Washing Machine Mould: How to Remove Black Mould from Your Washing Machine

August 17, 2026
by Brodie Cook

pulling the rubber shows black mould in the washing machine

You expect a washing machine to remove grime, not grow it. Yet one damp rubber fold can become a comfortable home for mould when water, lint and laundry residue sit there between loads.

Have you noticed dark spots or a musty smell coming from your washing machine? Check the seal and detergent drawer first. You do not need to name the exact mould before removing it and fixing the damp conditions.

Why Mould Grows in a Washing Machine

Mould spores are already in the air around us. Give them moisture, time and grime, and a washer can become a breeding ground for mould.

Front-loading machines are particularly vulnerable around the rubber door seal, which traps moisture after every wash. Top-loaders have fewer creases, but mould may still thrive around the dispenser, under the lid or inside the drum.

Here is what can make the problem worse:

What remains in the machine	Why it matters
Detergent residue	Builds up when excess detergent does not rinse away
Fabric softener	Leaves a waxy coating that catches lint, hair and body soil
Skin cells and body oils	Arrive on worn laundry
Food residue	Adds organic grime when scraps become trapped in the seal
Standing water	Keeps moisture levels high between loads

Moisture opens the door; residue makes the room comfortable. Together, they create a near-perfect environment for mould growth and bacteria.

Do Certain Food Residues Cause Mould Faster?

Milk, sauce, cooking oil, and sugar are surely one must be the worst? There is no good washing-machine research that ranks everyday food stains by how quickly they cause mould.

What matters more is how much residue stays behind. A pea lodged in the washing machine seal is more useful to mould than a juice stain that rinses away. Sticky food soil may also cling to lint and detergent residue, so remove scraps before starting the wash cycle.

Which Types of Mould Grow in a Washing Machine?

The scientific names sound important, but you cannot identify washing machine mould by its colour, smell or a photo. Researchers needed laboratory testing to tell these fungi apart. For most households, the exact type does not change what to do: remove the visible growth, clean the machine and deal with the trapped moisture.

A 2023 study of 50 washing machines found 17 groups of moulds and yeasts. The inner rubber seal was affected most often.

Fungal group	What it means for the reader
Aspergillus and Penicillium	These were among the most common moulds found. Their presence shows that a damp seal can support ordinary environmental mould; it does not mean someone in the home has an infection.
Cladosporium	This was the most common dark-coloured mould in the study. It may help explain some black marks, but colour alone cannot confirm that it is Cladosporium.
Fusarium	This was found less often. It shows that washing machines can host fungi from several environmental sources, including soil and organic residue. The household response remains the same.
Candida and Rhodotorula	These are yeasts, not moulds. They may form part of a slimy biofilm with detergent residue and bacteria rather than appearing as a fuzzy patch.

Why bother cleaning if you cannot identify the type? In a small follow-up test, researchers washed sterile socks in 10 contaminated machines and recovered fungi from all 10 pairs afterwards. This does not prove that anyone became ill, but it does show that fungal material can move from a contaminated washer onto laundry.

That is a good reason to clean visible mould before running another normal load. Laboratory testing is rarely necessary. If the growth keeps returning, sits behind a sealed component or appears alongside damaged rubber or standing water, investigate the machine rather than trying to identify the mould yourself.

Is Every Dark Mark on the Door Seal Black Mould?

Not necessarily. “Black mould” describes a colour, not one species. The US Environmental Protection Agency notes that mould appears in many colours.

Black flecks may also be scrud, lint or deteriorating rubber. If a mark will not wipe away after a thorough clean, it may be a stain or damaged rubber gasket rather than mould remains.

How to Remove Mould from Your Washing Machine: A Step-by-Step Guide

Here is the short mould removal version. For the full drawer, filter and drum routine, use our complete washing machine cleaning guide.

Empty the washer, switch it off and check the manufacturer’s care guide.
Open a window and wear gloves.
Remove lint, hair or food scraps from accessible folds.

Wipe Away Mould from Washing Machine Door Seals

Use the cleaner and method approved for your model. Wipe the rubber seal gently without pulling it out of shape.

Clean the Detergent Drawer and Washing Machine Drum

Take out the detergent drawer if the manual allows it. Wash it with warm water, wipe inside the housing and dry both areas thoroughly.
Run the approved Drum Clean, Tub Clean or empty hot wash. A washing machine cleaner may eliminate build-up and unpleasant odours reached by the water.
Wipe down the inside, dry the rubber door seal and inspect it again in good light.

White vinegar is often suggested online, but manufacturers give different advice. Check the manual first. It is important not to mix cleaning solutions!

If mould remains, do not reach for a mild abrasive unless the manufacturer allows it. The rubber may have started to deteriorate.

Tip: To stop the detergent drawer from getting that buildup inside there, switch to our laundry detergent. It's pre-measured, and you only need to add it to your load.

Should You Worry About Mould in Your Laundry?

Finding mould in your washing machine is unpleasant, but a small patch is not usually a reason to panic. NSW Health advises that most people will not experience health problems after coming into contact with mould. Even so, clean it before running another load.

Mould reproduces by releasing tiny spores into the air. For people who are sensitive, exposure may cause a runny or blocked nose, irritated eyes or skin, and sometimes wheezing. Mould spores may also trigger an asthma attack.

Extra care is sensible if anyone in your home has asthma, mould allergies, another breathing condition, a weakened immune system or chronic lung disease. Ask someone else to handle the mould removal if cleaning tends to trigger their symptoms.

Open a window, wear gloves and avoid placing your face close to the door seal while wiping it. Stop and move away if you notice wheezing, breathing difficulty, eye irritation or a skin reaction. Contact your doctor if symptoms develop or concern you.

Remember, colour does not determine the health risk. A black patch is not automatically more dangerous than green, white or orange mould, but any visible mould deserves cleaning and a check for trapped moisture.

How to Prevent Mould from Returning and Keep Your Washing Machine Mould-Free

Regular maintenance is mostly about helping the machine dry:

Remove wet laundry as soon as the cycle ends.
After the last load, wipe away water and lint from the door seal.
Leave the door open and the detergent drawer ajar when it is safe.
Switch to pre-measured laundry detergent (sheets), so you won't overuse detergent. The same goes for fabric softeners
Run the manufacturer’s cleaning cycle at the recommended interval.
Investigate standing water, slow drainage or a musty smell early.
Perform a monthly routine to run a cycle with a washing machine cleaner tablet

No routine can promise a mould-free washer. Yet that 30-second wipe removes damp debris, helps prevent mould from returning and keeps your washing machine fresh between deeper cleans.

Where a Washing Machine Cleaner Helps

washing machine cleaner tablets can help prevent mould

A washing machine cleaner works where water can reach. Lucent Globe Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets are designed to lift detergent build-up, residue, odour and hard-water deposits from an empty machine. This will

A tablet cannot wipe a folded seal, clear a filter, repair rubber or fix poor drainage. Be sure to check those parts and wipe where needed. It's just a small effort that can prevent mould from growing or coming back.

When Mould Removal Is Not Enough

Call the manufacturer or a repairer if the seal is cracked or misshapen, water remains around the drum, the machine drains slowly, or mould returns soon after a thorough clean and dry.

People sometimes call its thread-like parts “mould roots”, but repeated growth does not mean you failed. Persistent mould can point to trapped water, damage or growth you cannot reach. Fixing the cause is more useful than running an empty hot wash again.