet hair, crumpled paper or any other debris from the machine right away. If you have a high-efficiency (HE) washer, use a powder detergent made for HE machines. Taylor Martin/CNET Use a high-efficiency washing machine Liquid detergents can leave a residue in your washing machine, giving mold a food source. So if you have a high-efficiency washer, the first thing to do to keep mold in check is to make sure you're using a laundry detergent made specifically for this type of washer, which will produce fewer suds. (Look for the letters HE on the bottle.) Better yet, steer clear of liquid detergent altogether and switch to powder detergent or pods. Whichever you choose, make sure you're only using as much as you need to wash your clothes. If you use too much, your clothes may have a smell and residue. Once you've cleaned your washer, it's time to move on to the rest of your house. Start with the bathroom: Here's a simple one-hour hack for degunking your showerhead and how to unclog a toilet without a plunger. FAQs What cleaning chemicals should I avoid mixing when cleaning my washing machine? You're going to have to apply some elbow grease, put on some cleaning gloves and break out the cleaning chemicals to clean out your washer. A cleaning solution of hot water and bleach or hot water and vinegar is what you'll want to use to scrub out the inside of the machine, but you never want to combine bleach and vinegar -- that creates chlorine gas, which is toxic to you and anyone else in your home. What should I do after I finish running my washer? After you clean your washer and return to regular use, you'll still want to prevent new mold or mildew from developing within the machine. When you're done using your washing machine, make sure to dry the inside of the machine to avoid the warm, wet conditions that bacteria usually flourishes in. More cleaning tips and tricks for the home
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Shoppers rush to Amazon as 75 mega-pack of Calgon Washing Machine tablets are slashed to 19p each
BARGAIN hunters are rushing to Amazon to claim a deal on Calgon Washing Machine tablets that slashes the price of each tab to just 19p. The retail giant has discounted a 75-tablet 'Mega Pack' from £28 to just £14.49, a 48% discount. Calgon Power Tabs x75, £28 £14.49 from Amazon BUY HERE The limited-time deal has already caused a rush to buy the tablets, with 7,000 people heading to Amazon to take advantage in the last month alone. If you're meticulous about keeping your washing machine in tip-top condition, this is a steal you won't want to miss. The deal becomes even more impressive when you compare it to supermarket prices. Tesco's largest pack of Calgon is a 30-tablet box for £10.50, which works out to 35p per tablet. Asda offers a slightly larger 45-pack for £15.98, making each tablet 35.5p. At just 19p per tablet, Amazon's mega-pack deal is unbeatable. The best deals on household essentials this week *If you a click a link in this article, we may earn affiliate revenue. Our team of shopping experts are constantly on the lookout for the best deals on household essentials — whether that's pantry staples, laundry pods or necessities like kitchen and loo rolls. Here are the best deals we've spotted at Amazon this week: Vanish Gold Oxi Action Plus Stain Remover, £10 £3.96 - buy here Finish Ultimate Infinity Shine Dishwasher Tablets, £27 £12.85 - buy here Flash Power Spray Mop, £45 £32.75 - buy here Ecover Fabric Softener, £10 £6.65 - buy here Dettol Washing Machine Cleaner x3, £15.99 £8.50 - buy here Method All Purpose Cleaner Spray, £4 £2.38 - buy here Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Gift Bar 850g, £13.44 £8.50 - buy here Mutti Chopped Tomatoes x6, £9.18 £5.51 - buy here Oatly Barista Oat Milk x6, £12.60 £8.10 - buy here Heinz Beanz x12, £16.80 £8.99 - buy here Plymouth Original Dry Gin, £28.50 £19.30 - buy here Bulldog Age Defence Moisturiser, £8.99 £4.49 - buy here Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, £9.99 £6.80 - buy here NIVEA Q10 60+ Mature Skin Body Lotion, £12.09 £5.11 - buy here Those who remember Calgon's famous jingle — "washing machines live longer with Calgon" — know that this product is nothing short of essential for those living in hard water areas like London, the South East and East Anglia. Hard water can cause limescale to build up in your washing machine, leading to unpleasant odours, reduced efficiency, and costly repairs. Calgon tablets help your washing machine in four ways: They remove limescale and other harmful hard water deposits They soften water, protecting your washing machine and clothes They prevent rust They neutralise bad odours Reviewers have highlighted how effective Calgon is at keeping their washing machines in working order. One Amazon customer wrote: "Third time ordering. UK water is hard so it makes your drum in your [washing machine] smell, this helps a lot and it also softens the water for softer washing. Good value for money". Another wrote: "[I] bought a new Bosch washing machine in January 2011, have used a Calgon tab in every wash for the last 15 years and it's never missed a beat, still going strong — brilliant price for 75 tabs, can't be beaten anywhere."
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
I couldn't figure out why I had a small pink smiley face in my washing machine... but there's a simple answer
A baffled father who discovered a mysterious, tiny pink smiley face lurking in his washing machine has finally uncovered the surprisingly simple truth behind the sudsy find. The Reddit user, strawberrybalsamic, was left dumbfounded this week after spotting a miniature, bright pink smiley face staring up at him from inside the washing machine - its seemingly unexplainable origin leaving him completely puzzled. In search of answers, he turned to Reddit's popular 'What Is This Thing' forum, hoping someone could solve the bizarre discovery. 'Found in my washing machine,' the father captioned the post, which was shared on Wednesday. 'Small, pink face?' he added. 'Doesn't seem to dissolve, has no odor.' Alongside his post, the father shared two photos of the grinning, unexpected laundry intruder - one showing its face head-on, and another flipped upside down to reveal a lighter pink underside. Rather than providing clarity, the mystery only deepened when he shared additional details about the strange discovery just a short time later. 'It is a little powdery but I found it at the end of a washer cycle so I don't think it dissolves,' the father wrote. 'One side has the smiley face or maybe an arrow with two dots?' he added. 'The other side seems broken off.' 'Googling only comes up with ecstasy, which seems unlikely.' The post racked up more than 6,000 impressions, sparking a flood of theories from curious online sleuths. One determined user wrote: 'It looks like the top of a croc charm'. 'It might be a kids mini eraser,' said another. 'My kids get them a lot in gift bags for birthdays or prize rewards at school. That wouldn't break down in the wash, but could become discolored.' Another user chimed in confidently: 'IT'S A MAGNET! I have the same ones!!' 'It would be a plastic "mixer" to put in slime,' suggested a fourth user. 'You give no indication of size, but it looks like a rubber stamp, broken off the handle,' another user theorized. 'Teachers use those to mark papers.' In response, the father shared a third photo of the powdery object, lying flat on his hand and smiling directly at the lens. At last, the secret behind the laundry room enigma was laid bare for good - and one user guessed correctly. The strange smiley face turned out to be the tip of a small toy commonly used by kids - a mini stamper. 'Do you have any kids?' the user who cracked the case asked the father. 'This looks like the rubber part from a cheap stamp, like the one at the end of the marker.' In response, the father wrote: 'I do! We don't have any markers like that, but maybe they picked it up somewhere.' What really sealed the deal was the photo the user shared after the father's reply - a screenshot of a Lakeshore brand set of eight mini stampers, featuring one adorned with the exact same pink smiley face. These stampers are colorful, handheld tools that imprint fun designs like paw prints, hearts, stars - and of course, smiley faces - onto paper. Each one fits comfortably in the palm and is typically made of lightweight plastic, with a foam or rubber stamp at the base - explaining why the pink appeared more discolored on one side. 'That is practically identical, so I think it's solved!' the father replied to the shared photo. Finally, he updated the thread with a triumphant 'Solved!' - officially bringing the bizarre case of the pink smiley face to a satisfying close. Designed for arts and crafts, the specific pink mini stamper comes in a set of eight, featuring cheerful simple images perfect for decorating cards, notebooks or school projects. As two users correctly suggested, the stampers are also commonly used by teachers when grading children's work, adding a cheerful, colorful image as a token of encouragement. Somehow, the pink smiley face stamper found its way into the washing machine - catching an unsuspecting father totally off guard - before revealing itself as nothing other than a jolly, unexpected surprise.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Woman, 20, says 'I don't like cheese' after winning Double Gloucester rolling race
"I remember the start and the end, but in between it was like being in a washing machine," Josh said.
