Washing machine

madlyn

Noticed over the last couple of weeks that my washing machine and sometimes the clothes when I take them out are smelling a bit fusty. Any homemade remedies to stop this?

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

You need to wash your whites at 90C, as this will clean you washing machine as well. Do not was at 20C as this is not hot enough to tickle the bacteria, 60C for coloured and 40 for others.

Mojisola

A lot of white clothes can't be washed at 90 degrees.

To keep our machine clean, I do a 90 degree wash with the machine empty and use soda crystals instead of detergent.

Cisco001

You wash with soda bicarbonate and half cup of vinegar on hot to clean it.

And I occasionally do a 90 degree wash when I washing my white bed sheet or bath towel.

dingdongsaving

Agreed with others...about once a month I do a load of towels or basic white school tees at 90 degrees with 10-20 drops of lemon essential oil in the main detergent tray to aid clearing odours as the hot water clears bacteria through.

Fire_Fox

Read the user manual and do all the recommended maintenance activities. Service wash, empty filters, clean the drawer, wipe the seals etc.

You don't necessarily need a pricey commercial cleaning product, but occasional descaler is a good idea even with soft water. It is just citric acid crystals that you throw in the drum.

You can buy citric acid super cheap in a dosed sachet, or in a tub and use the same amount. I would not suggest white vinegar for an actual 'treatment': the crystals dissolving in the hot water boosts their effect.

Be aware that some other recommeded DIY remedies (eg. soda crystals/ sodium bicarb) are alkaline, so do not mix with citric acid or they will neutralise one another. Use them separately for full benefits.

Camomile

What detergent are you using to wash your clothes? Washing pods sometimes don’t dissolve fully and leave the residues. Put your washing machine on hot wash 90 degrees empty. I also leave the door open overnight( when nobody can bump into it) and wipe the seal where the water collects.

SpikyHedgehog

I find if I do a hot (at least 60°) wash over night and take the stuff out in the morning, it's fine, but if do a cooler wash overnight and take it out in the morning, it smells - as Blackbeard of Perranporth said, it's not been washed at a hot enough temperature to do anything to the bacteria.

How quickly after the cycle is finished are you able to get the washing out of the machine?

Is it all draining properly, and no water going back into the drum after the cycle is finished?

JCS1

When I do a 90 degree wash to clean the machine, I tend to throw in any washable dishcloths and white tea towels.