Laundry stinks after washing - help!

[HaplessRhombus]

For the past few weeks, our laundry has started to smell. It’s an overpowering sweet but not right kind of smell, mouldy or mildew. Not like it's completely unwashed. Once it starts to dry (on racks in a well ventilated bathroom with dehumidifier), it absolutely stinks. As in, overpowering as you walk past the room or open the drawer.

We always leave the machine door open to air out and dry after use. We don’t use powder but I’ve cleaned the drawer anyway. We’ve cleaned the filters, door seals and drum thoroughly by hand. I’ve tried every brand of washing machine cleaner I can find on Ocado and in our local shop. Sometimes I’ve run several in a row. We’ve tried home made alternatives (vinegar, soda crystals, bicarb etc) and just running the machine clean cycle. But every load of laundry is coming out smelling that awful. Our detergent is fairy non-bio, but we’ve been using it for years without any issue.

We’ve called a repairman to come and have a look, but he doesn’t seem to understand. He seems to think the issue is that our clothes don’t smell nice (he suggested using fabric conditioner), not that they smell like something is wrong.

Any ideas what else we can try?

I changed to a Bio and use Dettol anti-bac in each wash. Much much better for me.

I'd change to powder and maybe try laundry sanitiser

The fairy may have changed its formulation and made the smell change

If this has started in recent weeks, maybe it’s because laundry is taking too long to dry inside?

Can you dry outside where possible/get a heated airer

Or is the issue that when you unload the washer it smells bad? i would also change your detergent and wash what can be washed on a hot cycle

Could you have forgotten detergent for any of these loads?

How long does it take to dry? I know the room it dries in is well ventilated etc. but the fact that this problem started a few weeks ago makes me think that it's corresponds with a drop in temperature/increased humidity outdoors so that your clothes are taking slightly longer to dry and therefore getting a damp smell.

I've found jeans/thicker items of clothing particularly prone to this when not dried outdoors/in a tumble drier.

When you say the room is well ventilated and you use a dehumidifier, can I just check if you mean a window's left open? If so it might be that the dehumidifier is trying to dry out the whole outside world before it starts on your indoor clothes.. if this is the case try closing the window. Could also try smaller loads at a time so they can be more spaced out while drying. If I were you and could afford it I would get a tumble drier or heated clothes drier to see if that fixes it. It sounds like you've done a good and thorough job cleaning your washing machine so I my money's on the drying being the problem.

Have you tried a hot 60 degree bleach wash with it empty? We do that occasionally. Also use a fabric conditioner. I use comfort

I started using laundry sanitiser alongside fairy non-bio gel in each wash, and it has been really good. I went through a phase previously where the underarm areas of my teenagers t-shirts would always come out of the wash smelling really badly, but using dettol laundry sanitiser (and not using quick washes) really helps avoid this.

I find this is usually down to the colder weather and clothes taking longer to dry. I find doing an extra one or two spin cycles helps.

I was going to suggest bleach too. I used it in mine last month after recurring mould that even white vinegar wouldn't touch. I had literally cleaned every inch of the washing machine, I had even taken the drawer out and cleaned behind it.

In desperation, I put a damn good squeeze of Tesco thick bleach in the detergent drawer and put the washer on at 60, then I ran an empty cycle afterwards. I have had no problems since. I have since learned you are supposed to dilute the bleach before using it, but I just thought the water from the wash cycle would do that, so I just used neat bleach.

How's your drainage? When we had a broken drain if effected our washing, the smell was working it way back up the drain and causing the machine and washing to stink. Once the drain was sorted all was good again

Don't use pods. I have exactly the same issue if I use any brand of pods. I only use liquids or powder now and don't have any trouble

Switch to powder instead of liquid washing powder - I did this after reading it on here 2 years ago, and clothes have never smelled since. It doesn’t matter which powder.

also do a weekly 60 degree wash of towels and a monthly 90 degree wash of tea towels to clean out your machine - I use bleach in at least one of these washes.

@SisterMichaelsHabit That’s what I do too. A big squirt of Tesco thick bleach and put it on hot 60 degree wash I do several loads of washing each week so bleach wash before I start

Put half a bottle of beach in the drum, start off a 90 wash when it's full of water pause it and leave it sit over night. You might need to do this a few nights in a row but it will get rid of any bad smells.

Switch to bio powder. Use less than is recommended, about half to two thirds is about right.

Don't overload your machine.

Use a programme with the correct capacity.

Monthly boil wash for maintenance.

Run a hot cleaning cycle with bleach (not too much, it will froth a lot) followed by a hot cleaning cycle with nothing in.

Use powder. Liquids and gels leave gunk, even where you can't see it. Remove drawer, scrub the holes with a toothbrush, and white vinegar or bleach, not both together. Scrub the drawer.

Leave the drawer out and the door open.

Persil have a habit of changing the formula without warning. Try an unperfumed powder for a while and see if it stops the pong. Do not use fabric conditioner.

One thing to consider is the fake perfumes added to laundry products. Most of them don't wash out for about 20 washes, even with white vinegar added. If you have used something like that it will take a lot of shifting, it gets into the machine too.

Thank you so much for the suggestions everyone!

I've never heard of laundry sanitiser before! Going to stock up on sanitiser, bio powder and some bleach this afternoon and hope it helps.

The tips about drying are also appreciated. I don't think the drying is entirely to blame as we're doing the same thing we've done every year with no issues. But it definitely could be part of it! We don't have room for a tumble dryer unfortunately but can look into the other suggestions.

You dont necessarily need bio powder. Fairy non bio powder contains bleaches (as most other powders do) and that helps keep the drum cleaner

When I moved into my rented place, the washing machine itself stank.

I realised that inside where the seal was and where it butted against the drum was full of what I can only call black slime.

I cleaned it all and my washing has been fine. The other day I did a 90 degree wash (old stained tea towels etc). The load I did after that at 40 degrees came out of wash a bit whiffy so I did a repeat wash at 40. Seems fine now. I always use powder and conditioner.

I read recently that sometimes the drainage/lint collectors (usually bottom right hand side) can cause washing to smell. Not sure if that only applied to washer/dryers?

I find a 60 degree wash with persil bio and dettol laundry sanitiser gets rid of any smell
Personally I would probably put some towels in and do a 90 degree wash first

I'm all for washing at a lower temp but if I wash at 30 and have to re wash then I may as well have used 60 in the first place!

A 90* wash with a cup of white vinegar usually sorts my machine out when the washing smells gross.

I use ALDI powder, for whites and separate powder meant for colours.

I rarely use fabric conditioner unless washing fleeces.

In my experience odour can be caused by overdosing in conditioner. Try leaving it out for a bit.

I use bleach to clean the rubber seals occasionally.

I dose the machine with a measuring cup for powder and tuck it in with my washing. I don’t use the drawer.

My machine does not smell.

I dry my washing on racks (in bad weather) in the conservatory with windows cracked open. No odour with my dry washing either.

Change to powder. Might take a few washed to realise improvement.

Interested in the answers as we are the same. Washing almost smells like BO when drying? Although it luckily smells fine when it's actually dry.

This is the same even though we now have a new washing machine and I have changed detergents recently too. Maybe I will give powder a try following suggestions here.

I find if something gets mildewy (left in machine too long before being hung) then I have to do a hotter wash with bicarb mixed in with the powder to get rid of it. Probably because I usually wash everything at 30.

Just to add to the all the suggestions above about getting the machine clean (yes to bleach and a hot empty wash).

I've found that the clothes with this smell retain the smell after washing, even once the machine is clean.

A couple of washes with dettol laundry additive gets the smell out.

Do you wash at a low temperature?

I found that doing this resulted in the same. I wash everything at 50 now and blast the white cotton bedding on a 95 degree once per week which helps keep the washer clean as well.

All the eco washing at 20/30 degree nonsense doesn't work unless you're going to load your machine with even more chemicals which is far worse in my opinion for us and the planet.