Washing machine keeps staining clothes

[catski]

For a few months now every now and then something will come out of the washing machine which looks like it has a light coloured grease stain on it or brown marks, which were not there before and which won't come out again despite attempts with Vanish and all the rest of it, so various clothes are being randomly ruined.

The clothes/towels affected are usually white or light coloured.

Could it be related to the fact that I used olive oil on my daughter's cradle cap a few months ago (and put a towel underneath her head to catch any drips)? At first I thought it might be that because a lot of her stuff was affected and the stains are usually that yellowish/light brown colour. However, in the last wash it was other family members clothes and the stains were darker. It never affects all the clothes in the wash, just some of them. There's no pattern to what type of clothes/towels they are.

It doesn't happen every time, but it's most infuriating. I have a bunch of expensive table cloths and bed linen to wash and I don't want to put them in until I know they won't be ruined!

We have taken out and washed the powder drawer, checked the filter to make sure there's nothing blocking it, and cleaned under the rubber seal of the drum to make sure there's no gunk there. The machine is not making any odd noises or anything.

Any ideas as to what's causing it and what I can do about it? Been thinking about calling a washing machine engineer out but it will cost a fortune where I am.

[woodland]

Could be scum that has collected in the rubber ring. I had the same problem with my old washing machine. I learnt to wipe around the lip of the rubber ring every so often and had no problems thereafter.

[catski]

Thanks herbietea. Is white vinegar the same thing as white wine vinegar, or will that make me smell like an alcoholic?!

[catski]

Do you mean the big rubber seal that goes round the front of the drum woodland? If so, we have cleaned that too.

[woodland]

Yes, I did mean the big seal at the front. I'm out of ideas I'm afraid.

[Hangingbellyofbabylon]

we had this for months whilst using persil small and mighty. I went back to powder and have not had it since.

[dannyblanchflower]

Are you sure it's the washing machine? I blamed our machine for odd brown marks for ages until I realised that when I took the washing out of the machine I put it on a wooden kitchen chair for ages a few minutes and it was the chair varnish staining my lovely white T shirts

[Sonilaa]

white vinegar = distilled vinegar (clear liquid)

[catski]

On googling I did read something about using liquid detergents can cause this kind of problem Hanging, but I always use powder. I'm racking my brains to think if it's something other than the washing machine danny, but I really can't think of anything. And thank you for the white vinegar clarification Sonilaa, although the washing machine is now whirring round with a pint of white wine vinegar in it as I just put it on this morning first thing - should always sit down to mumsnet first, that'll teach me! It stinks, wonder if I've fecked it forever with the smell now!

[Sonilaa]

the smell goes away quickly, just make sure you leave the door of the mashine open.