Should You Leave Your Washer Door Open After Every Load? Here’s The Truth
We all love that feeling of a perfectly tidy laundry room where everything is folded and put away. It is so tempting to close the washing machine door the second you unload the wet clothes because it just looks more organized. An open door feels messy and gets in the way when you are trying to walk past with a basket. But I have learned that putting a neat look first might actually be causing some hidden problems deep inside your machine.
Trapping Moisture Inside
When you shut that door tight immediately after a cycle, you are essentially sealing a ton of moisture in your washer. Your washer is designed to be watertight while it runs, which means it is also airtight when it is closed. The leftover water droplets on the drum and the dampness in the pipes have absolutely nowhere to go. Instead of evaporating naturally into the air, that moisture sits there and creates a humid sauna that is the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew.
Smelly Clothes
Have you ever pulled a clean shirt out of the dryer and noticed it has a weird funky scent? We often blame the detergent or think we left the clothes wet for too long, but the culprit is usually the washer itself. When mold starts growing in those dark damp corners of the machine, it transfers that musty odor to your fabrics. Keeping the door open allows the drum to dry out completely between uses which stops that smell before it starts.
The Trouble With Front Loaders
This advice is especially important if you have a modern front loading machine. These units rely on a thick rubber gasket to seal the water in during the wash. That rubber ring is notorious for trapping pools of stagnant water and lint. If you close the door, you are trapping that water against the rubber which causes it to turn black with mold very quickly. Top loaders are a little more forgiving but they still benefit from some fresh airflow.
A Serious Safety Warning
I do have to mention the one big downside to this habit. If you have curious toddlers or small pets like cats, an open washer door can be a major safety risk. Small children might try to climb inside and adventurous kittens see it as a dark cave to nap in. If safety is a concern in your house, you might want to buy a special child lock that keeps the door slightly cracked for air but prevents it from opening fully.
Don't Forget To Wipe The Seal
While leaving the door open is a great start, it is not a magic cure all. To really keep things fresh you should take five seconds to wipe down that rubber door seal with an old towel after your last load of the day. You will be surprised at how much water and hair gets stuck in the folds of the gasket. Drying this area manually removes the bulk of the moisture so the air circulation can handle the rest.
Finding What Works
I know it drives some of us crazy to leave a door hanging wide open into the room. It feels chaotic. But you do not need to have it swung open ninety degrees to get the benefits. Just popping it open an inch or two is usually enough to let the humidity escape. You can leave it ajar overnight to dry out and then close it in the morning if guests are coming over. It is a fair compromise.
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It feels a little counterintuitive to leave an appliance open, but it really is the best way to extend the life of your washer. A dry machine is a clean machine. By letting it breathe you are saving yourself from scrubbing moldy gaskets and rewashing smelly clothes later. It is a tiny habit change that makes your whole laundry routine cleaner and fresher.
Bliss Donahue-Power
