Washer/dryer leaves clothes with damp smell

sand_hun

I have a washer/drier installed in an outhouse at the rear of my property. After I run a washing cycle, I usually do a short drying spin, about 60 mins before hanging them up to dry fully. However the clothes have a damp-ish type smell to them. I tried running a 90 degree hot wash with some vinegar but it hasn't resolved the issue. Has anyone experienced similar? If so, can you suggest how to get rid of the smell from clothes.

coffeehound

It sounds like bacteria are persisting in the clothes due to the long time they are staying warm and damp.  You could try using one of the antibacterial wash additives for low-temperature washes (old-schoolers use napisan).  Or for items that can tolerate the heat, a 60 degree wash would also work.

Emmia

I'd also try and leave the door ajar slightly when it's not in use, so air is circulating in the washer. 

prettyandfluffy

Run the washing machine on a hot cycle with a cup of washing soda in the drum, and always keep the door open when the machine isn't in use so that it dries out properly.

LukeForrest

Check the waste hose, it usually comes with a fixing for it to pump up over, then falls down and runs to the waste, there could be stagnant water that's running back into the machine following a wash.

dharm999

sand_hun said:

I have a washer/drier installed in an outhouse at the rear of my property. After I run a washing cycle, I usually do a short drying spin, about 60 mins before hanging them up to dry fully. However the clothes have a damp-ish type smell to them. I tried running a 90 degree hot wash with some vinegar but it hasn't resolved the issue. Has anyone experienced similar? If so, can you suggest how to get rid of the smell from clothes.

We have separate washer and dryer but had a similar problem in that clothes came out the washer with a musty smell, but that stopped when we switched from liquid to powder detergent, no idea why, but that worked for us

sand_hun

Thanks all. It seems to be better now. I took the following steps 

- leaving door open after a wash/dry

- took the draw out and soaked in hot water & gave thorough clean

- emptied the waste / filter thing at the base of the machine, quite a lot of water came out

- cleaned the rubber washing machine seals inside the drum

Albermarle

dharm999 said:

sand_hun said:

I have a washer/drier installed in an outhouse at the rear of my property. After I run a washing cycle, I usually do a short drying spin, about 60 mins before hanging them up to dry fully. However the clothes have a damp-ish type smell to them. I tried running a 90 degree hot wash with some vinegar but it hasn't resolved the issue. Has anyone experienced similar? If so, can you suggest how to get rid of the smell from clothes.

We have separate washer and dryer but had a similar problem in that clothes came out the washer with a musty smell, but that stopped when we switched from liquid to powder detergent, no idea why, but that worked for us

Liquid detergent builds up if use the drawer to dose it in . You need to take the drawer out regularly and clean all the gunk out that builds up.
That is why it is recommended to add the liquid direct into the drum with one of those little dosing balls.

Run the washing machine on a hot cycle with a cup of washing soda in the drum

Some machines have a specific cycle for 'drum clean' . As well as washing soda, you can buy proprietary washing machine cleaner. Or just use normal powder as it has some bleach in it.

Eldi_Dos

Get a lemon and cut into slices, place in a container, old spreadable butter container works.Keep inside drum between washes, drum and seals smell fresher.
Works with fridge if you have had strong smelling items in it.

coffeehound

@sand_hun it’s not the machine.  The clothes contain bacteria from normal wear.  Cooler washes with bio detergent do not kill them off in the wash. 

You are then warming the clothes up in the dryer but then leaving them damp. This gives ideal conditions for the germs to multiply. 

By using something to kill the bacteria in the wash you will break the cycle. 

Old big-box non-bio powder often contains bleaching agents that kill some germs, though whether enough to sterilise, I don’t know. 

kimwp

I read an article recently that says using too much detergent can leave clothes dirty. Something to do with surfactant suspending the dirt in the water to be rinsed - if there's too much surfactant from the detergent, then it doesn't get rinsed off and settles back onto the clothes with the dirt.