washing machine door - open or shut?

[yespeeps]

when not in use!

there's some black stuff round the rubber rim inside, I've been told to keep my door open, does it make a difference? I'm concerned it'll trip me up due to its location

don't have time to clean the black stuff, v busy single parent

Open, always, even if it's just ajar a little. The black stuff is mould.

Open but not wide open.

I'd give the rim a clean. Nobody's so busy they want mouldy clothes.

Open

Definitely open. And the powder dispenser drawer too if you can.

Open. Ajar will do as long as there's air getting to the seals and drum.

Open, but it's out of the way of passing traffic. Must remember to open the drawer more often.

In my 38 years of washing machine ownership, I have always found that simply keeping the door slightly ajar is 100% effective at preventing any mould or mouldy smells from forming!

My clothes all come out of the machine covered in fluff. It's not the machine as the previous one did the same thing so I think it might be the water pressure or something. Does anyone have any ideas? (sorry, don't know about open or close, but I would walk into mine if the door was open).

I dry the glass (the lime scale is hideous here) and leave it open for a few hours, but due to the location it gets shut before I do too much in the kitchen (bloody old fashioned english house without a utility) because otherwise I'd be constantly bashing into it, even just 'ajar'.

If I had a cat or small children it would be shut & locked - sod the black stuff.

Door and detergent drawer always left ajar

Open. Always. It needs air circulation in order to dry out as much as possible inside and not go mouldy and smelly.

Oh my God I didn't know you were supposed to leave it open! It makes complete sense though, I've just always kept it shut because it looks tidier.

Open, however not understanding you saying you don't have time to clean, if you've got time to MN, you've got time to clean a washer, it takes less then 5 mins to use a scourer and some hot water.

Open. Just a little.

You do have time to clean it. It takes a few minutes. If not you are washing clothes in mould. We got rid of ours by putting it on a 90 degree wash, so it takes the time to switch the washing machine on.

Obviouspretzel Same here! Ooops! I do always clean the black scummy stuff off it though so that's okay?

Open. If you're worried about tripping over it then just leave it open overnight.

Didn't know about the detergent drawer though - thanks people!

I've always closed mine, never had a problem with mould either.

Open! Not sure about worrying about cats and children. I always check mine for stray socks etc before putting a new wash load in anyway so I think I'd spot them.

I always leave it ajar...Hubby always closes it! so we are both camps in our house. Ajar stops it staying damp and getting mouldy in my opinion. If you already have mould clean it and start leaving the door ajar

Shut! Found my 1 yr old in it the other day. My 3 yr old would not find turning it on impossible and he might shut the door on his sister b cause she annoys him. So definitely shut at all times.

Open, always (ours is in a corner though, so not in the way). I've never bothered leaving the detergent drawer open though, we use tablets and no FC and it stays spotless. I also do a 90C wash every now and then.

I always leave the door open, however another cause of the nasty black stuff is using liquid detergent. You get a lot less if you use powder instead.

If you run a few hot washes using bio powder it will get rid of the mould anyway. I used to use laundry liquid on low temperature washes and my washer developed mould and stank the kitchen out. I now use Ariel bio and do the odd 60 degree wash. The mould and the smell have gone, and also DD's eczema (it was caused by the mould apparently).

I always leave the washer door ajar, and remove the powder drawer, and clean and dry it before putting it back. It takes seconds to do.

Open. Otherwise it gets stinky and mouldy