I have a new top loading washer in my apt (which is on the 2nd floor). I have no problems with it at all - it's extremely quiet and efficient. You just leave the door slightly open so the machine can dry out -- it's that easy to avoid mold/mildew. Now, the extra upfront expense is the main issue for people deciding to buy.

My parents have a front loading washer and dryer, and it's bad enough to convince me that I don't want one, efficiency aside. The rubber gasket never dries out. Water pools in there, and it definitely stinks like mildew. Also, every time they open the washer door, water spills out the front that had collected in the gasket. To be even more gross, other things (hair, lint) accumulate in the gasket as well. The gasket has folds in it, so it's pretty much impossible to get it all clean and dry, even if you try to wipe it out.

yes, we bought a front loading washer about 2 years ago and had HORRIBLE mildew problems. Like all of our clothes, towels, dish cloths just reeked of mildew for a few weeks. We couldn't figure out what the problem was. Anyway we ordered a cleaning product from http://www.smellywasher.com/index.html, and now we only use a very small amount of HE soap (like about one teaspoon per load). No more mildew smell.

No one told us this would be a problem when we bought the washer, but just try googling it and you'll find out how big of a problem it really is.

oops, try this link:
http://www.smellywasher.com/

Oh wow. I thought I was just being paranoid when I noticed the moldy smell at my local wash house. And I use the front loading triple washers. Gross.

I should add, ever since we cleaned our washer thoroughly, and started using the correct amount of detergent we have had no problems. Yes the gasket does have to be dried manually after you use the machine (just wipe it with a towel and try to get in all the crevices.)

I have an LG SteamWasher (for about 6 months). It cleans like the dickens, but it does stay damp for a LONG time after finishing a cycle. After I do a load of wash, I throw it in the dryer and leave the washer door open while the dryer runs (40-50 minutes). Then when I get the clothes from the dryer, I shut both doors & call it a day. I can completely see the excess moisture being a problem if I didn't do this. Also, sometimes I take a rag or dishcloth and dry the "window" of the washing maching, since this seems to be where most of the moisture is.

I have the Maytag Epic (which is pictured above), and yes it does accumulate hair at the bottom of the gasket. On the other hand, it does have a cleaning cycle that uses very hot water, and requires bleach, killing any mold or bacteria.

We bought a front loading washer and dryer a few months ago and we haven't had any problems. We probably avoided these issues because the sales person and the man who installed the machines stressed the importance of using very little of the HE detergent and told us to wipe out the gasket after every use.

Oh, and I only use HE soap ... the salesman gave me a quite a lecture about regular soap staying in the clothes, etc..

I leave both the door and the soap drawer cracked open, so the machine can dry when it is not in use.

The manual also recommends doing a hot wash twice a year (near boiling, 90 degrees C - 194 F), but not empty, but with some load, some old towels perhaps.

The steam from the hot water should be enough to kill most germs anywhere in the machine.

I have had a Whirlpool Duet Sport for 6 months and love it. No mildew whatsoever. I used regular detergent for the first couple of months (didn't know)...but then got HE soap accidentally at Trader Joe's. 90% of the time I use cold water too. I leave the door open when not in use. It is really efficient because it uses little water AND the clothes are drier when they come out, cutting drying time significantly.

I've had a front loading washer for 4 yrs. I use no special detergents. I've never had a problem with odors or mildew. Your mileage may differ.

I have a Whirlpool Duet front loader and I ADORE it!!!! NO mildew problem whatsoever--and I NEVER wipe out the gasket. However, before I even bought the washer, I was given that helpful little tip about always leaving the door a crack open when not in use--that does the trick!

we've used European front loaders (AEG and Miele) since 1992, and have never had a problem, but then we have always used the correct detergent (and we are not very diligent about wiping out the gasket, although we *do* always leave the door open afterwards).

I had a mildew smell when I first bought mine. Because there's such a tight seal on the door, it doesn't dry out if you don't leave it open. So now after washes, I just leave the door slightly ajar and the smell is gone. Problem solved. No need to avoid them.

I've had a front loader for about 7 years, use regular detergent (small amounts, fragrance-free), and never had a problem with mildew or smell.

Like hazel8, I always leave the door open when it's not in use. Maybe that's the trick.

Ditto; leave the door open. I also pull the soap dispenser open or pull it out and leave it in the washing machine. It tends to get a little bit of red buildup under the soap dispenser from time to time so I wipe inside the machine with a clorox wipe from time to time.

We've been using a Kenmore front loader for about a year and a half. It doesn't seem to be as efficient or durable as the units I used in Europe 15 years ago. We've already had the motor replaced under warranty.

PS The Kenmore we have is built by Whirlpool.

I always leave my door open when not in use. No smell problems here.

We are on our second front loader (we moved). The first was from Sears. The one we have now is a Fridgedaire. I have never noticed a mildew or mold smell but we always leave the door open between loads. My husband does most of the laundry and he does at least one hot water was every couple of weeks. We use soap that we get a our food coop mostly liquid. We did notice water in the soap dispenser so we have started drying that out periodically.

Also we have had the Fridgedairs for about 5 years without any problems.

I think I am with many folks. I too have a front loader, but we always leave the door open after use. We also try to unload it as soon after use as possible. Hence we use the timer feature quite often so that our clothes are just finishing when we get home.

But I agree with many, I have left my door open and have never ever had a mildew smell. I do think that may be the trick. Also, I live in a warmer climate where leaving the door open does allow for the washer to dry out. I bet if it was a coller climate even an open door may not help.

We are also in the "leave the door open" camp. But I have had to do this with top loaders also.

I haven't read all the comments, just a few, but it looks like we're all saying the same thing.

No mold or mildew in mine after a year and a half. I leave the door open for a long time after using (as per manual). You're also supposed to run bleach through it periodically. I haven't done that yet, but am thinking of running vinegar through it.

Simple Explanation: The open door of a front loader projects into living space where the open door of a top loader obstructs nothing. As a result, people leave front loaders closed between uses. Just leave the door ajar and it isn't a problem.
The only problem with front loaders is you can't open them to throw in that last sock once the cycle starts.
I love my front loader.

That's a big "duh" in that quote from the OC Register: always use HE detergent. Just say no to the other stuff. And use the correct amount.

yes American's are new with front loaders. Everyone that has used one does what a lot of people here have recommended, dry the gasket with a towel (tres important :-) leave the door to air, very important, and once in a while run a very hot cycle with vinegar for the whites. No more smells. As in everything else in life, it is not the problem of the machine, is the human that operates it..

Yeah see ours are in our only hallway and an open door would obstruct traffic.

I had no IDEA about the HE detergent... why did no one tell me?
Thanks, AT. I will try the tips on your link and switch detergent. The mildew problem is nasty!

Any recomends for the HE stuff? I like non-scented. Is anybody making pellets or pre-measured capsules?

I imagine that if one looked in the owners manual where there is one it'd tell you there. :-)

While I don't have a front loader where I live I have used them in the past and when I go to the laundromat and I always leave the door cracked when I'm done.

Right now I have 2 top loaders in the basement laundry room at my apartment building and they, along with the dryers are fairly new and ACTUALLY work.

However, I'd rather have a front loader if I could anyday.

we live in a triplex with a shared basement. our neighbors have a front loader and they have to keep the door proped open 24/7 to avoid a mildew problem. one other friend has the top of the line LG front loader and says they do same thing.

If you let the door open, you won't have any problem. Here in Europe everybody has a front loading washing machine and I haven't ever heard anything like that.

You can also use Affresh washer cleaner, if you already have have odor/mildew problems in your HE washer.

If you buy a front loading washing machine, it should come with an owners' manual. That manual will tell you to use HE detergent. It will tell you to leave the door cracked open to allow the drum to air dry. It will tell you how to maintain the gasket. And it will tell you about running a load with white vinegar once or twice a year to maintain the machine.

These front loading machines are expensive. If you're going to spend the money on one, you should take the time to review the manual. Simple.

By the by, I own an LG front loading steam washer. I absolutely adore it! My clothes are cleaner than ever. I couldn't be happier with it!

"If you buy a front loading washing machine, it should come with an owners' manual. That manual will tell you to use HE detergent. It will tell you to leave the door cracked open to allow the drum to air dry. It will tell you how to maintain the gasket. And it will tell you about running a load with white vinegar once or twice a year to maintain the machine."

It's like my first job at a furniture store and we had a customer who bought a KD bookcase and brought it back to the store complaining that it "doesn't go together"

"Did you follow the instructions, Sir?"

"No, I'm an Engineer"

"Well I'm not, and I was able to put it together - But I read the instructions..."

We have a Kenmore (built by Whirlpool) - I think it's the HE 2. It was seriously one of the best purchases, we are very very happy with it. It does get funky smelling though. However, it does have a self-cleaning cycle; put in 1/3C of bleach and press the magic series of buttons to run it. That does a good job of killing the mold. They recommend running it monthly, but we do maybe just a few times a year.

Also, after each load we leave the door and detergent drawer open so they can air out. This drastically reduces the mold.

I have had a Frigidare front loader for a couple years now. I have always used the HE detergent. Mold has built up over time and it started to smell DESPITE me leaving the door open from time to time. The only way I have been able to eliminate it consistently is if I bleach a load of whites every once in a while, then the problem disappears.

The watertight seal on these encourages the growth of mold and mildew and as such requires special considerations. Which when you purchase a front loader the store personnel OMITS to mention.

I love my LG front loading washer & dryer. My clothes come out clean (and almost dry out of the washer) I can wash almost twice as much in one load as I used to, and I'm using less everything, water, detergent & electricity, but heaven forbid I leave a load in the washer overnight - it starts to stink in no time and has to be rewashed. While I do my darks and colours in cold, I still do whites, especially sheets and towels, in hot. I tried cold but found the towels would smell when they became wet again. I also leave the washer door open after a load to let the inside dry.

dahlia - the stuff at trader joe's is good and cheap(er). it's liquid and you can get big or small sizes. no smell, no allergic reaction.

i have a maytag neptune and i leave the door open all the time since it's not in the traffic path, but when i bought it, the salesman recommended we leave it slightly ajar and use HE soap. it doesn't have to be open all the way, and clean out the gasket occasionally.

Ummm... am I the only person horrified at the thought of leaving a front loading washer's door open with kids in the house? These washers are not well-constructed or safe if they do not come with an automatic feature or some type of slot that allows the inner compartment to dry out. This is a colossal lawsuit waiting to happen.

I always had a front loader in the house growing up. My parents had the same one for 25 years and the only part that ever needed replacing on it was the door hinge. I remember my father explaining that it was a choice between replacing the door hinge every 10 years or a smelly washer.
I agree, it is not the washer which is the problem, but the fact that most people in the US are unfamiliar with them.

I leave the door and the drawer open on mine and wipe them out when I remember. I have never had a problem with smells. I did have a huge problem for the couple of years I had a top loader though, so I don't think the smell issue is limited to front loaders.

As for children playing with the machine - I have three young kids and honestly don't see it as an issue. It's not an inviting place for a child in the first place, then there would have to be two children involved (on to get in, who would have to be a baby, one to close the door)... in the end it's a question of supervision. When I googled it the only description I could find of a washing machine accident involved a top loader.

We have nearly always had front loaders and the only place they get vaguely mildrewy is in the soap drawer - just pull it out and give it a good wash in hot water

I never leave the door open - the cats climb in!

I never worry about the drum being dry as the washing machine is usually going at least every other day - theres only two of us but thats how often we need to use it to keep a regular supply of clean clothes - if you have children I'm guessing you'll have the machine going at least once a day so there wouldn't be time for it to dry out between cycles anyway.

As for the cleaning the machine by doing a boil wash twice a year - every time I change our white cotton bedding I wash it on a boil wash - cleans the sheets and the machine!

What's HE soap? Never used a top loader or known anyone who has. Don't think they have them in Europe. Never had any smells or mold etc either. How odd.

My mom's had Whirlpool Duet when they first came out many years ago. She really wanted Miele like my aunt's but wasn't readily available in US at the time and we would've had to rewire to European spec., ie way too much hassle. With 4 women in the house, our washing machine was a work horse. This was before HE soaps and we've never had mold or mildew problems. Never even thought to leave the door open to dry. Absolutely love that machine. Last year when my husband and I bought our house, I researched for front load washers now that there are so many options. We got the LG steam washer and we love it. I did run across articles about people having mold problems so I usually leave the door open more as a prevention and haven't had any problem. It also has drum clean feature (only used it once) you can use with bleach. It seems many people haven't read their manuals (highly recommend! it is afterall an investment) or talked to the salesperson enough. From my decade plus experience with the front loaders, I can't say enough good things about these machines.

HE soap is High Efficiency detergent. I have a top loading Kenmore HE and leave the top open while the dryer si going or overnight. It does seem to wash all traces of soap out--my clothes smell like nothing--not perfumy and I use Tide HE. Don't use dryer sheets in the matching dryer, either.

If you can't leave the door open for some reason, you could probably keep a front loader dry with one of those cans of Damp Rid.

Just make sure to take it out before you do your laundry again.

HE detergent is a scam.

I've used laundromats my whole life, and in fact worked in one for five years. Those front-loaders never require special detergent......but if you read the instructions you are directed to use MUCH LESS detergent than for a top-loader.

My sister now has a front-loader at home, and uses regular detergent. She has no mold or mildew problems, the clothes are clean, and she saves a bundle on detergent.

Save your money, folks.

I worship at the alter of my Whirlpool Duet! It's so gentle on clothes. We've used it for two years with no problems and no special treatment or cleaning. We do use powdered HE Tide (recommended by Consumer Reports).

After a year of thinking my investment in a front loader was a waste, everyone's advice to leave the door open has changed everything! I have fresh smelling towels again.

Thanks so much for posting this and to everyone for your comments.

This is how to get mold and mildew out of clothes and how to get the smell of mildew out of clothes SmellyWasher Cleaner is a completely organic powder that is used to clear fungus from any clothes washer. The cleaner is used by adding a small amount (1 tablespoon normally suffices) to a hot setting in your washer and allowing it to complete the cycle.
In order to remove fungus from towels and clothing use just one teaspoon of cleaner instead of detergent. Rinse and dry as normal. This product is super simple and works great! I found it at www.smellytowel.com

Fill the bleach tray with white vineger every time you wash, unless you're actually using bleach; add plain baking soda to the detergent tray. It discourages the mold and is good for your clothes and the environment. There is no vinegar smell after drying.

POTENTIAL BUYERS BEWARE
(Current owners – tough luck)

Some of these front load machines have aluminium (Al) spiders connecting the spin drum to the drive pulley.
Aluminium is corroded by, amongst other things, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) otherwise known as ‘bleach’, Sodium carbonate, Sodium percarbonate, (these later two I found listed on the contents of a popular laundry aid), sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) (this one is sometimes used as a stabiliser in ‘bleach’ but I did not find it listed on the two containers of ‘bleach’ I found in our house).

To demonstrate what ‘bleach’ can do to aluminium just find a piece of scrap aluminium, without any coating, or remove the coating and let it sit in air for a couple of days to develop the naturally occurring oxide coating, then put one drop of ‘bleach’, straight from the bottle, onto the aluminium and leave it overnight. The following morning you should have a nice little pile of corrosion products on your aluminium. This is what can happen to aluminium components in your washer, albeit at a much slower rate because the ‘bleach’ is diluted.

To check if any of your laundry products are harmful to aluminium perform an Internet search for the material safety data sheet for the chemical concerned (e.g. Sodium Hydroxide Material Safety data Sheet).

I know these spiders are fitted to some ‘Kenmore’ (manufactured by Frigidaire) machines, some Frigidaire machines sold under their own name, and some GE machines. Very likely there are many others. Additionally any aluminium component in the water area is susceptible to corrosion.

This information has been passed to Sears and Frigidaire.
Sears advise that the information ‘will be passed to the appropriate departments’ but have refused to pass any further information on to us.
Frigidaire have assured us that they use only the best quality materials and that they will pass on the information to their design engineers, the very people who would have specified aluminium in the first place. Hardly re-assuring.

My wife and I have two Sears 'Kenmore' washing machines built by Frigidaire.
I recently had to tear down the old one (8 years old) because of bearing failure. Nothing to fantastic there, those bearings take one heck of a pounding. In addition to the failed bearings and failed 'spider shaft' seal, likely caused by the bearing failure, the brass sleeve on which the lips of the seal run was scored, by the spring in the seal, rendering it unserviceable.
What I also found on dismantling the machine was a build up of a deposit, resembling powdered detergent that had got damp and 'clumped' adhering, quite strongly, to the spider (a shaft [of steel], and aluminium hub with three spokes) which attaches to the stainless steel inner drum and the driving pulley. This ‘deposit’ would not flush away, as powdered detergent, being soluble in water, would have. I took my pressure washer to ours but still did not get it completely clean. Whereupon I discovered that the aluminium portion of the spider was quite heavily corroded towards the centre with almost no corrosion towards the outer third of the spokes.

At first I thought this was galvanic corrosion caused by the steel of the shaft and the aluminium of the hub. There is quite an informative paper on Galvanic Corrosion, use ‘Yahoo’ and search for ‘UN1001 Reactor Chemistry and Corrosion’ and open the link that gives ‘un1001_Galvanic Corrosion’, the authors are Lister and Cook. The ‘deposit’ though had me puzzled until I researched corrosion of aluminium and discovered that it is normally corroded when immersed in an aqueous solution with a pH value below about 4.0 or above about 8.0 (nitric acid is apparently an exception). Common household bleach (sodium hypochlorite NaOCl) is a strong alkali. I placed a drop of bleach, straight from the bottle, on an undamaged section of a spoke from my spider and a drop of vinegar (acid), which my wife favours, on another arm and left them overnight. The following morning there was nothing left of the vinegar and no signs of damage to the spider. Where the bleach had been was a small pile of a whitish powder, which resembled the ‘deposit’ and was also, for the portion immediately adjacent to the spider, quite difficult to remove.

Numerous detergents are alkaline, they have to be or they would not work, also alkaline are numerous other laundry aids. Reference to the ‘contents’ labels on the containers and the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) on the Internet will give more insight. In addition to ‘bleach’ I have found sodium carbonate and sodium percarbonate in laundry products in our house. Sodium hydroxide, which is sometimes used to stabilize ‘bleach’, is also strongly alkaline, and corrosive to aluminium, it was not listed however on the two ‘brands’ of bleach I found in our house.

For some time prior to the bearing failure my wife had been complaining of a ‘moldy mildewey smell’ coming from the washer and leaving an odour on our laundry, particularly the towels. After I rebuilt the washer, new drum and spider, they are not available separately, together with new bearings and seal, it ran a lot quieter, no surprise, but here is the kicker, according to my wife ‘no smell’. Conclusion, the only thing different is no ‘deposit’. Now does the ‘deposit’ itself cause the ‘smell’ or does it collect undesirable compounds that cause the offensive aromas? I don’t know but it is certainly ‘food for thought’ particularly when I found two references on the Internet to people stripping their washers down and getting ride of ‘deposits’ which cured their ‘smell’. The odours, I fear, will return unless the owners alter their laundry habits.

To see what corrosion of aluminium can do perform an Internet search “Why Kenmore Front Loading Washers Fail” and watch the short video. I do not agree with the comment that it is galvanic corrosion between the spider and the stainless steel drum, should this have been the case one would have expected the spider to be corroded adjacent to its connection to the drum. Neither do I believe the deposit the gentleman showed to be caked detergent for the reason stated above (mine would not flush away).

Good Luck