So last Tuesday I noticed my front loader started smelling like wet dog. Hadn't touched it since my last wash, which was... who knows when? Figured it was time for a cleaning sesh. Went full cowboy mode - just poured some grocery store cleaner into the drum and hit the "Clean" cycle. Big mistake. What a joke.

The disaster plan

First screw-up? Didn't check the rubber seal around the door at all. When the cycle finished, I yanked the door open and - BAM! - smelled that nasty mildew punch right in the face. Water was still pooled in the fold, hiding nasty gunk and hair. Felt like an idiot.

Second error? Using hot water like a total newbie. Dumped that cleaner in and cranked it to HOT because "heat kills germs," right? Wrong. Cooked all that soap scum into concrete inside the pipes and that rubber seal. Made the stink ten times worse.

Panic reset

After that failure, I actually read the damn manual (shocking, I know). Here’s how I actually fixed it:

• Got white vinegar and bleach-free detergent this time - no more supermarket mystery cleaner.
• Wiped the whole rubber gasket with an old toothbrush and vinegar. Grey gunk kept coming out. Gross but necessary.
• Ran cold water rinse cycle first to flush leftover garbage. Cold only!
• Poured 2 cups vinegar into detergent slot + drum, ran "Clean" cycle on hot this time after the cold rinse.
• Left door open for 24 hours after it finished. Actually propped a towel to keep airflow.

The result? Drum actually looks silver again, not grey. Rubber seal’s dry, no more swamp breath smell. Now I mark monthly cleanings on my calendar like I pay rent late. Saved $150 on a "repair call" by not being lazy. Just wipe that damn seal, people.