Washing machine smells!

[Silver Fox]

Could it be a stray sock that's got caught up somewhere inside the machine, it always happens, there's always a sock missing when you empty the washing.

Sorry, not very helpful I know, I'm just in one of those moods

 

[snorri]

Hm... check your filter,

.....and when you have checked it, make sure you replace the filter bung properly, and check for leaks around the bung during the first wash following the check. Very important to check the filter bung is not leaking.

 

[steve52]

i had the same but found a washing machine cleaner in asda one of thoses on a hot wash and asll sorted now i its old soap in the drun that dose it

 

[Pennine-Paul]

Used to fix washers for a living,It's a very common problem especially if your using lower

temp washes,We were told by the powder manufacturers that it was the enzymes in

the powder that cause the slime build up and to put the machine on 90 degree wash with

a capful of bleach in the prewash,also pull your drawer out completely and get an old

toothbrush and a little bleach and scrub the ceiling of the dispenser,these get black and smelly

as well.

And never pour hot fat down your sink either it congeals in the washers drain tube,blocks up the tube

and then you've got a washer full of water

 

[Archie_tect]

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

Yuk! That and the filter/ coin trap... not a nice job.

....or take it outside and turn it upside down and give it a good shake- works with the toaster.

 

[Night Train]

Planning ahead for all this I installed my washer on blocks so that I could get a bowl under it for draining when the filter gets pulled out. Otherwise I find the filter is always at floor level.

I did one recently for a neighbour where we had to pull the washer out from under the units and balance it on two chairs to drain it when the pump packed up. The only way to drain it was to pull the pipe from the pump and that was underneath the centre of the washer at floor level.

 

[2PedalsTez]

Used to fix washers for a living,It's a very common problem especially if your using lower

temp washes,We were told by the powder manufacturers that it was the enzymes in

the powder that cause the slime build up and to put the machine on 90 degree wash with

a capful of bleach in the prewash,also pull your drawer out completely and get an old

toothbrush and a little bleach and scrub the ceiling of the dispenser,these get black and smelly

as well.

And never pour hot fat down your sink either it congeals in the washers drain tube,blocks up the tube

and then you've got a washer full of water

+1

This never really used to happen in the old days of basic detergent and wash temps of at least 40 (plus people would often use the 90 wash for cottons). The trade-off of using detergent that wash below 30 etc etc is that it gunks the waste pipe, which is why you should run an empty 90 wash once a month.
If your waste pipe isn't connected correctly, it can cause some of the waste water to drain back into the machine and smell.
May be worth checking the waste and down pipe before you run any cleaning program to make sure it doesn't have too much 'build-up' in it (you won't want a flood!)

Oh... some of the gunk is body fat build up that washes out of your clothes! It's not nice!

 

[Fab Foodie]

All of the above, BUT if you really really want to stop gunkiness and mouldy soapo drawers the simple answer is to STOP USING FRIKKIN' FABRIC CONDITIONER.

I got really pi55ed-off constantly de-molding the soap dispenser area and de-scalling and boiling out previous machines. Furthermore the gunk made for smelly clothes too and I got pi55ed-off with putting on a shirt that smelt like it had already been worn.
Our most recent one has been 99% Conditioner free (Mrs FF used tried to sneakily use it - RAGE ensued) and we've never had mould build-up or gunkiness and we wash 99% at 30C.
It was my Dutch colleagues who told me of this valuable tip for which I forever thank them.
Just put a descaler tab in every so often cos we have hard water.

 

[fossyant]

Conditioner is really bad...........

 

[Night Train]

I don't use conditioner.

I haven't had any problems with my washer for the 6-7 years I've had it. Didn't take out any warrenty either.

The only problem I have had has been with my dryer. I washed a pair of gripper work gloves and forgot to take them out before putting the clean laundry in the dryer. My dryer now smells of burnt rubber.

 

[fossyant]

I don't use conditioner.

I haven't had any problems with my washer for the 6-7 years I've had it. Didn't take out any warrenty either.

The only problem I have had has been with my dryer. I washed a pair of gripper work gloves and forgot to take them out before putting the clean laundry in the dryer. My dryer now smells of burnt rubber.

Well, if you are into the 'burnt rubber' smell then you are quids in

 

[XmisterIS]

I always put a half scoop of soda crystals in with the wash - makes the clothes smell nice and fresh without needing fabric conditioner and it keeps the machine smelling good too.