OK did what Mumsnet recommended and ran a hot wash with bio powder in my machine . . .

[BalloonSlayer]

. . . as it was smelling a bit musty.

Now it smells of feet. The feet of that creepy bloke in the office who has greasy dandruff, sweat circles under his arms and who still lives with his mum.

What do I do now?

Ironically, I bought the bio powder, did the 95 degree wash with the empty machine and right afterwards it smelled lovely. Then I thought - hang on, isn't biological powder rendered inoperative by high temperatures? Isn't the point of it to be used at 30 degrees? So I did an empty wash at 30 as well.

Ever since my house has been filled with the aroma of "Foul Feet Smell Something Horrible."

Please help!

i'd redo it with the bio powder, thats how i clean mine

It's because it has shifted the gunk in the pipes - keep doing hot washes until the smell goes.

Thanks guys.

I have run it through again at 95 using a dishwasher tablet (as some other threads on here suggest). Still minging.

I also discovered a lot of retchworthy gunk behind the seal, sort of between the seal and the metal. It didn't seem to smell though.

Now I have just started it off again at 95 with the bio powder. Sigh.

[ wishing I'd never started this emoticon ]

You could try a 95 degree wash with a cupful of bleach? Put on additional rinse afterwards to make sure all bleach removed from machine

PS, have you cleared out the drain/strainer thingy?

I do mine with white vinegar At 90.

Where do you put the white vinegar - drum or draw or both?

I do mine with nothing at 90.

just put everything you have in the cleaning cupboard in

switch on

report back in 15 minutes

then we'll help you find a good deal on a new washing machine that doesn't smell

In the drawer.
Smells a bit whilst it's washing but that goes away when it's finished.

Have you cleaned the filter out?

Am I mad or did someone on a thread like this not advise doing the hot wash with soda cruystals? That's what I was going to do for my washing machine which is (a) not very old (b) pongy and (c) doesn;t get the clothes very clean.

I don't know where the filter bit is . . . ?

I didn't know washing machines had filters until I was looking on the rancid washing machines threads on here. I suppose I ought to find the instructions.

Oh arseholes. I don't want to buy a new one. I've just found a bookcase I must persuade DH we need.

I wish I'd left well alone. My sister is coming to stay in December and I thought she would be horrified at the musty smell and the black bit on the seal of my washing machine. But the musty smell was much better than the disgusting feet with cheesy toenails smell it's got now.

i do mine with bicarb in the drawer as hot as it'll go

also, always leave the door open a bit (when not in use obv)

The hot wash is merely to service the machine and clean its innards, it matters not whether you use bio, soap crystals, bicarb or whatever so long as it's a cleaning agent.

If the machine is stinking then it might be your drains. Does the smell also emanate from your plughole?

Chuck some bleach in and see if that helps.

Can't find the instructions! Relief!

No, it's only the machine that pongs.

I have just sniffed the powder drawer and the smell doesn't seem to be there so maybe this wash has worked.

I only have a small bit of bicarbonate of soda left from making cakes, but I may try that next.

I am a bit distrustful of bleach. I keep thinking that the next time I put my jeans in they'll come out all 80s and stonewashed. Can I use toilet cleaner bleach?

"Can't find the instructions! Relief!"

Web search www.ManufacturersName.com

They are mostly downloadable now.

It is mostly likely smelly old soap sludge. Your hottest wash cycle with no powder and a cup of washing soda will help dissolve it. If the water foams up and goes grey that is the old sludge dissolving. Do it again until it stays clean. If you have some old white cotton towels you can put those in, anything else will shrink/fade/pucker. And scrub the rubber door seal, especially its grooves and slot.

*You are trying to remove soap residue, so the one thing you don't need to add is more soap.

Thanks PigletJohn

I did find the instructions on the web at your suggestion but would you believe it they don't say anything about the filter! However, I did find instructions on cleaning the filter which I have just done.

Result, if you are interested - 11 shirt collar stiffeners, 2 safety pins, 12p and lots of black gunge which didn't smell so isn't the culprit. I also decided that the towel I grabbed to catch all the water is one I don't really want any more - didn't fancy putting it in the machine and recycling all that gunk. < shudder >

It was useful that quite a few people have posted about this model suddenly having all its lights flashing. Ours does that and I thought it was an electrical fault . . . however some posters on the Q&A bits have suggested cleaning the filter to fix that problem. So I may have solved another problem.

Off in a little while to buy some washing soda.

I followed the MN advice and ran a hot wash through my empty machine and the heat warped the front of the powder drawer! It fell off and, because it had buckled, wouldn't fit back on.

balloon

a lot of modern appliances have self-diagnosis of faults, and tell you by signalling on the indicators.

For example, lamp 2, flashes five times, pause, flashes five times, pause, repeat, might mean "my filter is blocked"

But lamp 1, flashes twice, might mean "my motor is jammed"

If all else fails, read the instructions

Yes it might be Piglet but on further reflection it is quite random and also at times the lights go out completely so I wouldn't be surprised if it was an electrical fault and one day it just won't work at all.