Stinky washing machine

Lorian

On the first picture is the waste from the Washing machine the black pipe coming in from the hole on the right?

On that same picture to where does the little white pipe going upwards go?

Le_Kirk

http://ibb.co/mp9nSm
http://ibb.co/gG0u7m
http://ibb.co/c5EbL6

greenbee

Lorian wrote: »

On that same picture to where does the little white pipe going upwards go?

looks like a boiler condensate pipe...

Lizabeth21 wrote: »

Don’t know about plumbing/pipes/drains but have had experience of smelly washers. What sort of programs do you use- a mixture of temperatures? Not always 30 degrees? What detergent ? Always liquid? Powder helps to keep drum clean. Is the machine built in or free standing? Do you leave the door open when not in use? The detergent drawer space can become mouldy and smelly very quickly in the damp warm environment. Have you checked the pumps filter?

I second this. Clean out the filter, run a cleaning cycle (hottest possible wash on empty with either washing machine cleaning tabs or soda crystals, and vinegar in the fabric conditioner drawer.

If you use conditioner/detergent in the drawer, take out drawer and clean it and the space it goes into.

If you always wash at low temps with liquid do the occasional hot wash using powder. And put the detergent straight into the drum.

Consider replacing conditioner with vinegar which doesn't clog the pipes or grow mould.

Clean the rubber seal round the door very carefully - work a cloth into all the folds, and underneath it.

It's also worth filling the sink right up (to overflowing) while the machine is on, and when the rinse cycle starts letting the plug out of the sink. This way you can ensure that no waste water is going in the wrong direction and the pipes get a good clear out. You might even want to take off the sink trap and clear it out

Wig

#13 Le Kirk thanks for the links.

Good you said someone has smelled it too, as some people can get imaginary scents.

Pic no.1
I first thought as post #12 thought that the waste from the wm/c is coming in from the right but I can't see any other exit pipe?

Then I realised that the sink waste probably exits through to the right. In which case we need a better pic no.3 showing how the waste exits the building. and how the wm/c pipe relates to the right hand side of pic no.1
I don't think this is anything to do with the way you do washes (although I am curious about putting vinegar into a clothes wash? Does that work?).


I think, to rule out the washing m/c, pull the washing m/c out, remove the black pipe from the top of the white pipe, before doing anything sniff in the white pipe. Then pour clean water down the white pipe and keep sniffing. You will need to do something to stop spillage, so if you have a garden hose connected to a tap that will reach here you could use that, you would have to take off the end fitting so it is just the hose, and turn it on outside in the garden first so you know how far to turn the tap to get a reasonable flow of water but not too much, then turn it off move the hose into the white pipe and repeat. Or you could use an empty 2 litre bottle of pop, put a towel on the floor under the white pipe before pouring.

Also in pic no. 2 how high off the ground is the top of the curve of the black pipe? and how far down inside the white pipe does the black pipe go? and how high off the ground is the top of the white pipe?

I would say the solution is to raise the white u-bend up a bit in pic no.2 to make it into a 'S' bend... raise it up by 6 inches... so it comes down and into the grey waste pipe. at the moment it goes up into the grey waste pipe. and also raise the top of the white pipe as high as possible. You could also lower the grey waste pipe if possible.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/mcalpine-basin-s-trap-white-32mm/89577?

Are you sure it is not an electrical smell from the w m/c?

You could also pull the w m/c out and move the w m/c drain pipe into the sink, so it empties into the sink.... then use the machine and sniff around the white pipe, and sink water.

TheBadgerCat

Thanks for everyone's thoughts and apologies for the delayed reply!

I've used powder and liquid, sometimes dettol laundry cleanser and conditioner/no conditioner. Always smells regardless. It's definitely not the washer being dirty or clogged because I personally bought the washer new when I moved in and the smell from the first wash was horrific. I can't imagine the washing machine is faulty because clothes come out clean and there are no leaks. It's not the smell of dirty water or electrical, it's a sulphur sewer smell.

Pipework wise, I believe the 90deg white pipe is from the boiler. The sink flows from the left to the right and meets the washing machine waste behind the cupboard. I can't remember exactly how they are joined. The washing machine waste pipe is slotted all the way to the bottom of the white pipe which is about 30 long and 20-30cm off the ground (estimating!)
If I remember correctly, the washing machine pipe goes up to the top of the washing machine where it is clipped in, and then drops back down to the bottom.

Wig, your suggestions are very helpful with narrowing down where the smell is coming from.
Also greenbee re filling the sink. However it's at its worst at the very beginning of the cycle. The washing machine does a small drain at the beginning, I guess it's due to small amount of water trickling through rather than a full drain forcing any smells outwards.

I'll try the suggestions and report back with some better photos! Thanks all :beer:

getmore4less

pull the washer out and run a wash with the drain pipe into the sink

I wonder if the washer U bend or the sink one is siphoning dry