We have this Maytag washing machine, top loading, I think it's maybe 12 years old or so. There's the thing inside that travels up vertically and it's teal in color, has these holes in it. On the top is this thing shaped kinda like a cup that can be removed. I looked at it and it looks like it has mildew on it. Does anyone know what this thing is? Also, I have allergies to mildew, so I was wondering if it was ok to clean the thing myself.