The cuff in the washing machine broke - what should I do?

If water is leaking from under the door of your front-loading washing machine during a wash cycle, there's a problem with the door seal. A quick inspection of the large rubber seal around the door will reveal damage, allowing the water to leak through. This problem can't be ignored, but what can you do? Replacing it is quite expensive, and repairing it is difficult, requiring you to choose between two evils. We'll try to offer some helpful advice in this article.

Glue or replace the cuff?

The problem has surfaced: water and foam are seeping from under the hatch cover. Something needs to be done! Experts are quite clear on this matter: replace it. Of course, replacing a broken part is always safer than repairing it. In this case, you should follow these steps:

• correctly remove the old cuff without damaging the edges of the tank and drum;
• Find and buy an original cuff that will perfectly fit your washing machine model;
• properly prepare the new cuff for installation;
• Install the new cuff correctly.

Please note! You can, of course, call a technician to do the work for you, but they'll inflate the cost of the part because they'll be ordering it from their company, and they'll also charge a premium for the call and installation. The result will be significant repair costs.

You can save a lot of money by trying to seal the cuff, but you need to understand that it won't last long, and you'll eventually have to return to the issue of replacing the part again. If you've decided to delay the inevitable and are hoping to seal the cuff, you'll have to do the following:

1. properly prepare the cuff for repair work;
2. select tools and materials for work;
3. select a suitable repair method;
4. carry out the repairs as efficiently as possible.

How to properly seal the sunroof rubber?

Let's note right away that simply gluing the door seal on a washing machine won't work. More precisely, you can glue it with superglue, Moment glue, or some other "Chinese glue," but this kind of repair will only last until the first wash. Warm water, laundry detergent, and other chemicals are very aggressive against almost any adhesive except silicone sealant. But you can't use sealant alone. There's a proven method for repairing a torn cuff that often produces good results. What should you do?

• We take a curved needle, a thin nylon thread and silicone sealant.
• We find the tear and stitch it together. It's best to use a football stitch.
• We coat the seam generously with silicone sealant.
• We keep the car with the hatch open for 24 hours so that the sealant dries well.
• After this, you can run a test wash.

Important! Please note that after such repairs to the cuff, it is better not to use washing programs that use water heated to 95⁰C, otherwise there are no operational restrictions.

If you don't get around to replacing the cuff within 6 months of repairing it, you'll need to renew the sealant layer, as it will eventually deteriorate. Experts also recommend using a professional silicone sealant that can withstand high temperatures.

Another problem with cuff repair is the potential difficulty accessing the damage. Quite often, the cuff tears in the center groove right along the seam, making it difficult to access the damage to stitch and seal it properly! You'll have to remove the cuff, stitch it, and then replace it. Since you're going to have to remove the elastic anyway, maybe it's better to replace it at the same time?

How to change the cuff yourself?

How to change the cuffWhat if this crucial rubber seal on your washing machine breaks? First, you need to find a new, suitable part. For some Asian and European models, finding the original rubber seal is nearly impossible; you'll need to look for replacements. In this situation, it's a good idea to seek professional help; the older the machine, the more difficult it is to find the seal.

Now that you've found the rubber band, it's time to remove the old seal. First, let's find out if the seal can be removed without removing the front panel of your washing machine. Carefully grasp the top edge of the rubber band and pull it downwards slightly. If you see a thin steel clamp that resembles a cable, it means that the cuff can be pulled out without removing the wall. We do the following:

1. pry up the steel clamp with a flat screwdriver;
2. we move along the clamp until we come across a fastening element;
3. loosen the clamp and remove it;
4. we grab the cuff with both hands and pull it towards ourselves;
5. we take a new cuff, push it into the groove and put it in place;
6. we grab it with a clamp and tighten it;
7. We adjust the rubber band and try to close the hatch. If the hatch closes well, then everything is done correctly.

Please note! Do not adjust the clamp or the cuff itself with a screwdriver or sharp objects. The elastic is easily punctured.

To summarize, repairing the cuff (sewn and glued) should only be done as a last resort, and even then, it won't last long. Replacement is necessary as soon as possible. If the cuff is extensively damaged, there's no alternative—it must be replaced.

   

6 reader comments

1. August 18, 2017 at 8:40 PM

   Alexander:

   My cuff tore. We sewed it up and sealed it with silicone sealant. The hole was for water drainage. We put it up and cut two holes in the bottom of the cuff. Basically, the sealed part ended up on top. And that's it... that's it.

   Answer
   • March 17, 2018 at 9:33 PM

     Dmitry:

     A piece of the rubber seal on my Samsung washing machine broke right down the center at the bottom. Your comment, Alexander, inspired me. I removed the seal, though I had to remove the front of the machine to do so. I turned the seal upside down and drilled a couple of holes in the bottom with a screwdriver. So far, everything is fine, no leaks…

     Answer
     • January 4, 2021 at 11:38 AM

       Hope:

       Hi, I've flipped the cuff over. Where do I drill the holes and what are they for? The machine is starting to stink, maybe because there are no holes?

       Answer
   • December 5, 2018 at 6:47 PM

     Olga:

     Thank you very much, this is a really cool life hack!!!

     Answer
2. April 5, 2020 at 11:53 PM

   Oksana:

   How to glue?

   Answer
3. February 19, 2023 at 3:31 PM

   Nastya:

   Hello. The seal on my washing machine broke. Some laundry got caught in the clamp, and the clamp tore the seal. It's an Indesit. It's new, only a month old. Is it best to replace it?

   Answer