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For visible mold or a mildew smell, Samsung’s US procedure is to empty the washer, add liquid chlorine bleach to the detergent compartment’s MAX line, and immediately run the model’s Self Clean, Self Clean+ or Pure Cycle. Then wipe away residue, run Rinse+Spin, dry the washer with its door and detergent drawer open, and clean the pump filter. Routine tub cleaning is different: Samsung generally says its Self Clean or Pure Cycle needs no added cleaner.
How to clean visible mold or a mildew smell
These targeted instructions come from Samsung US Support’s guidance for a washer with a mildew smell or visible mold. Use the manual for your exact model if its controls or instructions differ.
- Empty the washer. Remove all laundry. Samsung warns that running Self Clean with laundry in the tub can damage the washer or its contents. If water is standing in the tub, run Spin-only first to remove it.
- Add liquid chlorine bleach to the detergent compartment. Pour it up to the MAX line in the detergent compartment—not the bleach compartment. Start the cleaning cycle immediately; do not leave bleach sitting in the washer.
- Run the washer’s cleaning cycle. Select Self Clean, Self Clean+ or Pure Cycle, whichever your model provides. Samsung estimates about four hours for a front-load Self Clean cycle, but the time varies by model.
- Wipe and rinse the drum. After the cycle, use paper towels to remove residue from the tub. Run Rinse+Spin, and run another rinse cycle if visible residue remains.
- Let the washer dry. Leave the door and detergent drawer open so moisture can escape.
- Clean the pump filter. Consult your model’s manual for the filter location and removal steps. Samsung’s US guidance recommends cleaning it at least monthly or about every 40 washes, whichever comes first. If the washer has recently run a hot cycle, wait an hour before draining because the water may be very hot.
If mold or odor remains after several attempts, contact Samsung Support.
Targeted mold treatment versus routine cleaning
Do not treat every tub-clean cycle as a bleach treatment. Samsung’s mold-and-odor procedure specifically calls for liquid chlorine bleach in the detergent compartment. Its general US cleaning guidance says Self Clean or Pure Cycle usually needs no additional cleaner and is intended to clean the washer’s interior.
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| Situation | Samsung guidance | Key distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Visible mold or mildew odor | Liquid chlorine bleach to the MAX line in the detergent compartment, followed immediately by Self Clean, Self Clean+ or Pure Cycle. Samsung US Support. | Targeted treatment; wipe the tub and run Rinse+Spin afterward. |
| Routine tub maintenance | Run Self Clean or Pure Cycle; additional cleaner is usually unnecessary. Samsung US Support. | Use the model manual for washers without one of these cycles. |
How to reduce the chance of mold returning
Samsung Canada’s washer cleaning and maintenance guide, updated July 2, 2026, suggests this schedule. It applies to Canadian-market washers; cycles, features and intervals can differ by model and country, so check your manual.
| When | Maintenance |
|---|---|
| After every wash | Leave the door and detergent drawer open to dry. |
| Weekly | Wipe the door, gasket and detergent area. |
| Monthly | Run Self Clean or Pure Cycle. |
| Every 1–3 months | Clean the detergent drawer and filter. |
Use HE detergent, as Samsung requires for its washers, and do not exceed the dispenser’s MAX line. Follow the detergent and washer manuals; this is a maintenance practice, not proof that excess detergent caused a particular washer’s mold.
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When to stop and get help
If odor or visible mold persists after several cleaning attempts, Samsung advises contacting its Support Center rather than continuing to repeat the treatment. For filter access, draining, or a cleaning-cycle name that differs from the steps above, use the instructions for your washer’s exact model.
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