I did an empty hot wash.. And my machine smells worse?!

[Beanymonster]

Help?!
I did an empty hot wash onmy washing machine and it smells horrific.... What did I do?!?!?!

What is washing soda?

Distilled Malt Vinegar is the cheap, clear one you use for cleaning.
I keep a bottle that I use to soak limescale-y plugs and suchlike in, I just put it back in the bottle to re-use next time. Waste not want not

washing soda is soda crystals

Our washing machine never smells. I wonder if it's because I don't use fabric softener?

White vinegar = distilled malt vinegar (clear) costs about 50p a bottle.

washing soda (US) is called Soda Crystals in the UK I think :) You can get it from the supermarket.

It's finished and whilst it doesn't smell too bad at all I can see evidence of sludge so will do a vinegar wash next.

I couldn't see any in Sainsburys this morning so will pop into Tesco when I'm town and try there.

I'm excited now about having a clean washing machine, I put the powder drawer through the dishwasher this morning and used mould cleaner on the door seal.

soda crystals are with the other washing powders - they are in a green bag. Home bargains sells them for about 20p cheaper a bag than the supermarkets.

white vinegar is with the other vinegars and will probably say something like 'distilled white malt vinegar'

vinegar will remove limescale, but (washing) soda crystals will remove grease and soap sludge.

You should not use them together as they will neutralise each other.

Go to your local chinese shop and buy a 2 litre container of white vinegar. Only costs about as much as a small bottle in the supermarket.

I'm on the vinegar one now. I found distilled malt vinegar in Tesco.

Soda crystals are normally on the bottom shelf of the washing powder aisle.

I've done about 8 hot washes and it still smells / foams up with soda crystals. I guess that's 4 yrs of low temperature washes getting their own back on me. Anyone know how many it might take? I've done the filter, seal and drawer and never use softener and started leaving the door open...

if you have white cotton towels or flannels, you can put them in your hot hot hot washing soda wash. They won't fade or be damaged by the heat. Some other white cottons can also go in (not stuff with elastic).

Unless they are actually dirty, you can do without adding soap while it still foams. When it's soap sludge you are washing away, the one thing you don't need to add is more soap.

Is the water still going grey as well?

the grime and sludge smells while you are cleaning it away.

The objective is to have a machine which is not full of filth, and therefore does not smell.

the manual for my machine says you should do a maintenance wash every 6 months or so to keep it clean (which is what has been described above). You dont have to do it if you dont want to. If your machine does start to smell you will know what to do

if you regularly wash at 60 or above and don't use too much detergent then there is probably no need for a maintainance wash.

I just downloaded the manual for my washer dryer, and it says it has a self cleaning pump.
I'm gutted.

it is still useful to take the filter cap off sometimes and see how much money is in there.

I think the bit about the pump means that it will not be jammed by coins, buttons and bits of bra wire. But there is no way they can come out.

yep thats the stuff

Can you put soda crystals into the powder drawer? For that is where my gunk seems to be. Not the drawer itself (I take that out and wash it) but just inside IYSWIM.

Where do I put the soda crystals or vinegar?

What temp counts as hot?