Do washing pods make your machine smell?

[WillTheRealDeanGaffneyPleaseStandUp]

I've used eco eggs for years but they aren't strong enough for teenage boys in hot weather smells so I switched to pods (Fairy). I've been using them for about 2 months. I double rinse the clothes.

I do regular service washes, always leave the door open etc. I have never had a smelly washing machine. But now my machine stinks! I've just put it on the longest, hottest cycle with a vinegar prewash.

But I'm surprised by how much foam there is in the machine which is obviously from left over pods/detergent. Is this what has made my machine so smelly? Are all pods like this?

We literally have nowhere to store a box of powder. Plus this is the only non ecoegg stuff I've used that hasn't had my family moaning about being itchy.

Yes, they often don’t fully dissolve and can leave a slimy residue. If you do use them do a 90 degree service wash with bicarb regularly.

Yes, they’re known to bugger up the washing machine. I use Aldi Bio powder, (decant it into a plastic tub) and have never had any issues.

I had to run a hot cycle 10 times - including a few times with washing machine cleaners. When I told dd the pods and liquid caused the machine to smell she thought I was bonkers so she continued to use them - she doesn’t now!

I can't use pods in my machine because there's too much detergent in them.

Yes, I found they made my clothes smell and I'm the same as you in keeping the machine clean with service washes and leaving the door open in between cycles. I also always remove my washing from the machine within about five minutes of the wash ending, and while using pods the machine and my clothes smelled. I switched back to powder and the problem was gone in a couple of days.

The annoying thing is I binned a machine because I couldn’t get rid of the smell - I had no idea it was caused by liquid detergent - it cost quite a bit to replace it. You can clean it again, it just takes an enormous amount of non detergent hot water washes.

Vinegar isn’t a good way to clean your washing machine. It degrades the rubber seals. You need to get some good oxy powder to add to each load to disinfect and you need to buy some actual washing machine cleaner to use once a month.

Pods are terrible. The corn starch based plastic coating doesn’t fully dissolve and the kind of stick in pieces in the filters and drum. Being corn starch, it then starts to ferment and mould. Stick to liquid laundry soap.

It’s not liquid detergent, it’s the corn starch based dissolving plastic coating of the pod that causes the smelliness.

Ok so no to pods. But they are just so easy!

I'll go back to ecoeggs on non smelly things. I never had any issues with those.

For smelly boy things, what powders DON'T smell? I really can't stand the smell of washing powder.

The double rinse is to help wash out the inevitable left over washing detergent/powder. As demonstrated by the level of foam when I ran an empty cycle, there will be stuff not rinsed off so an extra rinse helps.

@WillTheRealDeanGaffneyPleaseStandUp laundry washed at the correct temperature with the right amount of powder and no conditioner won’t smell of anything and won’t need a second rinse.

I always use pods, didn't know they was any issue with them. I don't like using powder as I don't know which of the spaces in the drawer to put it in 😳

My washing doesn’t really smell of anything, I use powder because I got fed up without the hard plastic containers for the pods I used to use. I keep the box in the cupboard next to the machine with a scoop in, can also adjust the amount of detergent I’m using too. I don’t use fabric softener unless I’m doing a load of blankets.

I use the smol laundry liquid, dettol laundry cleanser additive in the fabric softener drawer, some times white vinegar - no smell!

used to get musty smell using pods

@WillTheRealDeanGaffneyPleaseStandUp a spray of vinegar pre wash is great for removing stubborn smells

Time Machine was it? This was 20 years ago - were you there? Sometimes you don’t know everything, sometimes you need to accept someone else’s lived experience.
@loremlpsumcici

Wrong thread? I’m intrigued!

I don’t like pods so I just use biological powder for whites and liquid for colours

I only use Ariel quick dissolve biological powder because it’s the best for whites in my experience.

I use pods but dissolve them in a mug of boiling water before pouring the solution on top of washing directly in the drum.
No smell, machine clean, including drawer, no undisolved sticky pod casing bits on clean washing.

The double rinse is to help wash out the inevitable left over washing detergent/powder. As demonstrated by the level of foam when I ran an empty cycle, there will be stuff not rinsed off so an extra rinse helps.

You were using too much powder if this happens.

I have never used washing powder! 🤣
Until 2 months ago I used ecoeggs 100% of the time.

I like ecoeggs and have used them for 10+ years. After this I will continue to use them on everything apart from smelly stuff when they just dont have the umph even with extras like vinegar.

So if pods and detergent are out. What non-smelly, non-itchy powders are people using? I have a feeling Ariel made my daughter itchy when we had to use it on holiday.

I use fairy Liquid on colours and fairy powder on whites. We're a sensitive skin house. I read that the powder is better for the machine but I noticed that powder is a bit harsh on colours especially on new clothes and fades them quickly hence using both.

I’ve never had a problem with fairy washing pods (they are less scented than other pod brands I find, so I can stand the smell, the others I’ve tried are just too strong), I use them for bedding/towels for somebody else).

At home I use unscented Ecover Zero liquid and this is great. But I used the powder version of ecover zero when I was on offer and it made my washing machine absolutely stink - I had to put a cleaning sanitising stuff through it and run it on hot empty cycle a few times.

The powder was terrible stuff and I’ve no idea why it acted so differently. I’ve got 2 more boxes of it and have no idea what to do with it - I don’t fancy donating it incase it causes problems for someone else.

Yes definitely. Changed to powder and after a week the smell had gone

No, I’ve never had a problem. But, I do use a washing machine cleaner every month.