Expert reveals why you should never leave the door of your washing machine closed

Expert: You should never close the door of your washing machine when you’re not using it. Ever.

We had no idea.

A repair technician has revealed the most common thing people do wrong with their washing machines – and it just might surprise you!

Sharing on a popular UK Facebook cleaning group, the repairman explained that leaving your washing machine door open when you’re not using it can lead to a wide range of issues.

‘The first thing I tell people when I’m called out to a job is to start leaving the doors on their washing machines open when they’re not using it,’ he wrote. ‘Keeping it closed for hours and days on end can cause all sorts of problems.‘First there’s the smell. If there’s still a bit of water in there, it can make your machine smell musky and old – which isn’t great when it comes time to wash your clothes.‘Secondly it’s the mould and grime build-up, which is your biggest problem. A lot of people have to change the seal on their machines due to a scum and build-up and that can be largely or avoided or prolonged by keeping the door open.‘Your big problem is warm water being trapped in there. If the door’s closed, then bacteria and mould can breed and no-one wants that.’The hack was warmly received on social media. ‘I always close my door because I think it looks neater – which explains the musky smell and the scum in my door. No more!’Added another: ‘Life changing! Who knew closing a door could be so bad?!’The expert’s tip comes weeks after it was revealed that you should clean out your washing machine using dishwashing tablets, with the unlikely hack going viral.

Amy Sinclair

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