Why does my washing machine smell bad?!

[P0loGirl]

— it’s used regularly at temps between 30-60 degrees
it never has clothes just sitting in it, wet or dry
it’s emptied immediately at the end of a cycle
the clothes are usually just lightly dirty, I’m not shoving it full of filthy dog blankets every day.
I use a good laundry detergent

And it still smells bad…..why?!

washing at low temperatures and using washing pods increase the chance of it smelling. Use washing powder in the tray and do a couple of empty washes on the highest heat you can get. Keep door open when you can. TBH it’s hard smell to get rid of once you have it, I replaced my machine. Since using washing powder my machine has smelt good for 4 years now.

If you’ve not been leaving the door open the chances are there is mould in the seal.

Check for gunk behind the seal and clean out if there is any, then wash empty at 90 degrees (can use soda crystals or white vinegar to help). Try a couple of times.

I clean my washer every 60 washes (when my washer's clean me light comes on) or else my washer's goes a bit stinky. So I clean the drawer, the filters, have a good wipe round the seal with a bleach cloth. Then put a washing machine cleaner round on a hot wash. I've had anything particularly stinky/ gross through (DD's toilet training era, baby poop explosion clothes, DH's very stinky gym clothes, sicked/ soiled bedding) then I will pop some bleach in the drum and zoflora concentrate in the draw and run a very hot wash. Always leave the door open and clean the draw every couple of weeks.

An actual ferret? What does that do?

We had a power cut half way through a cycle so dirty water was in there for hours. When we got the power back on and the cycle was finished it smelt really musty

I tried a few things but what sorted it was about three really hot washes with a bottle of white wine vinegar poured in each time

This is from AI
Clean a washing machine with soda crystals by adding 500g directly into an empty drum and running the hottest, longest cycle to remove limescale, stubborn grime, and bacteria. For deep cleaning, add white vinegar to the drawer to help eliminate odors and build-up, leaving the machine, especially the seal, refreshed and sanitized.

Leave your door open. When we renovated this house I deliberately put a space for my washer so the door can stay open and it doesn't affect me moving about the room.

I put scoops of soda crystals in with every wash.

Stopped using fabric softener. Have never used pods, either powder or now I'm currently using the eco egg thing which is very good.

I've a relatively new Indesit. Basic model just dials and that's exactly what I wanted, it's a great machine so far. One year old now. I can't find the leaflet, but there doesn't seem to be a filter on the outside of it that I can open and empty.

Would that be because it's newfangled and cleans the filter automatically inside somewhere?

Thanks if anyone knows. (no smell BTW yet!)

Google will help you find the leaflet if you have the model number. I think they all have filters to catch coins, pubs etc.

I found that using the dettol antibacterial wash (or supermarket own brand equivalent) stops the machine smelling. Don’t use it for every wash - not for underwear or delicates - but towels, bed sheets, outer clothing. Got rid of the smell and has kept it away.

Where does the machine drain to? Urban/group system or rural/own system? We live rurally and have our own drainage system, if the weather is exceptionally wet and drains are struggling we get a smell from the washing machine. As soon as the weather dries a little the smell vanishes

The filter was the culprit in my case. It had brown goo and several small copper coins in it that had turned green and crusty.
For whites I prefer to use powder and high temperatures- 60 degrees or more- which also keeps the machine clean.
Polyester fabrics like fleece can hang on to musty smells so a special foamy wash with grated Fairy soap from a bar will freshen them and stop them spreading any funky odour!

I have questions….

IME when it smells it's the remnants of the water that's left after a cycle which have started to grow bacteria. So it's either soap scum, or whatever dirt has been washed out of your clothes.

Run a maintenance wash with a machine cleaner, and leave the door open between washes. Don't use the quick wash, it isn't designed for a full load and it won't wash properly.

Mice or rat catching?? I have a JRT for that but never thought to put her under the floorboards to do a clean up!

I had the same issue and thrilled to have a new machine. I had tried washing machine cleaner, cleaning the seal, using hottest washes for towels, leaving the door open , cleaning the filter ... no idea still why nothing worked

It's a traditional method of eradicating any vermin.
I forgot to add, he also sharpens knives at 50p a piece

Washing machines need ventilation. When it isn’t in use keep the door slightly open and the draw out to let some air flow. To fix the current issues clean the seal then run an empty cycle as high as possible with some bicarb.

I have to say it surprises me how many people in the U.K. don’t realise they need ventilation

Of course! I had forgotten about that.
I think my MIL could do with a visit from this fella as she keeps saying she has mice. 🐁

A ferret? Wow!

Whenever I run ours on a hot wash with cleaner it smells really bad for a couple
of weeks. If I don’t clean it it’s fine!

Check the drain hose. Sometimes they kink and dirty water sits in them.

You've disturbed the top layer

Run the cleaner again immediately afterwards and repeat until the smell goes away.

When I use liquid soap
powder this happens to me

now I stick to
powder and leave the door open after I take a wash out to ensure the drum dries out