The former owners of our home told us to leave the lid open on the washing machine after using. This prevents rust from forming, thereby extending the life of the machine.
My cat loves our washer and dryer so I cannot leave my lid open. I solved this problem many years ago by just taking an older towel, folded and placed between lid and dryer. This lets air circulate but keep kittie safe.
Very good tip as many washers do rust if lid is kept closed.
