Ewww my washing machine STINKS :(

Ticklemouse

I suppose if you think about it, the problems could be to do with all this artificial fabric conditioner etc. The conditioner effectively puts a coating on the fibres. The gunk inside my door seal was black and sort of slimey too, like the fabric conditioner (the slimey, not the black bit) Eeewwww, makes you think about what we're putting on our skin really - that's why I gave over using it ages ago.

If you don't use conditioner and still have a stinky machine, well, I dunno. Stick with the vinegar.

Galtizz

My fabric softener drawer has looked at lot cleaner and less slimier and gunkyer since I started using the vinegar/ bicarb softner and my skin has been better too.

Queenie

r.mac wrote:

OK - daft question, but where is the filter which I should be cleaning?!

Thanks
Rhona

Mine is located as a small sort of knob in the front of the machine at the bottom. It should unscrew and all sorts of gunk comes out (plus some water, so have a thick cloth ready underneath it when you open it).

All machine's should have them, but I'd like to bet they are all in a different place!

frizz_head

Galtizz wrote:

My fabric softener drawer has looked at lot cleaner and less slimier and gunkyer since I started using the vinegar/ bicarb softner and my skin has been better too.

So, just to make sure I've got this right - you still use washing powder, but in place of fabric conditioner you use white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. Do the clothes still smell like summer meadows? You see I'm a bit of a smell freak - I have plug ins all over the house - no, I don't smell, just I love the house to smell fresh - and that goes for my washing too. I love the smell when I put all my washing on the radiators to dry. I would love to try the above, but bit worried I will smell like a bag of chips!!! :eek:

What quantites do I need to use of each.

elona

Frizz head

Do not buy plug ins!

If you get a sray bottle and fill it with water then a few drops of any essential oil that you like ( could even have a mixture) then spray this around house every day!

You can also spray this on your washing before you iron it ( I do this instead of using Va*******se and have saved a lot of money.

It really works and it is good for the environment.

If anyone asks you what it is make sure it is in a fancy bottle and say it is a designer ironing water or designer room fragrance! :_

Queenie

frizz - the vinegar will not make your laundry smell like you work in a chippy but, if you are really concerned, add a few drops of essential oil (from the bottle you'll buy to follow elona's advice).

To add to elona's advice, use a cotton bud dipped into the EO (essential oil that you bought for the room spray and vinegar rinse) and wipe it over your light bulbs; as the bulb warms, it will release the scent

MATH

Just out of interest how many of you use hot washes. I toyed with cold water washing a while ago and it was ok for a while but things gradually got dingy. For every warm wash (about 40 c) I do three hot washes (about 60 c) is this normal

Ticklemouse

I usually do all my washes on 40 c, but just do a longer wash. I used to do my bedding on a long 60 c wash after seeing Kim and Aggy, but my new bedding only gets the 40 c wash - too expensive to ruin! I always use Oxiclean and my whites seem to stay white.

filigree_2

Does your washing machine empty into a common pipe with your kitchen sink? I found that dirty washing up water was draining into the washing machine because the gormless fitter connected the pipes so that the washing machine drain was downhill from the sink (sorry if I explained that badly). They came back and fitted a plastic gizmo that held the hose up higher than the U bend.

I read somewhere that because we all use cool washes now, the pipes get clogged with fatty deposits from the biological stains on our clothes. Eurrrrgh! To stop your washing machine's arteries from hardening, you should do one wash a month as hot as possible. I'm sure icky things like the dog's towel, snotty hankies etc would benefit from a really hot wash occasionally.

I finally figured out how to pull the soap drawer right out, the slime in there is vile. I dump the whole thing in hot water with a slug of bleach, and clean out the hole where the drawer used to be, because that gets pretty slimy too. I use an old toothbrush and whatever cleaner comes to hand ie own brand Cif.

Final suggestion, does your machine have one of those rinse hold buttons? That's where the machine fills up and stays full till you switch on the rinse programme. You could try using loads of vinegar and rinse hold to give the insides a really good soak.

frizz_head

Yes, filigree, our washing machine and sink share the same waste pipe, and when the washing machines running, the sink gurgles the whole time. Have to look into this one after work.

I too do all my washes on 40, but do all my towels on 90, to get rid of smell build up.

Think I will have a good go at cleaning the whole thing out this weekend.

Thanks for the tip on essential oil on lightbulbs Queenie, I'll try that tonight.