Can anyone help with any of my housekeeping problems pretty please??

[busymum34]

I have three problems that are really getting on my nerves and I would be grateful for any help!

1. When I turn my washing machine on and it begins the cycle, the whole kitchen smells of egg??!! Also, when I run an empty cycle to clean the machine, should I have powder in or not? (suppose those two questions really!!)

1. Why does everything that comes out of my dishwasher still smell like the dishwasher tablets so I have to rinse everything again?

1. Does anyone know how to get rid of the black mouldy type rubbish that seems to attack all the sealant/grouting around tiles away? I can scrub with bleach on a toothbrush and it gets it from around the tiles but the sealant around the bath is stubborn!

Please help!! :)

I can suggest something for your third question - put loo roll around the sealant and douse it with bleach, then leave for a couple of hours. When you remove the loo roll, the mould will have gone.

thank you - will get straight on the case with that one!!

re: the 'service wash' (empty cycle) for your washing machine - no detergent, just a 90 or 95 degree (whichever your machine does) wash. Part of the point is to clear away all the gunk of old detergent, so you don't want to be putting more in. You can put in some towels though, they'll get nice and clean :)

no idea about egg & dishwasher tab smells though!

1. Don't know about the smell but yes use powder in maintenance wash and make sure it contains bleaching agents, or alternatively you can buy various specific cleaners to bung in machine during maintenance wash, e.g Affresh.

1. I have had this problem when using some brands. (mostly cheaper or eco brands) Maybe try a different brand of tabs/rinse aid?

1. HG mould remover. Available from Lakeland. Spray, leave, wipe. Repeat if necessary (unlikely).

Bathroom sealant does need to be replaced sometimes, no amount of bleach or scrubbing will get black mould off when it has "gone too far".

If you use the Advanced Search function on here and search for the words "smelly washing machine" you will find about 250,000 threads on this subject. It is the most commonly asked question on Mumsnet, apparently. There was a thread yesterday.

For the dishwasher - use non-lemon tablets. Any old cheapy supermarket ones will do.

1. Do you have a dishwasher that needs salt adding? I do - but didn't realise for ages but now I never need to rinse dishes after the dishwasher lol!! Always just thought my dishwasher was a bit crap but the salt has been a revelation!

thanks everyone! The egg smell is really weird, I have no idea where that is coming from as the washing machine itself doesn't smell, it's just for the first few mins of the cycle!

Yes, the dishwasher does need salt but DH assures me this is done. Will have a good look at it tomorrow and go out and get new stuff before cleaning it - this has always been DH's job before though! They are lemon tabs - and everything tastes of lemon, especially anything plastic!

Have got the bleach soaked toilet paper on the sealant as we speak! It has been replaced only about a year ago, i think it's amount of showers we get through as there are 6 of us and no-one bothers drying the sides after!

The egg smell is coming from your drains. Try putting the plug in the kitchen sink next time you do a load and see if the smell is less obvious - if it is, then it is coming from the drain or the trap, I would have thought.

agree with bibbity the egg smell is stagnant water.

Might have answer to the smelly washer and dishwasher problem.

For about about a month before our dishwasher finally gave up the ghost it was not rinsing properly AND our washing machine was really stinky. They were both connected to same outlet pipe and there was back up from dishwasher not clearing its self out properly. I tried everything to get them both right, but as soon as dishwasher replaced, problem solved re stinky washer.

it does seem to come from around the sink area, but only when the washing machine is on. Can i do anything about that?

yes, they have the same outlet pipe!

3 - cillit bang mould and mildew remover, its about £3 in a spray, just spray it on and leave for an hour and wipe away. Its magic stuff!!

I have the same drain problem with my washing machine. I know it's the drains but haven't known what to do to fix it, hoping someone will have the answer.

Half a bag of soda crystals in an empty hot wash - do it a couple of times and it will get rid of the smell in the washing machine.

Re the dishwasher - change the brand you use, some are worse than others for the smell they leave behind.

YY to the loo roll and bleach for mould!