When to Replace a Gasket on a Washing Machine

As a water-using appliance, your washer comes with a plastic gasket around the edge. In front load washers, this piece of pliable plastic forms a seal when the door is closed, preventing any of the wash water that is touching it from escaping. Unfortunately, any seal, over time, will begin to age. When that happens, you need to replace the seal, but what signs should you be looking for?

Brittle and Stiff

In order to form a proper seal, the plastic will be pretty pliable. If you notice cracking in the seal or it is physically hard to bend and mold, then it is getting time to replace it. This damage happens to the plastic naturally over time with use. It isn’t going to get any better and will just result in issues eventually.

Dirty and Smelly

As it is exposed to water on a regular basis, mold and other bacteria may start to grow on the seal of your washer. This is more likely to happen if you close the door to the washer after use as it cannot properly dry. Not only will you be able to physically see black or brown areas, but you will start to smell them as well. If your washer has grown smelly and you start seeing this growth rub off on your clothes, it is best to just replace the gasket in order to swiftly deal with the issue.

Leaking Water

Your washer gasket is meant to do one job – stop the water inside from leaking outside. If it is leaking from the door, the gasket has failed. If it is bent, broken, or otherwise damaged enough to leak water, you will need to replace the seal to solve the issue. Unfortunately, the only repair that will fix this issue if water is leaking out of the door is gasket replacement.