Zanussi Z816WT85BI washer dryer has caked on / baked on lint around the rubber seal

[Zanussi86]

I have a Zanussi Z816WT85BI washer dryer that is very good. It works great but I’ve noticed a build up of baked on lint (that resembles almost felt) around the seal, closest to the drum. It’s hard to clean, as it’s in a ridge right by the drum, and it’s rigid so hard to remove. I’m assuming it’s a build up of lint etc that is then being “baked on” to the rubber seal during the drying process. You can just about fit a finger in there and I’ve removed some of this lint by picking away at it. I’ve tried a cleaning cycle and tried removing the lint but it remains in place. It isn’t currently affecting the use, but the machine is only 1 year old and gets used often - so I don’t want it to built up to the point it’s unusable. 
 

I tried using a toothbrush to remove the lint but had no luck with this really either. How can I remove this baked on lint more easily?

Edited November 30, 2021 by Zanussi86
Clarified

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hello there. My washing machine is exactly the same although it is at least 12 years old. It looks like limescale deposit. It's caused by not using enough detergent. My wife has not been using enough detergent for years and years and I keep telling her, but she doesn't seem to understand the necessity because the laundry comes out clean enough.

The problem is that not using enough detergent often doesn't seem to impact how clean we perceive the laundry to be unless perhaps we are washing heavily stained items. So many people think they are saving money by not using enough but ultimately it shortens the life of the washing machine.

Ideally use a good quality detergent that is powder based on not liquid. Also make sure that you use higher temperature wash is regularly or at the very least do maintenance wash once a month or more.

It is possible to reduce those deposits a little but I don't know of anything that gets rid of it properly. You could try specialised washing machine cleaning products of which there are many in the supermarket. Also try reading my relevant articles here -

Limescale and washing machines

How to remove and prevent gunge and washing machine smells

Which is the best type of washing machine detergent?

Washing at low temperatures - five things that you need to know

[Zanussi86]

1 hour ago, Whitegoodshelp (Andy) said:

Hello there. My washing machine is exactly the same although it is at least 12 years old. It looks like limescale deposit. It's caused by not using enough detergent. My wife has not been using enough detergent for years and years and I keep telling her, but she doesn't seem to understand the necessity because the laundry comes out clean enough.

The problem is that not using enough detergent often doesn't seem to impact how clean we perceive the laundry to be unless perhaps we are washing heavily stained items. So many people think they are saving money by not using enough but ultimately it shortens the life of the washing machine.

Ideally use a good quality detergent that is powder based on not liquid. Also make sure that you use higher temperature wash is regularly or at the very least do maintenance wash once a month or more.

It is possible to reduce those deposits a little but I don't know of anything that gets rid of it properly. You could try specialised washing machine cleaning products of which there are many in the supermarket. Also try reading my relevant articles here -

Limescale and washing machines

How to remove and prevent gunge and washing machine smells

Which is the best type of washing machine detergent?

Washing at low temperatures - five things that you need to know

thanks for taking the time to reply. It definitely isn’t limescale, when I remove some of it it’s very much lint / fluff. I’ve added a photo of what I was able to remove.  I ran the machine on a very hot wash and used some ammonia cleaner (CIF) around the rubber seal and where the lint has built up. This somewhat helped, but there’s still a lot of this lint built up in the hard to reach part of the rubber seal. 

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hi. Yes that photo is a lot clearer and I can see it’s lint. This is very poor for such a young washing machine. 
 

How often do you use the dryer function and does the instruction manual say anything about a special cleaning program to flush the dryer parts?

[Zanussi86]

2 hours ago, Whitegoodshelp (Andy) said:

Hi. Yes that photo is a lot clearer and I can see it’s lint. This is very poor for such a young washing machine. 
 

How often do you use the dryer function and does the instruction manual say anything about a special cleaning program to flush the dryer parts?

I do use the dryer quite frequently. There is a “machine clean” setting which I’ve used a few times (maybe I need to use it more). I never noticed the lint buildup until a few days back, but it’s clearly been building up significantly. I’ll try and clean it out as best as possible and run a cleaning cycle more often.

 

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Hi there. Yes I think you should be using it as regularly as they advise in the manual. How regularly is that by the way?

I'm not sure exactly what this machine clean setting is supposed to do though. Does it say if it is just to clean the washing machine or does it mention flushing fluff from the dryer section? 

The lint from drying the laundry is supposed to flush down into the drum and get pumped away. It seems that a lot of the lint is just settling inside the washing machine and then sticking there. This is very poor. I'm just wondering how often you use the washing machine after you've used the dryer? I'm just wondering whether somehow the wet lint is drying out and sticking?

Obviously ensure that you clean the pump filter out regularly too and make sure you don't use any option buttons if available that reduce the amount of water used in the washing machine. Modern washing machines hardly use any water and struggle to rinse effectively as it is without reducing levels of water further.

Also make sure that you use good quality powder-based detergent and that you use the exact amount specified in the packet for the level of soiling and the level of water hardness in your area. If you don't use enough detergent, the laundry bizarrely often seems to get clean but the actual washing machine gets very dirty. Presumably to do with not enough detergent being available to attach to the dirt and grease.