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Like a lot of folks who’ve been seduced by the sleek modernity of a front-loading washer, we discovered an unpleasant little surprise: a murky, mysterious puddle forming in the rubber gasket around the door. This puddle was a cocktail of water, lint, and… let’s call it “unspeakable laundry swamp matter.” Whatever its ingredients — eau de mildew was the final result.
We did what any desperate homeowner would: consulted the two modern oracles — the Internet and our laundry-savvy friends. The consensus? Wipe the gasket down after every load like you’re detailing a Ferrari, and keep the washer door open so things can “air out.”
Sounds simple, right? Unless, of course, you’ve downsized your life so thoroughly that your laundry room could double as a phone booth. Seriously, if we left the washer door wide open, we’d have to limbo just to get through the room. And we. do. not. limbo.
Enter a little miracle in the form of plastic and magnets. It’s a flexible strip with powerful magnets on both ends. One side attaches to the washer, the other to the inside of the door, holding it open just a couple of inches — just enough for airflow, not enough for stubbed toes or accidental shin bruises.
Even better? When you’re running a load, it just politely clings to the side of the machine, like it’s waiting its turn. No fuss, no permanent installation, no screwdriver tantrums. It’s the IKEA of washer solutions — minus the Allen wrench and marital tension.
If you Google “washer door prop,” you’ll discover a vast universe of designs, some of which look like they were engineered by NASA, and others that scream, “My kid made this at camp.” Many stick out awkwardly like the washer’s got an antenna, but this one? It nestles neatly on the inside, invisible to the eye and immune to accidental hip checks. Functional. Minimalist. Practically invisible. Basically, the James Bond of washer accessories.