Is there any way of cleaning my washing machine?

[Bky]

Have noticed the past few days that the inside of my washing machine is smelling a bit foisty. Very much like damp towels do if you haven't let them dry out.

Is there anything I can put in there and run a cycle with nothing in it that will get it smelling better?

I put in a cup of white vinegar and do the hottest wash possible (empty of the actual washing of course!). I've heard that baking soda is good too, although obviously you don't put in both at once, unless you want to flood the kitchen.
It's good to leave the door open when it's not in use too, although I have a problem with that as DH thinks that it "looks untidy", but it does help prevent the problem.

yes, you can get a product for this
or you can just use bleach and run on a very hot wash
also wipe round the inside of the door and in the innner bits of the seal - sometimes they can get quite skanky

oh brilliant I didn't know you could use vinegar for this
just bought a load for the bathroom

just out of interest, do you use laundry liquid rather than powder OP? as this makes your machine more prone to being smelly

Thanks I will try the baking powder, I always leave the door open although I have a new baby so there has been some pretty hideous smelling stuff going in there recently.

Hopefully running it on empty on a hot cycle will sort it out.

FrannyandZooey - I have problems with the seals too, and wipe them out with bleach sometimes (before a whites wash).
When I'm feeling particularly houseproud I dry the seals of the washing machine after each load. But that doesn't happen much these days now I'm pregnant with a toddler.

No I always use powder and I always make sure I wash the draw where the powder goes every few weeks. Is just the drum that smells, although the rubber seal is looking a bit rough at the moment to so will give that a scrub as well.

this is probably common sense but also don't leave dirty clothes in there before washing

I mean don't put a load in the night before intending to switch on the next morning

Maintenance wash recommended by service engineers is

Wash out filter and powder drawer, wipe over around the door seal then hot (95C) cycle with biological washing powder. We have a small box of cheapy box of biological powder just for this purpose. You don't need to do it too often. Washer driers need maintenance washes more often than normal washers.

Avoid liquid at all costs - esp the liquitab stuff in the gel packets!

i use this stuff you get in a box called Service It. you can find it in the washing powder aisle.

Aggie and Kim (How Clean..) say a cup of washing soda on the hottest wash to get rid of the old skin and other shite followed by the hottest wash with a cup of white vinegar to descale. Gets rid of pong... and makes it sparkle...

This is fab. I just logged on to ask the very same question and the answers were already here!