Ewww my washing machine STINKS :(

Loopy_Girl

floyd wrote: »

Put it on the hottest setting it will go (95 or 100 if possible) dont put any clothes in it but throw a big handful of soda crystals or biological washing powder into the drum and run the wash.

The smell is caused by a buildup of bacteria and mold in the pipes due to using low temp washes frequently as neither these nor non-bio powders can kill the beasties

Ah perfect...I have bio powder (although I don't use it anymore as I use the gels) and I think my hottest is 90.

Magic - I knew I would get an answer here:D

Thank you v much x

Loopy_Girl

Oooh...have actually just found a bag of soda crystals in the cupboard ( I use them to clean my silver) so what is best...powder or crystals or does it not really matter?

lil_me

I'd use the soda crystals as they leave less residue & are good on grease, hottest wash possible is the most important thing

lil_me

http://www.washerhelp.co.uk/usage_2.html#cl_q1

I do mine at least once a month as we do more laundry than average

jackieb

Mine smells a lot more if I use the Gels. I've gone back to using powder.

anguk

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

Ah perfect...I have bio powder (although I don't use it anymore as I use the gels) and I think my hottest is 90.

Magic - I knew I would get an answer here:D

Thank you v much x

That may be the problem, washing machine engineers normally recommend that you use powder because the gel/liquid tends to make your machine smell. I know I had more bother when I switched to laundry liquid so now I do a "maintenance wash" once a month. I put some soda crystals in the dispenser drawer then run an empty boil wash.

russetred

This was a problem I had recently and I tried several ways to solve it.I was using washing liquid which I think is probably the cause of foosty machine smells.Firstly I tried the hottest wash poss then the hottest wash with soda crystals and bleach.That didnt work so I pulled out the drawer and cleaned the drawer and behind it with bleach.I emptied the trap at the bottom and wiped the door seal with bleach.The smell was still there but luckily before calling out the plumber a friend gave me a packet of Oust washing machine cleaner which I put through a normal wash.It worked and there's been no smell since.Its available in Superdrug at 99p for a twin pack.Hope this helps anyone being driven mad by this .

lil_me

Be very very careful using bleach as it can damage washer seals.

I think liquid would dissolve better, what we do with liquid/gels is use shorter/cooler washes which causes issues but a regular service wash should keep it ok. I do a 90 wash with my cleaning cloths in too, once a fortnight ish, which helps.

Oh when it is not being used keep the door open and don't keep wet laundry inside, both cause smells

Loopy_Girl

Thank you all for replies

Will use the crystals...;)

Have to admit I only ever use the one cycle which is a 40 and I switched to the gels when the Ariel one first came out and I did dind it a much better clean than the powder.

I think a maintenance wash once a month (it's only me and the wee one in the house so the machine isn't on that much...2-3 times a week) is the way forward.

And I always do keep the machine door wide open after a wash to dry out hence how I was struggling with how it was smelly.

Thank you all so much:T

Loopy_Girl

Am now foosty free ladies

Many thanks:beer: