Help...followed advice on here and now my washing machine stinks!

Apple-shaped

hi,
after reading a thread on here the other day I decided to clean my washing machine!! Cleaned out drawer,filter,door seal ect... and ran vinegar through on the hottest wash and now my machine stinks!!! and when I say stinks I mean it well and truely honks!!! It didnt smell at all really before I cleaned it but now it is vile

Any ideas please of how to get rid of smell? I've run it through 3 more times on highest, OH cleaned out the pipes,I've re-cleaned filter,seal,drawer ect...3 times although they looked spotless. I'm at a loss of what to do now I ran it through this morning on highest with powder,soda crystals and an old towel in and the towel now smells disgusting

Any help appreciated, got loads of washing building up and we are all running out of clean stuff .
Thanks

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

As most nowadays choose to do some form a greenwash, and I mead greanwash in nature as well, and wash at low temperatures, bacteria in your machine is not killed off at this temperature. Just think, your boiler, heats your water to above 67C, as this kills all bacteria in your hot water. You have already heated the water, why do you, and greenwash!!, then lower this to some kind of myth temerpature to do your washing.


You may find, especially if you use powders, that these do not fully dissolve at these low temperatures.


Solution, your whites (And BoP wear the full on white Y Fronts as well) do them on the hot wash at 90C. You will notice a difference very quickly.


Oh, and clean the door rim and the filter as well. Vinegar, hmmm only the French can make sour whine!

Apple-shaped

hi,
thanks for reply. I actually do most of my washing these days at higher temp not low ones and as stated above I have cleaned door,seal and filter 3 times now but its making no difference.

Thanks

good_advice

Morning.You did use white vinegar, I hope for cleaning?

Try leaving the door open to air?

Honey_Bear

Turn the spin speed to its lowest setting and run the machine empty, no towels or anything else in it.

Then put a generous slug of liquid bleach in all three sections of your powder/conditioner drawer and run the machine on the hottest possible wash.

After it's finishd, leave the door and soap dispenser drawer open to let them dry out.

A possible reason for the honking - there are a lot of products sold that call themselves 'vinegar,' going under such titles as 'non-brewed condiment' and other such stuff. What you need is real vinegar - which has been brewed and distilled. (The non-brewed condiment will absolutely guarantee your machine reeks - I have no idea what it is, but it isn't vinegar and I wouldn't use it in cooking or clean with it.) If you can't find a catering size container of vinegar, use $ar$on$ pick1ing vinegar - but don't use the malted stuff or you'll probably end up with brown streaks on things.

Apple-shaped

hi,
thanks for reply. Yes used white vinegar. I've had the door and drawer open for 3 days...it is stinking my whole house out. They are left open over night and we are literally heaving with smell in the morning...the smell is rotten

Apple-shaped

hi HB,,,
thanks for reply...it is actually half way through an empty hot wash with bleach now after I read to do that else where.Will look to follow rest of your suggestions to.
many thanks

honeythewitch

I think you must have dislodged some sludge from the pipes. It is the worst smell in the world. You could try a boil wash with a whole bag of soda crystals followed by a boil wash with a whole bottle of thick bleach.
I think it will take several washes to shift it all, but eventually it will go.

( I don't think soda and bleach would be good for the machine if you used them often, but I am sure once as an emergency will be ok)

Apple-shaped

hi, thanks. I know the smell has got to be one of the worst I have ever smelt!!:eek:

Yes I think you are right, it has dislodged gunk.When I 1st ran it through after smell appeared a load of sludge came out of filter, but the next few times I ran it through it stayed clean.

Anyway..the smell seemed to go after the "bleach" wash so I have now chanced a towel wash. Fingers crossed they will come out smelling clean.

thanks for advice