How to stop washing machine being smelly

[Beaverfeaver]

Or do I jut need a new one?

Its 8 years old, hot point.

DH complains that every time we do a wash the clothes come out smelling musty.

I have done a few boil washes with white vinegar and nothing seems to have helped.

Anything else to try before giving up and replacing?

[MrsMargoLeadbetter]

Can you clean the detergent drawer? Helps with ours.

Also we need to ensure we keep the door open between washes. It smells if we shut it.

[beginnings]

Get a box of dishwasher cleaner and empty it into the drum. Then start a boil wash cycle and when it starts filling with water, and more via the powder drawer until the water is about half way up the door and let the cycle run.

Before any of that. Have you checked the filter is clear? It's in the little door generally along the bottom at the front.

xx

[delasi]

Soda crystals work well - throw some in the drum, hot wash, break down all the grime and such. If you live in a hard water area, use Kilrock in the drum too to break down limescale.

Do a regular maintenance wash (hot, soda crystals or bio powder, nothing else) - eg every 1-2 months.

Clear the filter every so often and wipe under the seal after every wash. Water (and sometimes other stuff) collects in there, leaving it means it just goes manky and/or mouldy. Then leave the door open after every wash.

Fwiw, when I moved into our current place (rented) the washing machine smelled musty and of dog, I did a couple of hot washes with bio powder, did Kilrock, cleaned the filter, scrubbed the drawer and the seal, left the door open etc and it still smelled off. But eventually, after a couple more hot washes and always leaving the door open (this is what I always do but I don't think the previous tenants were too concerned ), the smell finally went away. Machine is now gleaming and lovely if a bit leaky at times

[stillstanding29]

I had an engineer out a couple of weeks ago because my machine was making the clothes smell of BO. Nice.

He advised me to do a hot wash - 95 degrees in my machine with a capful of . . . bleach! The kind that you'd put down the toilet! I did it and it worked a treat. He said to put something in the machine (I used old towels) to ensure the water went all the way round the drum.

I also occasionally have to drain the residual water out of the filter m. Its at the front, bottom left on my machine. It's the place where coins, paper clips etc end up. The water can be really smelly.

Hope that helps.

[notagiraffe]

I had this problem a year ago, and someone on MN came up with the solution. Can't remember which thing worked though! Think it was a bottle of Zoflora, shared between all three drawers of the soap dispenser, and a 95 degree wash. Then dry the machine inside and around the rubber door seal and leave door open.

Don't chuck damp tea towels, towels or facecloths in, ever. Soak in disinfectant first.

HTH