Washing Machine that doesn’t make clothes smell recs!

[macaroni234]

Washing machine is broken and needs replacing and we need to buy a new one. We’ve always had a problem with this one - Bosch making clothes musty. Previous Bosch was fine. We’ve tried everything. Washing hotter, hot cleaning cycles, citric acid, vinegar, different cleaning detergent etc

If you have a machine that gives you nice fresh clothes please recommend. Even if it’s on the pricey side. In an ideal world it would be around £500 though which a replacement for ours would be.

I have sensitive skin/eczema too and can’t use Persil either. Have a look on the Allergy UK website for washing powder they recommend, I know the two I tend to use (Bio D and Surcare) are both recommended

I've had numerous washing machines over the years and never had one that made the clothes smell.

I always wash 40 deg minimum but do 60 deg for towels and bedding.

Machine clean is 95 deg so run that when I remember.

Current machine is an inherited High Sense about 6 years old, so not expensive one and clothes don't smell.

I have sensitive skin/eczema too and can’t use Persil either. Have a look on the Allergy UK website for washing powder they recommend, I know the two I tend to use (Bio D and Surcare) are both recommended

@yonem I use surcare as recommended by them. I also use the M&S sensitive which has pretty much identical ingredients and doesn’t aggravate DD skin.

There is a whole Reddit about laundry I’ve found very useful. People use citric acid as softener and also add some soda crystals to keep the gunk at bay. I’ve never found anything that makes any difference so I’m inclined to think there may well be a fault in the machine that leaves stinky water somewhere. Door and drawer left open always and door often left wide open.

Just annoyingly reiterating a monthly 90 wash. Soda crystals each wash and only using bio powder
Bleaching the drawers and round the rim blah blah
Maybe wash DDs separately

Not an LG , mine washes fine but does smell musty despite doing all the cleaning and maintenance things I’ve done in the past and never had a problem.

Had a Samsung Ecobubble before, and before that Hotpoint machines. Never had a smell problem

We have a Bosch and have never had a problem but the machine is kept very clean by my lovely husband and every load be it 30/60* has Dettol laundry cleanser added and washing soda . I use Ariel powder in the drawer .

@keroppi I can’t use Bio in the washing machine at all. DD gets eczema flare up even if her washing is put in separately. I will try setting a reminder to do a 90 wash every month. I do it but possibly not that regularly.

The annoying thing is that last machine didn’t. Only had stinky clothes if forgot about them. I’ve only ever washed at 40 and never even knew about washing at 90 as a maintenance wash until we had the problem with this one. I can’t remember when we switched from powder so will try and see if it makes a difference.

Oh that's sad about dd skin. What about a capful of Milton in the drum as a high temp wash clean and to smell good? Bleach/half capful Milton in a small warm bath used to really help my dc eczema.
When I was pregnant with youngest ds I used to do an Ace bleach whites wash as regularly as I could because I absolutely loved the smell. Lol

Never use liquid detergent, it is the devil. Only use powder- non bio is fine. Also don’t bother with the Bosch auto dosing as it doesn’t work for powder, only liquid so total waste of time.

Never had musty clothes. Numerous washing machines due to various reasons.
Always leave door open and drawer slightly ajar.
Use washing machine cleaner weekly on a boil wash with bicarb .
Nothing washed under 40 degrees.
And most don't like it but I love a fragranced fabric softener- probably too much

I have a Miele and use fairy non bio liquid at 50 deg for everything except delicates. I always put a scoop of vanish colour in though which I find helps everything smell fresh, even sweaty sports gear.

@Keroppi thanks Milton sounds a good idea. Just read Guys and St Thomas’ actually recommends Milton baths for eczema.

We have a Beko and do about 10 loads a week. We keep the drawer and door open when not in use and run a cleaner through and clean the filter and drawer once a month. Never have a problem with smells.

Our 5 year old Mile WE doesn't smell. Ecover non bio liquid on a cool wash.

Are you using the Surcare liquid? Try switching to the powder if so

I think the most obvious thing to do is to leave the door open for about 30 minutes after each wash to let the whole drum dry out. This stops the drum smelling damp.

@yonemsame happened with powder. Washing was smelly and got residue on clothes if used on eco hence swapping to liquid before. In fact I think Tesco stopped doing powder.

@ComedyGunsdoor is left open permanently. Makes no difference. With old Bosch it didn’t matter how door was left.

You may need a detergent with enzymes.

It's a myth that only seems to exist in Britain that enzymes aggravate eczema. In mainland Europe and America almost all the sensitive laundry liquids contain enzymes.

I live in Europe and I've had great succes with Neutral laundry powder.

The Reddit laundry subreddit might have some suggestions.

I have a Samsung eco bubble with steam and it’s fantastic and I’ve never smelt anything bad from it. It has its own app with loads of laundry ‘recipes’ so you can fine tune its programs. I do recommend it

I just went through a whole thing with a Bosch. Had been leaving the laundry to DH and he had fucked it all up!

Honestly thought I would never get it unsmelling! But I did in the end phew. It was a week long ordeal.

Order…
Wash 90c with a 2L of white vinegar.
Clean absolutely everything. Filter, coin trap, fluff catcher, liquid drawer; and tube from drawer and below drawer!! I poured bleach in a lot of places. I let all the parts dry before replacing!
Then I did another 90 wash with bleach.
Then a 90 wash with a dishwasher tablet.
Clean filters and everything again.
It was starting to smell a lot better but I was committed at this point. Took all the tubes off and soaked them in bleach.
Took the traps of the sinks, cleaned them all and put everything back together.

The laundry now smells amazing again.
Have committed in my head to doing more maintenance upkeep runs.

OP, I have never had any trouble with my Miele, but I do clean it regularly, and also check the filter. Persil non-bio is good, but I use the tablets or powder - not the plastic things or liquid - and maybe you need to put your washing on a hotter wash - the only things I wash at 30 are woollens.

Wash regularly on 60 degrees, use vinegar rather than fabric softener, and use powder rather than tablets. Leave the door open.

No smells

@macaroni234 Have you tried draining the empty machine using the drain hose? On my Miele it’s at the front near the filter. So much black stinky water came out. I repeated after the next couple of washes too.