Cleaning a Smelly Washing Machine

Just recently my three year old machine has begun to smell really disgusting on the hot wash. I ran Calgon through it, no good. My daughter suggested trying a biological detergent in an empty machine ( I can't wash with a bio, it makes me itch). No good. I've also checked the drain. I don't want to buy a new one if I can avoid it, but doing the washing in the sink is hell. I'm desperate. Any ideas?

By Marg

Answers: Cleaning a Smelly Washing Machine

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By 07/02/2012

I know the soap used for a dish washer does work.

By 07/01/2012

Fill the washer with water, add a full bottle (l liter, 1 quart) of white vinegar and run thru a cycle.

By 06/29/2012

Foxum41 had a good idea with the vinegar. I was thinking baking soda. Again, with no clothes as Foxum41 had said.

Another thought I just had was you need to make sure the smell is from the machine and not from the drain the machine uses. Take the exhaust hose off the drain pipe and give the pipe a sniff. It could be you have odors in the pipe and they are coming up into the machine. I don't know what you would do in that case. I'm not sure baking soda or vinegar would help in that situation. You might need to talk to a plumber.

By 06/29/2012

Two thoughts. Both ideas are run with no clothes in the machine. What I use is Tide washing machine cleaner available in the soap isle of your grocery store. Also try some vinegar. Maybe some other posters have more ideas.