Consumer Reports: Why washer mold is still a problem

For two decades some front loading washing machines have been plagued with mold-related issues.

Manufacturers have implemented some design changes to reduce the likelihood of mold, bacteria and odors.

Consumer Reports takes a look.

CLEAN WELL, USE LESS WATER ANDARE OFTEN GENTLER ON CLOTHES,COMPARED TO TOP- LOADERS.

BUTTHE MACHINES ARE ALSO KNOWN TOHAVE ISSUES WITH ODORS ANDMOLD.

CONSUMER REPORTS SAYSTHERE ARE A NUMBER OFVARIABLES THAT CAN CAUSE MOLDIN FRONT LOADERS.

CHYRON: SARAMORROW HARCOURT, CONSUMERREPORTS HOME EDITOR "THEPROBLEM WITH FRONT LOADERS ISTHAT IT'S A CLOSED SYSTEM SOTHEY MAY NOT DRY OUT IF YOUDON'T LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN,WHICH YOU REALLY CAN'T DO IFYOU HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN.

ANDWE KNOW THAT THIS CANPOTENTIALLY CREATE THE KIND OFENVIRONMENT WHERE MOLD ANDBACTERIA COULD THRIVE." A NEWMACHINE FROM GE WITH SEVERALDESIGN CHANGES AND A FEATURECALLED AN ULTRA FRESH VENT -WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO ELIMINATEEXCESS MOISTURE - PROMISES TOHAVE THE ANSWER.

TO CHECK THEVENT FEATURE, TESTERS RAN ALOAD OF LAUNDRY, THEN REMOVEDIT AND CLOSED THE DOOR.SENSORS PLACED INSIDE THEMACHINE MEASURED AND RECORDEDTHE HUMIDITY LEVELS THROUGHOUTTHE 6 DAY TEST.

CR RAN THESAME TEST WITH THE VENT TURNEDOFF.

"THIS WAS A LIMITED TESTBUT WHEN WE COMPARED THE DATA,OUR INITIAL RESULTS FOUND THEFEATURE DID IN FACT REDUCEHUMIDITY.

BUT THAT ALONE IS NOREAL GUARANTEE THAT MOLD ORBACTERIA WON'T FLOURISH IN THEMACHINE." AND WHILE THIS GEDID PERFORM EXCELLENTLY INCR'S TOUGH CLEANING TESTS, ITDOESN'T MEET THE CRRECOMMENDED MARK BECAUSE OFAVERAGE BRAND RELIABILITY ANDPOOR OWNER SATISFACTIONRATINGS.

A BETTER OPTION ISTHIS LG, A CR BEST BUY FORABOUT 600- DOLLARS.

IT OFFERSEXCELLENT CLEANINGPERFORMANCE, WATER AND ENERGYEFFICIENCY.

PLUS LG'S GET VERYGOOD RELIABILITY AND EXCELLENTOWNER SATISFACTION RATINGS.CONSUMER REPORTS SAYS TO KEEPYOUR FRONT LOADER FRESH AND TOREDUCE MOISTURE, DRY THEINSIDE OF THE DOOR AND THERUBBERUSE...YOU CAN KEEP THEWASHER DOOR OPEN, TOO.

IT'SALSO IMPORTANT TO USE THERIGHT AMOUNT OF H-E DETERGENTAND RUN A HOT- WATER CYCLEMONTHLY OR MORE.ARIZONA GIVES DAY IS A 24HOUR, ONLINE CAMPAIG