Random smelly items after washing

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

I though we had an isolated smelly T-shirt, but it seems now to be more of an intermittent problem.

Random items are coming out of the washing machine smelling of vomit.

We've run an empty 90 degree wash, cleaned the detergent tray and checked the outflow hose - all are fine.

It's a hotpoint wmd960 if that makes any difference.

Any ideas what could solve this - it's driving me mad!

[Lovinmybois]

I had the same problem, cant remember the make of the machine. I frequently had to do a load twice. It was driving me nuts! Got a new one now & the problems stopped.. Sorry cant be more help. But i know how you feel!

[mousymouse]

what helps here (dh with sweaty smelly shirts) is not using conditioner, washing at 40 instead of 30, and doing an extra spin at the end so the shirst come out as dry as possible and dry really quickly.

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

The onyl thing that seems to work to get the smells out, is an extra long 40 degree wash then tumble dry it.

Still doesn't explain why they're getting smelly in the first place

[4plus1]

It sounds like the water isnt draining away properly. It could be backing up in the pipe and staying in the drum. Only clean water goes into the drum so the smell has to come from the waste pipe. Thats prob why the longer wash works as it is really flushing out the dirty water.

[Lovinmybois]

Op, has your machine got a pump out setting (or similar). Maybe i should of tried that before getting rid of my last one!

[BaresarkBunny]

Every so often I put bleach in the dispenser and in the drum and then wash at 90oC. I then do a white wash so the bleach doesn't ruin anything. It seems to stop any general wiffyness.

[bubbles4]

What I do is add a small amount of biological liguid to my normal washing powder,this seems to cure the whiify odour of sweat that I get with 3 teenage ds,s.

[sapphireblue]

You can buy washing machine cleaner in the supermarket. Failing that buy a big bottle of white vinegar and empty it into the drawer and drum.......put it on a 60 or 90 degree wash.....that works for me.

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

Thanks all.

It seems to have resolve itself for now, but I think I'll get a washing machine cleaner and run it through anyway.

[Lovinmybois]

I was taking sheets out of my new machine today & the smell was back! Maybe its my drains? Grrr...

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

Yes Lovin - it does a pump out for about 5 minutes at the end of every cycle before it unlocks the door.

Could your drains really affect your washing machine? I thought the u-bend in the out-flow stopped any kind of back flow?

[Lovinmybois]

Probably clutching at straws. I'm going to get some cleaner for it today. Just couldn't understand why the new one did it!

[PigletJohn]

the main cause is sludge, which moulders and festers and feeds bacteria and mould.
Be aware that bleach may kill the smelly bacteria for one day, it will not remove the soapy sludge they breed on.

Accumulation of soap powder and conditioner sludge inside the tub: This is caused by one or both of adding too much (twice what it says on the box will not get clothes twice as clean) or doing lots of cold or cool washes. To wash away the soapy sludge, do a HOT wash with whatever old cotton towels you can find but NO POWDER. If it foams up, you will know it is dissolving the old soap sludge. You can add washing soda if you want, this helps dissolve soap sludge.

Soapy sludge behind the powder drawer and in the filling pipe that runs down from it. Take the drawer out to clean. Black mildew is common here. Again it is caused by soapy sludge. You can kill the black mould using a kitchen cleaner with bleach, then remove the residue by scrubbing with a nylon washing-up brush and rinsing with hot water. If you can do a Hot Fill (many machines are cold fill only) it will help.

The Soapy Sludge problem can be reduced by using tablets or liquids.

Less often, there is a greasy sludge caused by clothes and towels that have skin cream, bath oil, baby lotion etc on them. I suppose it might also happen if you work in a chip shop or lard factory and wash your overalls. A hot wash with washing soda and Ariel Liquid will clean it off.

Hot water will wash away sludge, cold water won't.

The other cause of smelly washers is dirty water from the sink flowing down the drain hose, carrying fish heads, tea leaves, sour milk etc. This happens when the washer drain hose is attached to the sink waste (it will not happen if it goes into a stand pipe). To prevent this, look at the waste hose and make sure it is looped up so the the loop goes right up to the underside of the draining board. The loop MUST go higher than the water level in the sink when it is full.

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

Thanks PigletJohn - you are very knowledgeable about malodourous washing machines

[Lovinmybois]

Thats great! Thanks!