Washing machine smells!

[Paulus]

Just recently my machine has started to smell really badly. It is that smell of drains that neen cleaning out. Has anyone got any tips on products to clear the smell like dishwasher cleaner or something similar? Your help is appreciated.

 

[summerdays]

My husband puts in a dishwasher tablet or cleaner (can't remember which) and does an empty hot cycle every now and again.

 

[BigAndyH]

Our machine started to smell when we started using the liquid detergent in the little sachets. Looked on the internet and one solution seemed to be do a wash with the machine empty using soda crystals and bleach - sorry can't remember recommended quantities. The other possibility is the filter is blocked so dirty water is accumulating in the outlet so wort hchecking that also - can usaually be removed from the front of the machine.
We did both and have gone back to powder and the smell has never recurred - something to do with the liquids not having any bleach I think so stinky bacteria can breed in the pipes.

 

[fossyant]

Check the door seals don't have any goo in them where water stands.

Good option may be to do a hot wash with a bit of bleech in there (no clothes ) and then run a few rinse washes. I've done this before

Check the outlet hose is clear !

 

[fossyant]

Heh, all come up with the same answer !

 

[Klaus]

A few things :

- get a washing machine specific cleaner - generally a bottle of powder or liquid you do a wash cycle with (no load ...). That is especially useful in hardwater areas.
- clean out the detergent box - comes out easily - lot's of goo collects in the nooks and crannies.
- clean out the pump filter - somewhere near the bottom - don't forget there's water in there, drain first

+ all the other suggestions above.

 

[ianrauk]

There was a whole piece on smelly washing machines on Watchdog last week.

Apparently you should run an empty 90 degree wash once a month which should clean the machine.

 

[Beebo]

All the above will help, plus leave the door open when you ar enot using it.

We had a similar problem, we were using Persil Colour or Arial Colour liquid sachets. The COLOUR liquid washing powders dont have any bleach in them and this was why the washing machine smelt.

We have changed back to standard big box powder and the smell has gone

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Just recently my machine has started to smell really badly. It is that smell of drains that neen cleaning out. Has anyone got any tips on products to clear the smell like dishwasher cleaner or something similar? Your help is appreciated.

Hm... check your filter, and then check that there's no gunk inside the rubber seal by the door. I'd also just try a super hot wash.

 

[Paulus]

Thankyou thankyou thankyou. I knew I could rely on getting good answers from you lot. I have found a box of washing soda in the cupboard, so I will try the soda, bleach and hot wash option first. Then the washer cleaner stuff. Thanks.

 

[ianrauk]

Hm... check your filter, and then check that there's no gunk inside the rubber seal by the door. I'd also just try a super hot wash.

This is usually the cause.
It's amazing how much black/grey smelly gunk you will find in the rubber folds.

 

[User482]

There was a whole piece on smelly washing machines on Watchdog last week.

Apparently you should run an empty 90 degree wash once a month which should clean the machine.

This is because low temperature washes allow sludge to build up in the pipes and seals. I find that the occassional boil wash with a capful of detergent solves the problem.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

+1
- clean out the pump filter - somewhere near the bottom - don't forget there's water in there, drain first

+ all the other suggestions above.

 

[Night Train]

I got called out to fix a smelly washing machine a couple of months ago. The problem was that the machine waste was plumbed into the kitchen sink waste and waste water from the sink was running down the washing machine drain pipe and into the machine.
I raised the washer pipe above the sink to prove the effect and then fitted a washing machine waste pipe with its own U trap.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I got called out to fix a smelly washing machine a couple of months ago. The problem was that the machine waste was plumbed into the kitchen sink waste and waste water from the sink was running down the washing machine drain pipe and into the machine.
I raised the washer pipe above the sink to prove the effect and then fitted a washing machine waste pipe with its own U trap.

Sounds gross

We had a problem where a smell was coming from the one overflow hole in the sink, and ended up doing some tinkering under the sink. It was a right mess of pipes, there was the main plug, the secondary plug / waste disposal in the smaller sink, the overflow in the smaller sink and the washing machine all bolted together. The washer did have its own u-trap though, the problem was the tube from the overflow into the main pipe had accumulated gunk.