PITTSBURGH -- Front-loading washing machines are selling so fast, some appliance stores can barely keep them in stock.

But, it turns out many customers who bought one have been doing more cleaning than they bargained for, because some of the models apparently have a mold problem.

The machines are more expensive than the top loaders because they're much more energy-efficient, and use only about a third of the water.

But every time Barbara Stewart empties dirty laundry into her front-loading washing machine, she cringes. About six months after she bought an LG model, she says both the inside of the machine, and even her clean clothing, began to stink.

"I think it's terrible and it causes me a lot of frustration and it causes me a lot of stress because it's high-maintenance," Stewart said.

Mold continues to grow on the rubber gasket that seals the door on Stewart's machine, and slime is building up inside it.

According to Consumer Reports, similar complaints are surfacing across the country. Some front-loading machine owners have filed class-action lawsuits. So why so are there so many mold problems?

"The old washers of yester-year had a lid that breathed air in and out. And the new ones, because it's a front-loader, is not going to let breathe in and out, and that's going to make it a little riper for mold to appear there," Bill Vighetti of Dormont Appliance said.

The staff at Dormont Appliance tell customers to always leave the front-loading machine doors open when not in use. They also recommend running a cycle with these bleach tablets every month.

"Don't freak out, it's just a little maintenance issue. Not everybody has to do this," Vighetti said.

Some of the newest machines have a special cleaning setting, and instructions of how to clean by hand.

But Stewart wishes someone had warned her before she bought hers.

"I would like to just have a new machine. To tell you the truth, I'm getting to that point. But I hate the thought of thinking of replacing a thousand-dollar machine," Stewart said.

Despite the mold complaints, the machines, which are highly-rated by Consumer Reports, continue to sell very well.

For more cleaning tips and more information about those lawsuits, visit this blog from Consumer Reports.

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