Washing machine leaving black spots on clothes

want2bmortgage3

Another question, tenants have left my flat in a bad state, and the washing machine has stains on the door seal. As you open it, at the bottom of the circle. I tried doing a 90 degree wash with a single white towel, but it came out with black spots.

It's an Indesit WIA 111 about 5 years old. Do you think these spots are coming from the staining on the door seal? Or somewhere else in the machine? What can I get to clean the seal?

Thanks for your time

kaya

Black spots are usually grease and are indicative of the main drum bearing seal giving up

wallbash

If you have wiped the seal and nothing comes off , very likely the problem is more serious

shakeitright

Try doing a boil wash with a cup full of soda crystals,the black marks may be the remains of somebody washing oily overalls in the machine,this has happened to me in the past.

want2bmortgage3

thanks, would the mould/mildew spray be suitable for cleaning the door seal?

if i do a boil wash, is that 100 degrees? the highest the machine goes is 90? never used soda crystals, can i get them at the supermarket, and do i put them in the drum or the the detergents tray?

shakeitright

I always refer to it as a boil wash but it is the 90 degree wash.You can get soda crystals in the supermarket,normally in the same aisle as the washing powder.I tip a load in to the door seal,use an old rag to wipe around the door seal and then run an empty wash on the hottest setting.

want2bmortgage3

thanks, will try that!

want2bmortgage3

i have bought soda crystals and tipped them into the seal, rubbed it in with a damp cloth. some of the mould has come off, but not the worst part in the middle at the bottom. i also noticed that under the seal it is black with mould all the way around.

i left it running a 90 wash with half soda crystals and half bleach bio surf powder, and will check it again later. to be honest i think the seal is so bad (mainly on the inside/underside of it) that it probably needs replacing.

want2bmortgage3

no improvement , i am certain i need a new seal fitted. any ideas how much this would cost? I've seen the part on ebay for £20 but i doubt i could fit it.

kaya

before you spend out on a new seal open the machine door and try to wiggle the inner steel drum up and down and side to side,there should be no movement whatsoever, spin it round by hand and it should be completley smooth and not in any way lumpy or rough , this will give you and indication of if it could be the bearings as i suggested earlier . The bearings are covered by a rubber seal and when things start to give small black spots of grease are released into the drum which is most likley the spots on your clothes , once this starts happening water gets into the drum bearings and they start to break up and eventually fail. To rectify this is major surgery and worth checking before spending out on a door seal , i spent ten years fixing washing machines for zanussi

want2bmortgage3

kaya, thanks , when i go down there later i will check what you said and will know whether the machine is doomed or not!