If your washing machine has a black jelly-like substance growing in the soap dispenser it is likely to be a fungal, bacterial growth called biofilm. It can be quite pervasive and very difficult to remove as well as unsightly.
Apart from looking nasty, it can block up the little holes in the top of many soap dispensers causing water flow to be restricted. Partially blocked up nozzles can also cause water to get deflected into the fabric conditioner compartment. This causes the fabric conditioner to flush out too soon. Finally, deflected water can spray over to the front of the dispenser and leak out of the bottom of the dispenser drawer.
What causes the black jelly-like substance in soap dispenser and on soap drawer?
The growth is accelerated by moist environments. Bacteria and fungi need both water, and a source of nutrients. They get this from detergent. If both are present on a surface the organisms will grow and multiply to produce a grey/black jelly-like (slime) growth or produce a pink/red staining around bathroom tiles.
How to prevent biofilm growth
If you have a water valve not shutting off properly you can get a very small but constant drip of water into the soap dispenser. This can sometimes be observed by removing the soap drawer and seeing if you can see any dripping water.
Look out for a bulging globule of water some time after the washing machine has finished. If so, wipe the water away and see if it comes back, if it does you may need to have a new valve fitted although in some cases a badly blocked filter in the back of the valve can cause it not to shut off properly, or even water pressure that’s too low.
The best way to prevent this growth is to improve ventilation to allow these damp areas in kitchens and bathrooms to dry rapidly. With a washing machine I would leave the soap dispenser drawer open (at least partially) after using the machine drying it out manually first. If badly affected you may need to remove the drawer and wipe everything with kitchen towel or similar.
It’s a pain, but large growths can be troublesome and may require a complete new soap dispenser to be fitted – plus the growth will reoccur if nothing is done to stop it or at least control it.
Most soap dispenser drawers can easily be removed as there’s usually a clip to depress at the back which allows the drawer to come out.
It is also important to reduce the food sources for the bacteria and fungi to prevent growth. Food sources can include shampoo, soaps, propellants from hair spray and deodorants, and general kitchen food but with washing machines it’s clearly the detergent and fabric conditioner that the growth feeds on.
How to remove biofilm growth
Wiping with bleach or commercially available mildew removers should successfully remove the growth unless it’s really well established. Kitchen surfaces and bathroom tiles can be wiped with a household cleaner or mild bleach solution that will kill the bacteria and fungal spores.
Black slime associated with tap fittings can be removed by cleaning the inside of the tap or around the base of the tap with a small brush dipped in a mild solution of bleach.
I used to have this problem with my bathroom taps. Little flakes of black substance would occasionally hang from the inside of the nozzle and if I pushed a bit of tissue up the nozzle to clean it there would be a slimy black jelly inside the tap.
Give your taps a very good clean occasionally by working a little disinfectant around not only the outside, but also the inside of the tap nozzle with a toothbrush or a cotton bud.
Removing the black growth from washing machine dispenser and drawer
If your washing machine’s soap dispenser is infested with a black growth try to clean it out with the soap drawer removed.
Use on old toothbrush to clean the nozzles and top of the dispenser. Try using some of the products mentioned above. If it’s too bad to successfully remove it may need a new soap dispenser fitting
Further information – Slime and staining (external link)| Washing machine smells – causes of grease, slime and black mould inside washing machines
Chris Sheard says
I have a Siemens washing machine and suffer the black slime coming out of the water inlet holes above the wash powder drawer which is impossible to get at because this is an integral part of the machine. Their solution to this is to put it on repeated (at least 5 or 6) boil washes to cure it. I can’t see how boiling water in the drum will cure this problem because it is a cold fill machine, but they are adamant. When you mention the valve, is this a valve within the machine which will be passing. I only have standard washing machine valves at the back of the machine which as far as I am aware remain open. Your help would be be appreciated.
Washerhelp says
Hello Chris: I agree, doing boil washes is no use for dealing with the black slime in the soap dispenser.I’ve fixed the link at the bottom now which was broken as they had moved the page.
The slime needs a steady supply of water and soap to thrive so you need to dry it out after use. Maybe even stop using the soap dispenser drawer for detergent and try putting tablets in the drum instead using the correct dispenser or net.
You could also try turning off the taps when you’ve finished washing and de-pressurising the hoses by putting the machine onto non fast coloureds for a few moments to get the valve to suck out the remaining water. This would be a lot of messing about though and may not even be practical if you can’t get to the washer taps but if you can it may be worth trying if only to see if it makes any difference,
Louise says
I recently had a problem with the conditioner department of my washing machine,I also noted the black slime attached to the jet holes etc. The way I removed the black slime was: Using an old toothbrush and 2 large teaspoons of bi-carbonate soda, mixed in hot water & scrubbed the black slime away! This seems to be working.
Jessica says
I hope that this is on the right topic. I recently opened my soap drawer and slopped water all over the place. The whole fabric conditioner compartment appears to be filled with some almost solid jelly like substance, which never clears out. I have tried taking the drawer out, but it appears to be stuck, and I don’t want to force it since I may never get it back in again. I have been considering using neat bleach (household stuff) so that it would at least disolve the stuff without a need to add too much liquid. For example, pouring boiling water into it might do the trick, but would probably over flow before doing any good. Also, I would prefer to dissolve it before too much runs elsewhere into my washing machine.
Could this also be causing the terrible state of my washing? My machine is a pain in the neck anyway, as it keeps stopping and has to be re-started. I think this may be due to poor water pressure (I am in an upstairs flat, and the water has to be drawn from the mains on the ground floor. I don’t think that they used the most efficient way of doing this). The person who sold me the place may have known about the problem, but neglected to tell me, so I don’t know if it stopped when I moved in or whether it’s always done it. I tend not to be able to wash my clothes properly, and the drum stinks of mildew all the time. The water also collects in the filter, and I have to empty this regularly. This water stinks as well. Now my washing comes out smelling not very nice, although the smell usually goes away once they are dry. I did have some success with using baking powder, but I’m afraid of this clogging the pipes up if the circulation fo water is not good. Can this all be due to the blockage in the soap compartment, or is there more going on?
Any advise would be appreciated, as I don’t really have the money for a new machine, but it costs to keep washing stuff as well.
Washerhelp says
Hello Jessica: I have a help article about this on Washerhelp – The fabric conditioner / rinse aid compartment is always full of water (it’s the bottom article). Basically the gunge you describe is blocking the hole to the tube which siphons out the water from the fabric conditioner compartment when the conditioner is flushed out. You need to remove the cap in the fabric conditioner compartment to clean it out inside and you really need to remove the soap dispenser drawer.
They all come out and shouldn’t be difficult. If there isn’t a clip at the back or something to press to release the drawer it will just need easing out by holding the sides at the back and lifting and pulling. Instructions on how to remove the drawer to clean will be in the instruction book. (Download appliance instruction books)
The gunge in your soap dispenser isn’t likely to be causing your poor washing results and smells but it could be just another symptom of what’s causing those other problems. The black jelly-like substance in the soap dispenser is discussed in my article above.
Read these articles for help on the other issues –
Jessica says
Thanks for your reply, oh dear, it sounds like I’ve got big problems then. I’ll read the other articles at my leisure. I think I will probably have to call someone in, even if it’s just someone of my aquaintance to knows washing machines. I tend to be a bit clumsy in the ‘removing things’ category and I just seem to manage to break things. I’ve had some success with using white vinegar and boiling water, as the water level has now gone down somewhat.
I’ve wiped round the rubber seal – my sponge started by being COVERED in black mold – eeek! and then started to come away clean – so that’s obviously another area I need to look at.
Thank you again, hopefully I can at least get an improvement going.
sharon says
I cleaned my machine with a machine cleaner i got and it has left my house smelling like mouldy damp water what can i do to get rid of the smell
Washerhelp says
sharon: Sometimes the first clean dislodges a lot of gunk so keep cleaning it until hopefully it stops.
andrea says
I’ve recently noticed Black Jelly-like substance in the powder drawer. I tried to clean it out, but my Whites wash has just come out with black grease marks on it. In a panic I went and bought a machine cleaner, but the next wash has stained the clothes again. Any ideas? I’ve been given a mix of advise inc bearings problems.
Washerhelp says
Hello andrea: I would say the same as I did on my last comment. It sounds like you’ve dislodged a lot of black slime and jelly. I would do several washes with no laundry in to try and get rid of it all. I would do most or all of them on a hot wash with good detergent (preferably not liquid). Maybe do the last couple with some old sheets or something in to try and attract anything that isn’t being pumped away.