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Washing machine making clothes smell musty - what can I do?

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gingeremmie
gingeremmie Posts: 38 Forumite
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in Old style MoneySaving
Myself and my housemate have an old washing machine. The last couple of washes it has made the clothes smell musty. I've taken the drawer out and scrubbed it. We've tried to put the machine on a boil wash but it doesn't seem to want to work, we normally wash at 40 deg and it works at that temp. Is there anything else I can do? I will try and scrub the seal out at the front in a minute. Anyone else have any ideas?
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  • oldMcDonald
    oldMcDonald Posts: 1,945 Forumite
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    Are you leaving the clothes in for any time when they have finished, or are you taking them out straight away? Is the pump working properly? Could that cause old water to be reused in the machine?

    Have you changed the washing powder / conditioner that you use?

    Sorry I can't be of any more help. Anyone else?
  • Three_Dancing_Dragons
    Three_Dancing_Dragons Posts: 275 Forumite
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    Lakeland do cleaning tablets you could try.

    http://www.lakeland.co.uk/product.aspx/!20348
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  • full-time-mum
    full-time-mum Posts: 1,962 Forumite
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    My friendly washing machine repair man told me not to bother with comercial tablets. He said a cup full of soda crystals thrown into the drum of washing machine or onto floor of dishwasher would do the trick.
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  • stuart264
    stuart264 Posts: 159 Forumite
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    Run the machine without laundry but with half a cup of bleach put in the drum...should clean out any nasty bits in the sump without you needing to boil wash.
  • ianian99
    ianian99 Posts: 3,095 Forumite
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    stuart264 wrote: »
    Run the machine without laundry but with half a cup of bleach put in the drum...should clean out any nasty bits in the sump without you needing to boil wash.

    DONT PUT BLEACH IN YOUR MACHINE!!!!
  • queenpig
    queenpig Posts: 419 Forumite
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    Boil wash with half a cup of washing powder, or white vinegar, or soda crystals. I NORMALY USE SOAP POWDER. Sorry caps.
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  • badgermonkey
    badgermonkey Posts: 165 Forumite
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    ianian99 wrote: »
    DONT PUT BLEACH IN YOUR MACHINE!!!!

    Can I ask why? I put a bit of bleach in with my white loads (towels, etc).
  • Spendi
    Spendi Posts: 204 Forumite
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    I would use a full cup of Soda Crystals run it empty on a boil wash and that will clean the whole machine including the waste pipes.

    If that doesnt shift the smell nothing will !
    *Spendi*

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  • Melissa177
    Melissa177 Posts: 1,727 Forumite
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    I've had this happen before - turns out we were stuffing too much in the washing machine! Try washing your clothes in smaller batches (with half the powder, naturally ;))
    Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it. - Jefferson
  • ianian99
    ianian99 Posts: 3,095 Forumite
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    badgermonkey wrote: »
    Can I ask why? I put a bit of bleach in with my white loads (towels, etc).

    it will perish the rubber pipes, seals etc
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