Stinking washing machine - what to do

[mears]

I know this has been done before but can't find it. Washing nachine smells rancid. Drain has been checked and all is OK. How do you cure it. I even put in a harpic tablet!!

Should you use bleach in it? Is it liquid tabs that are the problem?

Liquid detergent causes this iirc. Certainly never returned once we changed over to powder.

I ran the washing machine on the hottest, longest setting (95degrees, nearly 2 hours) with a slug of white vinegar in each part of the drawer. This sorted it for us. HTH

Thanks sassy - that is the conclusion I have come to. Did the hot wash before but not using vinegar. Will try that.

It definitely is the liquitabs, i've changed back to the tablets and it doesn't smell anymore . Well, not much anyway!

Yes you can also put bleach in your washer. I did this last week after doing some washing machine dying and they squirted some bleach into the drum and round the rubber seal.

Ran it empty on a 40 degree wash and I have never seen it looking so clean or smelling so fresh.

we had that at my dads house

now i have my own hosue a new washing machine (which is only used once or twice a week)

every time i use it i use a sponge to get all the water out from inside the rubber seal, and i completly romve the powder tray thing, and dry it for a few hours on the draining board before putting it back in.

I always leave the door and drawer open a little too.

my washing machine is still absolutely as new back in July 2006!

My machine is on daily and some times 3 times a day nannyL.

I seems to have cured it with a very hot wash with a harpic tablet and changing to powder. Smeels fresh today. Thanks for help.

Sorry not harpic tablet (did that before) but bleach in the drawers.

liquid tabs are the devil's work. I've just had a plumber out to our washing machine today to double check it all - I'd swapped to liquid tablets a few months ago and the washing machine has been vile ever since. I was advised to use bicarb in the drawer and run a 90degree wash which has fixed the problem. Also totally disnfected the rubber seal. I've now switched to powder and I'm never going back!!!!!

so what would you suggest for smelly washer /dryers then?

my clothes when washed smell great, but if i dry anything after wards they smell foisty(sp)?????

powder clogs up the drains tho.... especially if used at lower temeperatures.

have you seen what drains look like after having washing powder in the machine that feeds them

the end result is a blocked drain

the answer i think is actual liquid and not liquitabs

I've heard that Ariel Tablets (green ones) are the best to avoid smelly washing machines. Using a tablet or powder in the drawer helps to clean the innards of the machine as well as the clothes. I've used vinegar on a wash (without clothes in the machine) but didn't like the rather pungent smell it left. I've also tried liquid bleach on a clothesless wash. Helps if you regularly clean out soap drawer with a bleach solution and long scrubbing brush!

The best thing tho is Soda Crystals (on laundry shelf in most supermarkets) on the highest temp you've got and at end of cycle leave door and soap drawer ajar overnight (or as long as possible) to dry out. Have also heard that a regular clothesless Boil/hottest possible wash helps to flush the whole machine out and helps to prevent smells and build ups.

hope this helps