Scum In Door Gaskets (Front Loaders)

[Mungo Spike]

The scum that builds up under the gaskets on the inside of the door glass in front-loading machines drives me nuts. My machines are Huebsch, but I imagine it's a problem with any frontloader.

We clean the scum by taking a rubber spatula, covering it with a wet cloth, and sliding it between the gasket and the door. This technique removes the readily visible stuff, but there is more crud under the back side of the gasket that the spatula won't reach.

Here are my questions:
1) Does anyone have a better way to clean these gaskets? I'm worried that the spatula routine will stretch or damage them.

2) Are gaskets easy to remove to clean? Maybe more importantly, are they easy to put back on? Is there a specially designed tool to make things easier?

Thanks ... Mungo

[MSKLAUNDRY.]

The Alliance washer gaskets are relatively easy to remove and clean. I usually do the same as you except I use an old rag and bleach to clean the inside of the gaskets that are visible to the customer.

You should remove them every once and a while and clean them throughly. It will not only impress the customers that you care but will also prolong the life of them somewhat.

To remove just peel back the top of the gasket at 11 and 1 o'clock and grab the top of the glass and pull from the inside. The glass should come right out. Remove the gasket and clean as necessary. To reinstall just put back the gasket onto the door frame first then put the glass into the bottom of the gasket and just pull on the gasket all the way to the top until the glass is seated inside correctly.

The special tool you need is 2 hands, lol.

Its not as hard as putting on a dryer gasket!!!

BTW: Put a laundry cart under the door as you remove/install the glass, just in case the glass slips out of your hands it will fall in the basket and not on the floor!!!

[KJD]

I agree with Marc, make sure you put something underneath.

I just changed all 10 of mine to new gaskets after cleaning them several times and on the 10th one while chatting with a customer sure enough the glass from a 50#er slipped out of my hands.

Cost me about $ 124 for that mistake with overnite shipping.

I think I break more parts doing preventitive maintenance and cleaning than what breaks during normal usage.

Kevin

[BWJR]

Target and K-Mart sells an item called the Shark. What it does is produce steam at a high temperature and comes out in a light mist. This cleans all soap scum on washers and dirt on dryers and wax on floors. It cost about $99.00 and is worth every penny. Cleans out the soap dishes on your washers and the tough to get areas on your tops.

BWJR

[pete f]

I use a butter knife/rag, it is more easy to manover. I also use Lime A Way on the rag every so often for extra crud/hard water cleaning.

[JSVLaundry]

Originally posted by BWJR
Target and K-Mart sells an item called the Shark

I checked the website for this. All I found was Shark Vacuums. Is there alother name?

BTW, I use a putty knife with clean rags.

[Mungo Spike]

MSK - Thanks for the outstanding instruction. I was surprised at how easy the gasket and glass come out. The machines look new after cleaning out that crud.
Thanks again!
Mungo

[MSKLAUNDRY.]

Glad it worked out for you and you didn't break a glass in the process!

Another happy customer!!!