I have just replaced a door seal on my old Indesit washing machine, which might be slightly different from yours, but I did not need any strength or remove any panels, although having small hands helps. But first have a really good look and feel at how the old seal fits on before removing it.
The old seal can be removed by unscrewing by hand a metal wire ring around the lip of the outer (fixed) drum which holds the seal on. Once this ring is removed, just pull off the old seal.
The important tip which made me succeed was to smear a few drops of washing up liquid right around the inside of the deep rubber groove which fits around the lip of the outer drum. After you've lubricated it like this, stuff the whole seal inside the door opening, making sure the drainage holes are positioned at the bottom. Then begin to fit the door seal around the rim of the outer drum, starting from the top downwards like this: take the little edge of the rubber groove between your thumbs and forefingers and lift it up slightly to drape it around the sharp rim of the outer drum. You will feel it slipping into place when you do it correctly. When you get to the bottom part, it gets a little trickier because of the lack of space, but if your hands cannot do it, get a plastic spatula (not metal!) or other thin but strong piece of plastic or wood and push the rubber edge into the small space, following it with your fingers. The washing up liquid will help to ensure that it all slips into place easily. After that, refit the metal retaining wire ring around the now rubber-clad rim of the outer drum and tighten the screws at the top end. Lastly, ease the front part of the seal around the rim of the door, which is easy.
Happy washing!
Corrie Hubble, October 2007
