washing machine

[NarcolepsyQueen]

Can any of you lovely ladies advise me on how to get rid of a horrid smell in our washing machine? I think it came from DH washing the dog's blanket. I have NO IDEA what to use !

90° wash and lots of soap

Thank you! Perhaps I ought to buy something other than capsules. Man, it stinks!!

Bicarbonate of soda kills lots of odours, I would guess putting a whole tub in on a simple rinse program would work, even cold water.

There is usually a sludge build-up composed of old soap and fabsoft. Your hottest wash, with NO POWDER will wash away this sludge. If the water goes grey or foams up, that'll be from the old soap sludge dissolving. Do it again until it no longer foams and the water stays clear. You can put some old cotton towels in, white if you have them, a very hot wash will not hurt them.

Modern cool washes leave this sludge as they do not dissolve the soap so well.

if there is a greasy film in the machine, e.g. you work in a chip shop or use a lot of body lotion or bath oil, then washing soda and a hot wash will clean it away.

There was a post on this a month or two back which I piggybacked on and cured my washing machine by doing maintenance washes (several of at 90degrees) + switching to powder rather than liquid. Also used oust washing machine cleaner which may or may not have helped.

It gets worse before it gets better but persist with it! I was convinced I'd have to get a good machine but it smells fine now.

Ps also check your filter! I didn't realise it existed but it was totally minging so probably caused much of the stench.

I meant get a new machine, not a good machine. Its too late to be coherent, am off to bed!

Thank you! I did a 90 degree wash with liquid tabs in, and it is no better yet. I will buy some bicarb tomorrow and try that too. I didn't know there was a filter - I will Google where it is and have a look. I also didn't know that Oust did a cleaner. Something has to work, as my clothes are going IN smelling better than they are coming OUT .

Could you switch to powder instead of liquid tabs too? I have started using persil non bio + comfort fabric softener and my clothes smell good now.

The 90 degree wash, no need to add detergent yet, will start by loosening and washing out the accumulated sludge of soap and fabsoft that mould and bacteria can feed on.

It the water foams and goes grey, that's the old sludge dissolving. Do it again until the water stays clear. The first few times you start loosening the sludge, it will smell worse, having been disturbed, but will smell clean once it's all gone.

Have you checked the door seal? I had this & found dark green gunge all the way round & onto drum. Took many tub cleans & mainly helped by me having to gently hold the seal back whilst using a toothbrush & ace bleach. I have to do it every now & then but have stopped the thick gel detergents & use powder tablets. The Lg machine is absolutely shit & I can't wait for it to break so I'll be allowed a Miele.

The door seal is naice and clean - so will try running a few more 90 degree washes and buy powder (although I don't like powder as the drawer gets so grubby).

I put powder through the door, to avoid sludge and mildew in the drawer and its slot.

I use powder tablets that I put in with the washing.