Yes, Leaving Your Washer's Door Open Or Closed Between Uses Matters. Here's What To Do

There are endless debates when it comes to our home appliances. Should you or should you not thoroughly rinse dishes before placing them in the dishwasher? What time is best to run a load of laundry? Is there a case for when it may be okay to leave wet laundry in the washer? Another one that may top your list of burning questions is this: should you leave the washer's door open between uses, and does it even really matter? As it happens, there is a definitive answer for this one ... and it's highly important for cleanliness.

If you're smelling something gross from your cleaned laundry or your appliance, your washer machine is likely filled with mold. These machines are known for their yucky odor due to bacteria build-up, and one of the most effective ways to prevent that is to leave those washer doors open to catch a breeze between uses. So, the washer doors do matter and leaving them open can make a real difference in keeping your appliance and your laundry in tip-top shape.

For your washer, it's typically the rubber seal that's the biggest nose offender. During cycles, small items and water can get trapped there and when the washer isn't cleaned or dried out regularly, these items create bacteria which leads to smelly mold and mildew. If you continually leave your washer doors closed between cycles the inside of the washer and the rubber seal are not getting a chance to dry out properly and before you know it, you'll be battling that notorious odor.

Though this may seem more apropos to front load washers because of the location of their rubber seal, it may also be a good idea to do so for top loaders too, because anywhere there is moisture, there needs to be airflow. If you're already behind the eight ball and battling bacteria, get the mold smell out of a top load washer or front load washer with a bleach solution. Then, make sure you keep the doors open when not in use to prevent the problem from happening again.

No matter which type of washer you have, there's one important caveat for keeping the doors open — keep a careful eye on pets and children. Unfortunately, it's not unheard of for tragedies to happen, as children and pets can see a washer as a cozy place to hide, and that can be very dangerous. Make sure you lock or child-proof the laundry area if you leave the doors open, and check thoroughly before starting a load.