Stop scrubbing your washing machine seal – this powerful 3-ingredient spray makes hidden black mould vanish in minutes

When a freshly washed load still smells slightly musty, the culprit is often a ring of black mould hiding in the rubber seal of the washing machine. Cleaning creator Chantel Mila has been sharing a three-ingredient spray that tackles it head on, telling followers: "Say goodbye to tough mould around your home. This mix is powerful at cutting through mould and leaves your home sparkling.", in a TikTok caption reported by Express. The recipe uses hydrogen peroxide, washing up liquid and tea tree or clove oil to break down the slimy film on the seal and reach the spores that keep coming back. Used properly, it slots neatly into a wider routine that stops mould from reforming at all and depends on understanding what is really happening inside that grey rubber ring. Why your washing machine seal breeds mould so fast On a front-loading machine, the door seal is a thick U-shaped ring of EPDM rubber that grips the drum and keeps water in. Its folds trap around 10 to 30 millilitres of water after each wash, especially at the very bottom. That stagnant puddle mixes with leftover detergent, softener residue, fabric fibres, skin cells and natural oils from clothes. Together with warm air after a hot cycle, the seal becomes a damp, nutrient-rich incubator that fungi find ideal. Common black moulds quickly form a slimy biofilm over the rubber. Once that biofilm hardens, light wiping or a splash of white vinegar barely reaches the growth anchored deeper in the material. In many British homes, mostly cold 30°C washes and tightly shut doors between cycles let moisture linger. Leaving damp laundry in the drum for hours feeds the problem and encourages mould to spread across the seal. The 3-ingredient washing machine mould spray To break through that biofilm, Chantel Mila recommends a homemade mix that she says works on washing machines, showers and fabrics. "This mix is powerful at getting rid of mould and also killing the spores that prevent it from returning. You can use it in your shower, on fabric, and even your washing machine seals to keep tough mould away.", she explained. You only need hydrogen peroxide, washing up liquid, tea tree or clove oil and a spray bottle to mix the washing machine mould spray. Hydrogen peroxide acts as an oxidising agent, releasing oxygen that damages mould cells and gently lightens dark staining on the rubber. The washing up liquid works as an emulsifier, loosening the greasy film so it can be wiped away with water. Tea tree and clove oils bring natural antifungal strength, with eugenol in clove oil in particular shown to inhibit mould. "In clinical studies, tea tree oil proved effective in stopping the growth of two common strains of mould - Penicillium chrysogenum and Aspergillus fumigatus.", said Dr Jonathan Kirby, Mould Expert at Dryzone, in comments to Ideal Home. Stir the ingredients gently in a clean spray bottle, ideally made from dark glass or opaque plastic, and label it clearly. Wear gloves, keep it away from children and never add bleach, vinegar or any other cleaner into the same bottle. Keep mould away with this spray Turn the machine off, open a window and put on gloves. Pull back the seal, especially the lowest fold, wipe loose grime, then spray into every crease. Leave it for 10 to 15 minutes, then scrub with a soft brush and wipe the seal dry. Afterwards, run a hot empty wash at 60°C or higher. Next time, dry the seal, leave the door open and remove clothes promptly so mould finds it harder to come back.