Horrendous smell from washing.

slapper

I have had a similar problem before (old feet version rather than onion version) and came to the conclusion that it was caused by a combination of the washing being allowed to remain damp for too long (or taken in before absolutely dry/not aired) and washing with biological washing liquid.

moanymoany

It is a smell I associate with face flannels left too long while wet! If wet washing gets left in the bag and forgotten it gets this smell.

It could be the length of time the washing takes to dry. If the weather is good it might be worth keeping the window open in the room they are drying in and in another room to get a draft through.

If not, have you a fan heater that works on cold - or an ordinary fan. It will help the drying process and should stop the clothes smelling.

I often put clothes to dry in the airing cupboard. Put the clothes on hangars and hook them on to the wooden slats. Smaller things I put on the shelves. If there is no ventilation in the airing cupboard leave the door open a crack to allow circulation of air.

I recommend doing a very hot wash cycle. You can also use washing soda as it is a good cleaning agent. I use a third washing soda to two thirds washing powder in washes of 40 degrees and over. Cooler washes I use liquid as I don't like powder streaks.

basmic

I would run your machine on the hottest wash it can do - often 90 or 95c. In this wash, put your normal dose of washing powder in, a squirt of bleach and about 300ml of white (not malt) vinegar in.

Hopefully that will give your machine a good clean. If you think it could do with another maintenance wash, just run it through with a squirt of bleach and 300ml the second time round.

Make a habit of running the machine through the first maintenance wash I mentioned to you, every month. I usually do it on the 1st of each month, easier to remember that way.

sammyjig

I would also recomend doing a very hot maintenance wash once a month or so with white vinegar and also make sure that you leave the washing machine door wide open for a while when you've had a wash on. I find this stops any smells forming.

brila

It has never occured to me to clean the rubber seal on the washing machine - but I have just run my finger inside it and am properly disgusted! I have wiped it out with a cloth and am running a 90 deg wash as we speak. UGH!

I do try to leave the washing machine door open after a wash to air the drum, but super-tidy toddler keeps shutting it so I still get a musty damp smell in there. Will try the maintenance wash thingy now! Thank you all posters for showing me the error of my manky ways...

lil_me

www.washerhelp.co.uk has instructions for cleaning washing machines. Just done mine as DP didn't like the smell of his clothes, I've had to go back to using conditioner to keep him quiet as drying inside they aren't smelling nice enough.

I'd wipe over the inside before doing a 'service wash' to loosen anything in the seals etc, always leave the door open (even if you end up with bruised legs from walking into it) and make sure you take it out asap after it's washed.

homeaway

brila wrote: »

It has never occured to me to clean the rubber seal on the washing machine - but I have just run my finger inside it and am properly disgusted! I have wiped it out with a cloth and am running a 90 deg wash as we speak. UGH!

I do try to leave the washing machine door open after a wash to air the drum, but super-tidy toddler keeps shutting it so I still get a musty damp smell in there. Will try the maintenance wash thingy now! Thank you all posters for showing me the error of my manky ways...

dont forget to take out the soap drawer and clean in there as well. Mine gets disgusting..... vinegar sorts it out tho.

marybishop

Double check the hoses at the back of the machine. Had a vile smell from my machine which turned out to be virtually blocked hoses (grey gunky stuff). Took some cleaning out but the smell went.

But since then I've had same smell from inside the machine - found grey gunk and limescale all round the inside of the rubber seal where it meets the drum (if that makes sense). I tried hottest setting with detergent - no good. Then tried it with vinegar - no good. Then tried it with 6 - 8 tbs of citric acid - did the trick!

Since realised the smell is not helped by washing dog towels - that definitely brings it back!!

Also if I don't leave the machine door wide open the smell starts to come back.

HTH

kaya

its a long shot but it could be your washer isn't rinsing the clothes properly? could the smell be remnants of washing powder/(bacteria(due to low temps)), check the drain filter if you have one, run the machine empty of clothes and see how long it takes to drain out the water(right before it spins), it should take seconds, if it seems to be struggling you could have a blockage meaning your clothes would not rinse properly and will still be covered in washing powder