Mold in my washing machine

I have so many other more interesting and more important things to write about (not the least of which is why I haven't just converted to Dvorak once and for all), but now I must lament about mold in my washing machine.

Maybe in and of itself the mold isn't an issue. What I really take issue with is the fact that the instruction/care model doesn't even mention it. That's *absurd*. I different word came to mind (one that I use at work all the time), but I don't want to offend anybody who might be reading this.

Mold is a fact of life on front-loading washing machines, because if you close the door when not in use, and there is any water left over, you've created a perfect environment for mold. Why then, does the instruction manual not mention this? Why does it not mention how to clean the washing machine?

So I Googled it, specifically "Kenmore washer mold" and WHAM! So many hits you wouldn't even believe it. To make a long story shorter, I ran to Walmart and bought some bleach and Tilex for mold and gave the washer a good scrubbing. Per some other articles on the web, I also poured bleach with Cascade into the machine let it run for a while. I'm in the midst of the first cycle, then will run another cycle. It already smells better.

Oh, I didn't even mention how disgusting the hose was. I need to check it again later, and probably clean it again AND perhaps tilt the machine so I can get to the other hose that is inside and connects directly the drum. we'll see...

That's it for now, I have to get back to work.