Foul smelling washing machine

Jonathan_Powell

It doesn't happen all the time but probably 90% of the time my clothes don't smell great. A lot of the time it has a sweet, pungent sweaty smell to it. I started washing my gym stuff separately but still the same issue. Any troubleshooting suggestions? 

neilmcl

Cleaning your machine would be a good start. Take out the detergent drawer and give it a good wash, paying attention to the softener compartment and also clean the area where the drawer fits especially the holes above where the water comes. Then give the machine a regular 90 degree maintenance wash, no clothes, just powdered detergent and white vinegar in the softener, you could always use a specific washing machine cleaner if you want.

I always wash gym clothes separately and never use fabric conditioner with them. Instead I use something like Dettol Anti-bac laundry cleanser.

Browntoa

Some modern Washing machine need something in the drum to work , worse case chuck an old towel or something in during the 90  degree wash

FreeBear

Check the flexi waste pipe - It should loop up high before discharging in to the rigid waste pipe so that dirty water doesn't run back in to the machine from a sink.

If your WM has a drum cleaning cycle, use it every now and then. An occasional hot wash will also help. I sometimes bung a cap full of bleach in and wash some grubby hand towels - Subsequent washes have a faint whiff of bleach sometimes.

Alanp

Use bio powder/ liquid occasionally and run a few 90deg washes ( empty ) 

Emmia

Do you completely close the door of the machine after use? I tend to "latch" it without fully closing it which means that air can circulate in the drum a bit on the days I'm not doing washing - alternatively leaving the door open overnight can work too. 

Jonathan_Powell

FreeBear said:

Check the flexi waste pipe - It should loop up high before discharging in to the rigid waste pipe so that dirty water doesn't run back in to the machine from a sink.

If your WM has a drum cleaning cycle, use it every now and then. An occasional hot wash will also help. I sometimes bung a cap full of bleach in and wash some grubby hand towels - Subsequent washes have a faint whiff of bleach sometimes.

Washed it on 90c with a bit of bleach. Will re-wash my clothes tomorrow and see how it goes. I have a feeling it's the waste pipe. I had a clown of a plumber not too long ago who wrecked my passage way, bathroom and kitchen in one go. He also moved the washing machine around and I bet his messed that up too. 

Paula_Smith

Are you putting too much washing liquid and fabric softener in?
Try putting half what you usually put in for a while and see if it makes a difference.
Also -leave the door slightly open when you are not using it.

parcival

We always remove the detergent tray after every wash and leave the door open for a few hours. Tray only goes back in when it is dry. Machine is well over 10 years old and clean as a whistle and we do not waste money on Calgon or other stuff......

yksi

I would echo the door thing, leave it open whenever the machine isn't in use. People also do tend to use far more detergent than they need and when it builds up you'll also provide a home for bacteria and mould to grow. A major appliance company's recommendation for a cleaning cycle when I worked for them was the hottest wash with just washing crystals in it - also known as soda crystals, or Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3. And if you can get access to the hosing at the back, you can replace the flex outlet tube for a few pounds, cleaning this will be near on impossible as all the ridges will be filled with grey gunk.

Jonathan_Powell

We use the liquid pods when doing washing.