Washing machine stinks, I’ve tried everything I can think of! Advice pls

[crossoverboo]

cleaned the door seal
cleaned the detergent drawer (and it’s casing)
no filter on this model (it’s a Hotpoint) so can’t clean that
used a packet of washing machine cleaner from Wilko’s
run empty washes at the highest temp (it’s 90 degrees I think), with and without washing powder

it still smells when I put my head in the drum and sniff
should I get a new one? Can’t really afford it

VInegar and bread soda is pretty effective.

White vinegar, cup full in the drawer, cup full in the drum. Put on a 90° wash, then when finished leave the door/drawer open over night.

Run a wash at hottest temp, add 2 cups of white spirit vinegar to the drum or via drawer. Once finished, run a quick rinse Do this every 4-6 wks.

Does it make the clothes smell? If not then I wouldn’t worry. I’ve never put my head in my washing machine and sniffed 🙈😆

Try cleaning everything again with stardrops white vinegar spray.

You need cheap biological washing powder. I had this problem and tried bicarb, proper cleaner etc and the only thing that works was a few hot washes with Sains basic bio powder. A couple to dislodge the sludge inside, and one to wash it away. I might have sploshed a bit of vinegar in the last one as well. I normally chuck the powder straight in the drum with an old towel and it does the trick for me!

White vinegar or vodka gets rid of the whiff. Vodka is great at getting rid of sweat smells from clothes. Make sure it’s the cheap stuff though

Couple hot washes with loads vinegar to get rid of bacteria. Also check pipe leaving washing machine isn't partially blocked. Leave door open as often as possible

Definitely the white vinegar and don't close the door. Leaving it open a little prevents smells.

I had this and there was a sock stuck in one of the pipes, cleaning the filter didn't work because it was further up. The boil wash worked to temporarily kill the smell but it came back.

It would be worth checking the pipes yourself if you can, or getting someone to have a look.

#longdistance never heard of vodka before, what do you do? soak it or just pour it on or what?

The pipes might not be blocked, but do check (look on the installation manual or online) to ensure that they positioned correctly in the outlet pipe and leading to it. Being at the wrong angle can stop proper draining and can lead to a build up of stink.

I also use vinegar in a hot, long wash.

Another vote for vinegar and a long hot wash

I put a dishwasher tablet in the drum and ran it empty on a hot wash. Seemed to do the trick.

I love the image of you sticking your head in the drum and sniffing!

Anyway, I do most of the above and I also use white vinegar (I get it from Tesco) instead of fabric conditioner, and I add soda crystals to the washing powder drawer (so half washing powder, half crystals)
For washing powder I use Ariel (I read that using washing liquids can cause machines to get smellier (as can fabric conditioners) and that Ariel was good for keeping machines clean - I probably read all this stuff on MN in the first place!)

I put bleach in the drum and drawer then run a long, hot wash. I do a rinse afterwards to make sure it's all gone. I only wash towels or sheets after the bleach wash before I put clothes in just to be absolutely sure they won't get ruined.

Couple of handfuls of soda crystals and a very hot wash. It smells worse straight after but then it's better after another normal wash.

Big bag or two of caustic soda crystals and do 3/4 long hot washes one after the other. Then start using biological power. We switched to bio and liquids when ds was small, it was the only time I've ever have a smelly machine.

Check the smell isn't coming from gunge in the outlet pipe, where the dirty water goes.

Soda crystals £1 from supermarkets rin soda crystal through on a hot wash, do the drains with it too. Also, make a ring of soda crystals all around the plug hole on all sinks and rinse down with a kettle of hot water, really good for unplugging hair from shower basins / baths

*rinse

vinegar will only get rid od limescale, which is not your preoblem.

It's usually a resident sludge of soap and fabsoft on which bacteria live.

Cause is usually cool washes (which don't dissolve soap well) and excessive use of powder and fabsoft.

Have you got some white cotton towels?

Buy a bag or two of Wasahing Soda Cystals (on the laundry shelf of your supermarket).

Put half a cup in the powder drawer

Put your white cotton towels and flannels in, a full load if you can because some machines reduce the amount of water if they sense a small load.

NO POWDER, NO FABSOFT

Put it on hottest wash.

If it foams up (it will) that's the old soap dissolving. Vinegar and bleach do not dissolve soap residue, but soda crystals do.

Do it again until it stops foaming.

The reason for choosing white cotton towels is that they won't fade (but they might go whiter), they will withstand the heat, and they will still fit you if they shrink.

In your future washes, reduce the amount of soap to min, and add the same amount of soda crystals. They soften the water, improve the action of the powder and whiten cottons, and dissolve the soap better. Don't add fabsoft, one of the reason towels go hard is an accumulation of soap deposits, and a reason they go grey is an accumulation of wax from the fabsoft.

You will be amazed at how many foamy washes you can get from the resident soap before you need to add powder again.

www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/285047163

www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/dri-pak-soda-crystals--fine-1kg

You can also use them to clean drains, plugholes and ovrtflows. Avoid contact with aluminium, which will go white or dull.

grrr, too slow.

But you want Washing Soda Crystals.

Not Caustic Soda, which is different, and will eat holes in your clothes, skin, hair, eyeballs.

This kills it dead, but run empty wash after