13/05/2026
Most people clean every part of their dishwasher except the one that matters.
A 2011 study in Medical Mycology swabbed 189 dishwashers across six continents and found Exophiala dermatitidis or its cousin Exophiala phaeomuriformis in 62 percent of them. The colony hides on the rubber gasket where the door seals shut, the spot you never wipe.
This fungus shrugs off heat, detergent, and salt. It feeds on the food residue that splashes onto the seal during every cycle. In healthy people it does nothing. In people with cystic fibrosis or compromised lungs, the same strain has caused infections.
The fix takes 90 seconds. Pull the rubber gasket gently away from the door. Wipe the inside fold with a cloth dipped in distilled white vinegar. Do this once a week and the colony cannot establish. [E2DU9]
