Washing machine making clothes smell mouldy!

[caddywally]

My washing machine is making my clothes smell mouldy. I don't leave them in the washing machine after the cycle has finished for any longer than 20 minutes or so, so I don't think this is the problem, and I make sure they're fully dry before I fold them and put them away.

Is there anything I can do to clean out the washing machine and stop it making my clothes stink? Can I put in on a very hot wash and put bleach in the drum or something?! It's impossible to get the mould smell out and all my clothes are getting ruined.

My friend has a laundry business, she told me to run the washer on a hot wash with bleach in the drum. It works. Also clean out your drawer and behind it.

Try set-top washing machine cleaner - twice! You need to get your hands dirty cleaning the drawer and inside the door seal , but it does the rest. Wear gloves!

*dettol not set top

Do you use liquid or powder?

Vinegar or washing soda on the longest, hottest wash should work. You might need to repeat it. If you are using liquids switch to powder as it contains bleaching agents which help keep the machine clean.

Low temperature washes with laundry liquid result in a smelly washing machine. Get some powder and some bio powder. Run a few hot washes and the smell will disappear.

do you use powder or liquid detergent? always short cycles, mainly low temp?
liquids are shit and can make the mashine gunk up with mouldy slime.
long cycles (usually) rinse better, which also cleans the washing mashine pipes.
hot water - well kills germs.

Hot wash. Clean out dispenser drawer and the bit it fits into. Clean out filter. use powder not liquid

you can buy washing machine cleaning sachets to put on a hot cycle while empty, about twice a year. You should always leave door and the drawer slightly open to let air circulate while machine not in use to prevent mould/ bacteria build up

You can get soda crystals in most supermarkets, chuck some in the drum and run your longest hottest wash. Use powder detergent not gel.
However I found the mouldy smell was happening when really sweaty stuff was going in the wash e.g. Husband's gross socks if theyd got wet and sweaty or after sports. I make him soak those separately first (the really stinky stuff) and it seemed to solve it.

I use zoflora in with stinky gym/ football kit. (Add it to fabric softener drawer)

I use tea tree oil in every wash and that usually stops it from smelling. If it does start to stink then soda crystals in an empty boil wash clears it.

This thread appears every few days, I find it weird that there is anyone left who doesn't know to do a hot wash & not use liquids!
As you were...

I didn't know not to use liquids. I haven't used powder for years. Has it hot better at dissolving properly? I used to find powder residue on clothes sometimes, which is why I switched to liquid.

I have always used powder. If you were getting residue perhaps you were using too much or overfilling the machine or there was some other issue like the correct temperature not being reached or inadequate rinsing? I never use as much detergent as the packet says to btw.

Is it all of your clothes or just the dark heavy things and do you dry them in the house?

Homebargains sell citric acid, I put a box in on 90c and it cleans really well while removing limescale.

You have to have a stainless steel drum though.

Stick a couple of dishwasher tablets in the drum and put on a hot wash - the salt will clear the pipes.

I didn't expect this many responses - thanks everyone! I didn't know that liquid detergent could cause loads of gunk to build up.

I usually use liquid detergent and most of my washes are low temperature otherwise my stuff comes out 2 sizes smaller! I dry my clothes in the house as we have no garden and no tumble dryer.

I'll give the washing machine a good clean using some of the suggestions in this thread and hopefully that'll do the trick. Thanks!

I didn't know not to use liquids so I'm grateful for this thread! Been using in drum non bio gel for a few months. Noticed machine smelled so did the longest hottest wash with some gel and cleaned the drawer and inside very thoroughly. Week later stinky again.

Will use some tips from this thread. Good luck to us both OP

Caddywally - if it's just the dark stuff which smells it will be because they're drying in the house! My dark stuff is the same and I know it's not the washer because we've just got a brand new one and it was still happening!

The only thing that stopped it was drying outside (or the dryer but DP doesn't like his stuff in there and that's what was smelling).

Elland All my clothes are dark! DP has a few light shirt so I'll give one of those a sniff and see. I've noticed that my towels and bed sheets have managed to escape without becoming smelly, which might be because I do them on the hottest wash. Sorry if this is a stupid question, but why would only darks smell from being dried indoors?

Because anything that takes ages to dry can smell a little musty. I found this out the hard way. In fine weather I always line dry. If it is raining I use the tumble dryer for most things. I found that slow drying jeans were the worst culprit for being smelly as the material is so heavy and absorbent.

We have a dehumidifier. It gets most things dry overnight, I love it. It stops the musty smell of slow drying clothes.

We had a blocked drain a few years ago and had to call someone in to unblock it anyway when he got down he pulled out a huge solid ball of washing powder.He told us to never use powder always use liquid so since that day i've never used powder
Once a week i put bleach in the drawer and run it empty on a hot wash