Detergent drawer housing
The cavity the drawer slides into, which almost nobody cleans — and which holds the residue and the growth that the drawer itself is blamed for.
Start here
What this is, what tends to go wrong with it, and what to do about it.
Made from
What tends to go wrong
A living growth, not a stain. Killing it and removing the staining are two separate jobs, and neither addresses the moisture that caused it.
Why it is difficult: Porous and non-porous surfaces, Moisture control and recurrence, Cleaning, sanitising and disinfecting, Organic load, Surface roughness
The flat, powdery surface growth that appears on damp fabric, grout and shower curtains — and the carpet trade's procedure for it names no bleach at all.
Why it is difficult: Moisture control and recurrence, Porous and non-porous surfaces, Organic load
- Dustvia its material
Mostly textile fibres and skin, held by static as much as by gravity — which is why a dry cloth on a plastic surface makes it worse.
Why it is difficult: Static and dust, Mechanical action and abrasion, Why different surfaces get different dirt, Surface roughness
- Cleaning product residue· no established method
What the last clean left behind. It attracts soil, so the surface gets dirty faster — and the usual response is to use more of what caused it.
Why it is difficult: Residue and resoiling, Soil shielding, Why different surfaces get different dirt
- Washing machine microbiota· no established method
Established communities living on the wet surfaces of a domestic washing machine — which is why the smell returns on a schedule after every treatment.
Why it is difficult: Biofilm, Moisture control and recurrence
A concentrated water-soluble dye with nothing else in it. Nothing has to be emulsified or dissolved — the only question is whether the surface has taken the colour up.
Why it is difficult: Capillary absorption, Dye migration and colour bleeding
A sticky, yellow-brown tar film deposited everywhere at once. It is the reason a room smells after everything visible has been cleaned.
Why it is difficult: Adsorption of odour molecules, Solubility and polarity
Coloured by turmeric in most prepared mustards, and curcumin is a pH indicator — which is why an alkaline cleaner turns a yellow mark red.
Why it is difficult: pH indicators in stains, Fat-soluble pigments, Photodegradation, Pigment retention
The commonest cleaning problem that is not dirt. The tackiness is the plastic's own additive arriving at the surface, which is why wiping it off works for a week.
Why it is difficult: Plasticizer migration, Damage versus soiling
The science behind this: Solvent crazing, Static and dust, Solvents and polymers, Plasticizer migration
Part of Washing machine.
In detail
The detergent drawer is removable and gets washed; the housing it slides into does not, and it is where the actual problem sits. Undissolved detergent, fabric conditioner residue and water collect on the roof and back of the recess, and because the space is warm, dark and permanently damp between cycles it sits beside the drawer chamber that one study found to be the most contaminated site it measured. The treatment is mechanical rather than chemical: remove the drawer, then clean the housing in place with mild soap, water and a soft cloth, using a small soft brush inside it where needed. One habit changes the conditions rather than the population: leaving the drawer slightly open so it dries completely.
What works
Soap is safe on, in specific conditions, Detergent drawer housing
Safe only in specific conditions
This is only appropriate within specific limits, and nothing is established outside them.
Only within these limits:
- Mild soap, water and a soft cloth or sponge
- A small soft brush inside the housing where build-up has set
- The housing is cleaned IN PLACE; only the drawer comes out
Evidence
Supported
Sources
How to Clean a Front Load Washer Dispenser (Drawer)
Whirlpool Corporation · Manufacturer documentation
Relied on for: That the dispenser drawer is removed and washed under warm running water with a soft brush, that the housing is cleaned with mild soap and a soft cloth, and that removable parts must not be cleaned in the dishwasher. (states this directly)
Related
- Detergent drawer housing is made from Household plastics
- Detergent drawer housing is commonly affected by Cleaning product residue
- Detergent drawer housing is commonly affected by Mould
- Detergent drawer housing is commonly affected by Mildew
- Detergent drawer housing is commonly affected by Washing machine microbiota
Sources for this page
Sources
Microorganisms (MDPI), 2021 · Scientific literature
Relied on for: That the detergent drawer, including its chamber, and the bottom of the door seal were significantly contaminated with cultivable bacteria. (states this directly)