Musty Smell In Front Load Washer

By Elizabeth from Gold Coast, Australia

Archives: Request: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer Archived on 12/21/2009 Does anyone know how to get the musty smell out of a front loading washing machine? I have tried cleaning the rubber seals, bleach, vinegar etc., and nothing is working. I am also leaving the door propped open. Darlene from WI Feedback: RE: Washing Machine Smell I have owned a Kenmore front load washer for about six years and have never had a problem. I keep the detergent/bleach/softener drawer open and the washer door open when not in use. I know some people can't do this due to space. I have hard water and use Borax in every load. I use about 1/4 - 1/2 capful of Wal-mart brand liquid clothes detergent. The amount depends on the size load. I use warm or hot water, at times I will use an extra rinse depending on the load. I very seldom use diluted liquid softener. Most of the time, not always, I use diluted white vinegar. I never leave any clothes in the washer for long lengths of time. When I do use bleach, I dilute it and use a small amount. I do wipe the bottom of the front gasket before I remove the clothes with a washcloth. I never fill any of the dispensers up to the fill line. My clothes come out clean and fresh. I would like to add that majority of our clothes are 100% cotton, because we like the feel of cotton. (08/29/2008) By Ellen RE: Washing Machine Smell Warning: vinegar will help; bleach will help more, but NEVER mix these two. The acid base of vinegar will turn the chlorine in the bleach into chlorine gas. Poisonous gas; very deadly. Chlorine bleach (and products containing it) should never mix with anything, but water. (08/30/2008) By Lesliv RE: Washing Machine Smell Front load washers do not drain the same way as traditional top loaders. So if you leave change or paper in your pockets it doesn't lay in the tub when your done. It cost me allot of money to find such a simple answer to the terrible smell. Find out where the drain is in your machine. Ours was so plugged full after several months of an odor I started reading web sites for answers, but nobody looked in the obvious place, it's where the water leaves the machine (neither did I). Our machine from Sears had a lower front panel under the door that came off with with a screwdriver and some patience. As advised by an employee of Sears's contracted repair service we found the drain full of paper candy wrappers and change the kids left in their cloths and other assorted items. We were washing our money, it plugged the drain and cost us allot more money to get it fixed. Do yourself a favor, forget all the other ideas posted and check out the drain first. And forget about the little bit of mold that builds under the boot, it's likely not source of the odor. (09/14/2008) By no common sense RE: Washing Machine Smell When I complained to my local appliance store, I was told it was a design flaw in all HE machines. Does not matter on the brand. The sales person recommended a product called WasherFresh, use on hot water setting, and the mold and mildew residue is gone. (10/03/2008) By Victoria RE: Washing Machine Smell And don't forget to clean your filters every couple of months too. (11/01/2008) By Maria RE: Washing Machine Smell I was having problems with a mildew smell coming from my front load washer for over a year (Whirlpool Duet). I tried several recommendations, but finally found one that worked for me on one of the morning shows. The first thing I did was wipe down the rubber around the door opening with petroleum jelly to remove any mold buildup. Make sure to get underneath it. They recommended a cotton cloth, but I just used paper towels. The second step was to add 1 gallon of vinegar to the washer and run an empty load on the hottest setting. I poured the vinegar in through the detergent dispenser. It has been about a month and the smell is still gone. I use a liquid laundry detergent, but only about half of what they call for. I also leave my washer door open in between loads. I hope this helps. (11/03/2008) By Allieg RE: Washing Machine Smell We tried everything for our Maytag Neptune washer: ran separate loads of vinegar, Affresh, bleach, you name it. Scoured the machine and was ready to ditch it. Then, stopped using the liquid fabric softener and tried an HE powder (Tide) and it worked. At the beginning, combined the Tide HE powder with Clorox 2 (go figure). Have been using the Tide powder for 8 months now: the whole laundry area smells fresh, the once horrible smelling towels smell fresh. Occasionally I do run a load with hot water, just to make sure. Thrilled with the results. (11/03/2008) By guest nancy Z RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer Use a scoop of dishwasher powder instead of laundry detergent in a hot water wash (without any laundry in the machine). Apparently, dishwasher powder has a mold-cleaning chemical that the manufacturers of clothes-washing detergents are not allowed to add. I have heard that this will clean out the moldy smell as well as Affresh, etc. does. (11/30/2008) By Susan RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer Thank you, for the information about the trap door and the filter on the Whirlpool Duet. I have been complaining for about 8 months about this smell and was ready to loose my mind. My husband took the door off and opened the trap and the amount of water that came out was amazing and the smell was horrible. In the trap was change, a piece of duct tape and lots of gunk. It was disgusting. I did the clean wash cycle after that and now the smell is gone. I will do this monthly to make sure this does not happen again. Thanks for the information, it really helped. (12/13/2008) By Lisa RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer Go to smellywasher.com this stuff works great. (01/05/2009) By Dawn RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer I have tried almost all of the recommendations made here and the one that finally worked was Simple Green. I cleaned the filter trap, which was not very dirty, no help. Tried Smelly Washer, no help. Tried bleach, no help. Tried Borax, no help. Finally ran two cycles with a cup of Simple Green per load and the smell was gone. You can find Simple Green at Home Depot or Lowe's for $10 per gallon jug. Try it. By Rick D RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer I have a Kenmore HE3 that had a mildew smell only when the washer drained after not being used for a day or so. I did not have a smell in the clothes or the washer itself. The post about the filter behind the front panel of the machine did the trick for me. However, also clean the tube the drain is inserted into. I had a penny not in the filter, but in the tube itself, so it was constantly sitting in water. Have several towels ready, I got several cups of water when I pulled the drain. (01/23/2009) By suemd RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer If you use Borax (which I highly recommend, it solved my problem), do not use it with cold water, and do not put it in the dispenser: sprinkle two tablespoons directly over your clothes for each load. Otherwise you risk finding a big clump, hard as rock, in your dispenser after the machine cycle. And that's if you're lucky, if your unlucky the crystal will form inside the pipe leading to the drum, blocking it and causing a massive flood. I know because it happened to me (but luckily hot water does dissolve Borax crystals so I was able to fix the problem with a little poking and a hot empty cycle). (01/25/2009) By Neptune user RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer My husband used to work for a service company. 9 out of every 10 issues he came across from front load smell were caused from user using regular laundry soap. In front load machines you have to use HE soap. Clean out the smell, then try High Efficiency Soap. It will work. (01/29/2009) By Paula D. RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer Use hydrogen peroxide to kill the mold and mildew that is causing that bad smell. Plus, you can add this while washing your clothes. It will kill the mold and mildew and any spores left behind. The hotter the water the quicker it works. Don't be afraid to dump an 8 ounce bottle in a wash cycle. (02/05/2009) By Walter RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer Our Maytag Performa stunk for over a year before we figured out what was wrong. We tried running empty loads or towel loads with vinegar, bleach, etc. and the smell would go away for maybe a week. Then husband finally took it apart and viola. He found tons of nasty, stinky, moldy gunk that had to be cleaned out of everything behind the tub. We have a dog and a cat and I guess the mixture of pet hair and lint was too thick for the "automatic lint filtering system" to flush down the drain. You have to take the machine apart and just clean it out (really good - with bleach) and then put it back together and run an empty hot bleach or vinegar cycle. It's a pain, but it doesn't take too long and it's the only thing that will really get rid of the smell. Running hot empty or towel loads with additives will only kill the smell for a little while: you'll still be washing your clothes with all the gunk behind the tub. Gross, right? Good luck. (02/25/2009) By H Lincoln RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer In the Whirlpool Duet manual it has a monthly maintenance on page 19. You hit a series of buttons and stops with an empty washer and it adds more water you add bleach when the display says Ab and it runs a cycle that cleans. The first time you add one cup and after every month you run it with 1/3 of a cup. It works. (04/11/2009) By brothermj RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer You might want to check if your make and model of washer had a recall on the rubber seal. My parents had the same problem with their washer, brand new, and my dad researched it and found out online that they were replacing rubber seals for that model because a certain mold was growing inside the rubber and nothing kills it. I am not sure what make and model they had, however. But it is the consumer's responsibility to contact the company for a new seal. Good luck. (06/20/2009) By emahist09 RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer I've had the same issue for awhile. I talked to the people at Lowe's and they have a product called "Afresh". The smell comes from the rubber seal being so tight. Wipe down with bleach on the seal and then follow the directions on the bottle. (09/09/2009) By Dee Marie RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer I made the mistake of reading up on my front loaders after I bought them. So this is what I started doing not too long after we got them. I use only organic liquid washing liquid, vinegar in the softener cup and a scoop of Oxyclean and when I need bleach I use the one for HE machines. So far, so good. I will also use all the advice posted on here about taking it apart and cleaning. I love my front loaders, can wash 12 pairs of jeans at a time. Gotta love that. (11/20/2009) By Stuff64 RE: Musty Smell In Front Load Washer I finally found a solution to the smell in my LG front load washer. I switched from Tide liquid to Tide powder and I drain it if it starts to smell. This was absolutely the worst purchase I have made. Wish I had my top load washing machine back. (12/20/2009) By dclarance Report Spam or Abuse Request: Washing Machine Smell Archived on 11/06/2008 With my first front load washer, I continually had problems with the spin cycle not spinning the clothes properly. Clothing would be sopping wet and I would have to spin 3-4 times to get them in a non-dripping condition. My boyfriend and I moved in a house together and now we are using his front loading washer. I don't have the same problem, but now his machine smells like mildew (it did not before in his apartment). Clothes come out clean and clothing does not smell. But the inside of the machine smells. How can I get the smell out of the washer? I've checked inside and around the rubber seal thing where coins sometimes get caught, but there is no stray sock or anything else stuck in there. I've tried running the machine with nothing inside and on a hot wash, but the smell stays. Any ideas? My aunt suggests running a hot wash with a full bottle of white vinegar or bleach since both products are good for cleaning. I want to use a front load washer since it is supposed to be more energy efficient and saves on water, but I haven't had good luck and am ready to go back to a top load washer. Thanks for any help or ideas. Fran from Dallas Answers: RE: Washing Machine Smell Your aunt is right. I have a front loader too and I run it once a week or so with hot water, a cup of white vinegar and bleach. Then scrub it in addition to make sure I've got in all those rubber crevices. The newer front loaders have drains in the rubber that fixed this problem, but the main reason behind the smell is because water gets trapped in the rubber area next to the door. So clean that really well. Also, when you are turning your laundry over, keep a towel nearby to just dry that out between loads. (08/27/2008) By jediwa72 RE: Washing Machine Smell I have owned a Kenmore front load washer for about six years and have never had a problem. I keep the detergent/bleach/softener drawer open and the washer door open when not in use. I know some people can't do this due to space. I have hard water and use Borax in every load. I use about 1/4 - 1/2 capful of Wal-mart brand liquid clothes detergent. The amount depends on the size load. I use warm or hot water, at times I will use an extra rinse depending on the load. I very seldom use diluted liquid softener. Most of the time, not always, I use diluted white vinegar. I never leave any clothes in the washer for long lengths of time. When I do use bleach, I dilute it and use a small amount. I do wipe the bottom of the front gasket before I remove the clothes with a washcloth. I never fill any of the dispensers up to the fill line. My clothes come out clean and fresh. I would like to add that majority of our clothes are 100% cotton because we like the feel of cotton. (08/29/2008) By Ellen RE: Washing Machine Smell The way you use a front load washing machine is different than using a top load machine. There is less water, so you use less detergent. I have talked to a Tide rep and was told that most people think it's the suds that clean but that's not true. Manufacturers made the detergents sudsy because that's what consumers want. On front loaders, your wash load size goes more by bulk than amount. You should not wash heavy items and light items together. For example, you should not wash heavy cotton denim jeans with lighter type clothes like thin t-shirts or pants. Its how much water an article of clothing "holds" as opposed to the physical appearance. If the load is mixed like that the washer will go off balance and will not spin properly. This is true for top load machines also. Your washer and dryer should be cleaned, inside and out on a regular basis. It's a good idea to listen to your washer and dryer at times. Sometimes you can hear a problem before it starts to become bigger. I always have the radio on in my car but I take the time on occasion to listen to my car with the radio turned off. There were times when my car needed some type of maintenance work done because I told my husband that the car didn't sound right. (08/29/2008) By Barbara RE: Washing Machine Smell Warning: vinegar will help; bleach will help more -- but NEVER mix these two -- the acid base of vinegar will turn the chlorine in the bleach into chlorine gas. Poisonous gas; very deadly. Chlorine bleach (and products containing it) should never mix with anything but water! (08/30/2008) By Lesliv RE: Washing Machine Smell My problem is solved, wife was complaining of clothes not getting clean, and smelling funny. Turns out I forgot to turn the hot water back on last time I was fixing something else. Figure that will make a big difference. Good luck everyone (09/01/2008) By Gary RE: Washing Machine Smell I understand that putting super lime may help in some cases. - www.washingmachineadvisor.com (09/02/2008) By Jerrick RE: Washing Machine Smell There is a product that you are supposed to by specifically to use by itself in the washer every so many wash loads to keep it from mildewing. (09/09/2008) By Tiffany RE: Washing Machine Smell Run a cycle using hot water and vinegar. Vinegar works well at removing stains and odors. Jerrick from http://www.washingmachineadvisor.com (09/10/2008) By Jerrick RE: Washing Machine Smell Front load washers do not drain the same way as traditional top loaders. So if you leave change or paper in your pockets it doesn't lay in the tub when your done! It cost me allot of money to find such a simple answer to the terrible smell- find out where the drain is in your machine! Ours was so plugged full after several months of an odor I started reading web sites for answers but nobody looked in the obvious place, it's where the water leaves the machine (neither did I). Our machine from Sears had a lower front panel under the door that came off with with a screwdriver and some patience. As advised by an employee of Sears's contracted repair service we found the drain full of paper candy wrappers and change the kids left in their cloths and other assorted items. We were washing our money, it plugged the drain and cost us allot more money to get it fixed. Do yourself a favor, forget all the other ideas posted and check out the drain first. And forget about the little bit of mold that builds under the boot, it's likely not source of the odor. (09/14/2008) By no common sense RE: Washing Machine Smell I just finished doing a thorough clean of my LG Tromm Steamwasher using the tub clean cycle. I followed the directions exactly as listed in the owner's manual (they recommend bleach), cleaned out the drain at the bottom - it had some paper and candy wrappers stuck in it. The machine smells great! I use liquid fabric softener for most loads but have started using the "extra rinse" cycle to ensure that all detergent and softener is removed from my clothing/towels (just in case I'm adding too much) - everything is coming out wonderfully now. Don't forget the reason for a front loader is not only less water use but also that it's better for your clothes! Whenever I accidentally leave towels in the washer (horrible smell here in humid Florida), I just run an extra rinse with vinegar and the problem is solved. Good luck! (09/18/2008) By Smelling great in FL! RE: Washing Machine Smell We just bought a house with a washer and dryer both Kenmore. The washer is a top loader and had a terrible smell that stunk up the whole basement. At first we were going to scrap it but then I took the thing apart and found the mold. After removing the inner drum which was coated with mold I cleaned the outer basket. I took the inner drum wrapped in plastic outside in the sun treated both the outer basket and inner drum with mold killer and cleaned them both. It was a big job but got rid of the smell and no more mold. From now on we will run a cycle with chlorine bleach every month to keep the problem from happening again. Drastic action yes but it did save me $800 on a new washer. Believe me if you saw the mold on the drum, which I suspect is in many washers that smell, you wouldn't wash your clothes in it! (09/20/2008) By orionwest RE: Washing Machine Smell When I complained to my local appliance store, I was told it was a design flaw in all HE machines. Does not matter on the brand. The sales person recommended a product called WasherFresh, use on hot water setting, and the mold and mildew residue is gone. (10/03/2008) By Victoria RE: Washing Machine Smell I don't understand why people think that mildew is the washer's design or designers flaw. It is combination of how you use your washer, how much detergent, luck of hot water! And bleach is not that good for your laundry either.I am allergic to bleach so I never used it. I've been using mostly FL all my life. In Europe and USA and never ever had any mildew or mold or stains in my washers. At one time I kept washer outside to do laundry and no mildew either. Number one ingredient is HOT WATER. And use hot water often. Warm water isn't really warm. Unless you have water heater right next to your washer or you have a heater in your washer to keep the water at set temperature. Using extra chemicals? use extra rinse cycles. Laundry isn't science, just little common sense and proper dosing of detergents. Yeah FL are energy efficient, maybe too efficient,so just try little extra hot water and extra rinse and you smells will go away. (11/01/2008) By Maria RE: Washing Machine Smell And don't forget to clean your filters every couple of months too! (11/01/2008) By Maria RE: Washing Machine Smell I was having problems with a mildew smell coming from my front load washer for over a year (Whirlpool Duet). I tried several recommendations, but finally found one that worked for me on one of the morning shows. The first thing I did was wipe down the rubber around the door opening with petroleum jelly to remove any mold buildup. Make sure to get underneath it. They recommended a cotton cloth, but I just used paper towels. The second step was to add 1 gallon of vinegar to the washer and run an empty load on the hottest setting. I poured the vinegar in thru the detergent dispenser. It has been about a month and the smell is still gone. I use a liquid laundry detergent, but only about half of what they call for. I also leave my washer door open in between loads. I hope this helps. (11/03/2008) By Allieg RE: Washing Machine Smell We tried everything for our Maytag Neptune washer: ran separate loads of vinegar, Affresh, bleach, you name it. Scoured the machine and was ready to ditch it. Then, stopped using the liquid fabric softener and tried an HE powder (Tide) and it worked! At the beginning, combined the Tide HE powder with Clorox 2 (go figure). Have been using the Tide powder for 8 months now: the whole laundry area smells fresh, the once horrible smelling towels smell fresh. Occasionally I do run a load with hot water, just to make sure. Thrilled with the results. (11/03/2008) By guest nancy Report Spam or Abuse Request: Washing Machine Smell Archived on 08/27/2008 My washing machine stinks like molding cloth. Is it possible for small articles of clothing to wash up over the drum and sit in between the casing and the drum? Livi from MI Answers: RE: Washing Machine Smell I have a top load Maytag. It has a cylinder in the center of the washer that houses a receptical for the fabric softener. I don't use fabric softener at all. I noticed a horrible smell, took the fabric softener holder out and found the worst yick and black stuff you have ever seen. Seems to have cleared my problem. Could it possibly be that easy? Hope this helps! Mitzi (05/31/2007) By Mitzi RE: Washing Machine Smell To solve my musty washing machine problem, I sprayed Lysol cleanser around the top of the tub (you have to push it back and pull it forward to get the entire surface covered), then I used a small brush to scrub the rim and get all the "gunk" out. I also took the fabric softener cup off and soaked it in hot soapy water to get the "gunk" off of it too. Instead of waiting for it to start smelling again, I do this process about once a month to avoid the smell all together. (06/02/2007) By LAN RE: Washing Machine Smell My odor started when I switched to environmentally safe detergents, and stopped using chlorine bleach. A small amount of vinegar is effective. Also, in reading these posts, beware of "professionals" that tell you to stop using liquid detergents. Powdered detergents build up over time inside of your pipes and narrow the openings dramatically. I'd say that all things considered, it would be more cost effective to address the smell with something that you find will work for you, and eventually replace an old machine, rather than be faced with major plumbing issues in the future. (06/05/2007) By PA Resident RE: Washing Machine Smell I always leave my top load washer open when not in use, and yes a sock or small article of clothing can "jump" the load if you aren't careful in loading. I leave the washer open so any water can evaporate. I use oxi-clean in every wash, plus chlorine bleach in the whites, and I've never had a smell. (06/30/2007) By TheyGrewAgain RE: Washing Machine Smell Please don't forget that in some models, mold and mildew can collect outside the drum, in which case no amount of cleaning or cleaning agents will get rid of the problem. This happens when small amounts of water splash/splatter between the top of the drum and the inside of the metal machine cabinet. To see if this is the problem, push the drum to one side as best you can shine a flashlight down into the area between the drum and the outer metal housing. In my case, mold was covering this outside housing, where water had splashed on it. I could not get rid of the problem and bought a new washer. (07/01/2007) By Mold can collect outside the drum! RE: Washing Machine Smell Thank you Tara9 for the post about purewasher! We were close to buying a different washer because of washing machine smell! I even called for service to take the machine apart to get rid of that gross FUNGUS ODOR. $165 later my washer, towels, and clothing STILL smelled like mildew. As a last resort I ordered purewasher. $16 and 7 months later everything still smells really CLEAN! (07/26/2007) By Ellen D RE: Washing Machine Smell I just bought a front loader machine from a friend that could not get the smell out for more than a day. I searched the internet including this page gathering everyones info and tips. This is what I have compiled. First, it is not a defect with the machine. It seems to be in the nature for the new HE washers. Removing the smell can be very easy or difficult, be patient. 1st, clean the detergent tray very well with vinegar or bleach, or put it in the dishwasher with a load of dishes. 2nd, clean the seal in all of its cracks and crevasses very good with bleach and a Brillo pad. 3rd, if you're using liquid and or non-HE detergent, STOP. This is a major factor in preventing the mold smell as well as keeping your washer running "efficient." Use HE-powder, I use Tide. Softener is also very bad because it contains wax which builds up in the machine over time and starts to grow mold and smell. Now, start a load as usual with HE-powder and warm or hot water. Add 1-2 cups of white vinegar to the wash. Also fill up the softener tray with white vinegar. This will become your new wash routine for every load. Remove the clothes immediately and most importantly leave the door open as much as possible when the washer is not in use. This allows air to circulate which hinders the growth of mold and mildew tremendously. After several washes like this you will notice the drastic decrease in smell. Now its time for a bleach wash. Clothes optional. Start by adding 1-3 cups of bleach to the detergent tray. Start the longest wash cycle (no prewash) with hot water and let the machine get to its stable wash cycle (when it's done adding water) and add 1-2 gallons of hot water through the detergent tray. Select an extra rinse cycle to make sure the bleach is out before adding a colors load again. So, leave the door open, use HE-detergent and vinegar, and do not use softener. It solved my problem, hopefully it will solve yours. "Purewasher" also sounds like a wonderful product. It cleans out the washer of all of its build up, mildew, and mold. However, it does not prevent it from returning therefore, it will eventually return. Once the smell is gone the key is preventing its return. (07/27/2007) By XRUNNER07 Smelly Washer and Towels I am so excited to tell everyone that I have resolved my smelly towel problems. I have been battling this problem for quite sometime and I was ready to throw them all out and start over. A friend of mine was helping dry the dishes one day in our camper when they commented on our stinky dish towel. I explained to them that it is a battle that I have been fighting for a long time. My friend simply told me to run out and purchase CLOROX BLEACH FOR COLORS. I put that in the javex dispenser along with my Tide HE and Downy. When they came out they smelled perfect. I hung them out on the line to let them dry just in case. PERFECT! Apparently the Javex will kill the bacteria in them. I then ran a load of white vinegar through a wash cycle and that took care of the smelly washer. Good Luck! (08/21/2007) By Tanya RE: Washing Machine Smell I too recently was having trouble with all of our clothes smelling like mildew and mold, especially towels! I just ran two loads of hot water and vinegar and switched back to the powder Tide detergent. What a difference. I do about 4 loads of laundry a day and my clothes smell clean again. I will definitely keep up with the vinegar rinses. I was ready to get rid of this so-called high-efficiency washing machine! I also keep my door open when it's not in use. I had used bleach and that didn't get rid of the smell. I am glad I came to these postings to learn that other people were having the same problem. (08/24/2007) By sonia Washing Machine Smell & Fabric Softener I had a smelly washing machine that really frustrated my wife and I. We tried numerous suggestions that I found here, including the PureWash, nothing worked. I especially noticed the smell when I worked out at the gym. One day folding laundry I looked at the label of one of my workout shirts and I noticed it said DO NOT USE FABRIC SOFTENER. I told my wife and we decided to separate all of my workout shirts/shorts which are the UnderArmour / Nike DryFit type into a separate load and not use the softener. Sure enough, the smell was not only gone from my shirts but from the washer as well. Now many of you may already know not to put FS on these types of clothes but I certainly did not and wanted to share this as an FYI as we were very close to buying a new washer to replace our 3 year old front loader. (09/20/2007) By Jason RE: Washing Machine Smell I have the Kenmore Elite HE3 with the same smell problem and have used the purewash powder which seems to help. But I also found that there is a removable filter located behind the front lower panel that needs to be cleaned. Unplug the washer and remove the 3 screws to remove the panel. The filter is right in front. Turn the white plastic knob, (have a sponge ready, since a small amount of water will come out) and clean this filter. Mine was black and full of lint. This filter is not in the owners manual, a Sears repairman showed me this. Good luck! ollie2308 at yahoo dot com (09/25/2007) By Ollie RE: Washing Machine Smell After washing up the water that's on the gasket and leaving the door open, this took care of my problem after paying sears twice with no luck. (10/01/2007) By FRANK PORTER RE: Washing Machine Smell PUREWASH works like magic. I used it and a few days later the odor was completely gone. The washer now actually smells sweet from the fabric softener, instead of nauseatingly musty from the residue build up in the washer. Another step is to make sure there are no little articles of clothing, like baby socks, stuck in the drainage tube trap. Mine is behind the faceplate of the washer, and was easy to get to. That can add to the build up by reducing the drainage water flow speed, leaving behind deposits of gunk in the washer and tube to cause odor problems. (10/11/2007) By Joe in Woodbridge RE: Washing Machine Smell Listen, this Affresh product is a really good product. It gets underneath the residue that builds up in your washer and breaks it up. The rinse cycle washes all that nasty smelly gunk right out of your washer. Here's a link to the washer repair tips from apwagner.com that talks about smelly washers. http://www.apwagner.com/appliancerepaircenter/Washers.htm#Q37 http://www.apwagner.com/affresh.html (10/18/2007) By ApplianceGuyRick RE: Washing Machine Smell Thank you to Ollie for your advice! The past few weeks we have noticed a worsening moldy/mildewy smell coming from the washer. I removed the front lower panel as Ollie suggested and checked the filter. It was absolutely disgusting. I found an old breast pad that had slipped into the drain and it had found its way into the filter where it was clogging the "system". It was black and moldy. Yuck. I cleaned out the filter and as far up the hose as I could reach. The smell is gone. I wouldn't have ever thought to look here had I not read Ollie's advice. (10/20/2007) By Alacia RE: Washing Machine Smell Try Borax with your regular detergent. It's supposed to be a fungicide which should help with the mildew. It's also fairly cheap. When the wash is done, leave both the washing-machine door and the detergent tray open to allow the inside to dry because mildew needs moisture to spread. (11/03/2007) By J A RE: Washing Machine Smell We had a smelly washer like many of the posters here. As a matter of fact, when I googled washer smells, this is the fist link it offered. We own a Maytag Performa that we purchased in 2000. The smell was horrible. I took the front off the machine and the top and as soon as I looked at the outer drum of the washer, which is plastic, I could see the ring of mold and gunk around the top. I removed the top cover that connects the inner and outer drum and cleaned all the mold off the parts. I am running bleach through the washer right now to make sure I kill all the little pieces of mold that fell down to the bottom of the drum. I think part of the problem is that the manufacturers are using more plastic and not metal and the mold grows better on the plastic. I hope this works and I don't need to buy a new washer. (11/04/2007) By Jemsam98 RE: Washing Machine Smell Directly from the Manf. I sell appliances, and speak with manf. about the smell. The worst out on the market are the LG's Frigidaire's, samsungs and GE's in front loaders, the whirlpool brands (kenmore whirlpool, and maytag, the new ones, are the least smelly) In top loaders avoid one with a Plastic wash tub. (old maytags, GE's frigidaires) According to the Manf.'s and the instructions that came with your washers, you are to leave the door, or lid open after the final load. This lets the seal dry out and avoids the mold and must smell. Here are some tips: Front loading machines: After a load of laundry, look at the seal. If you notice water in the seal (ge, frig, LG samsung), wipe it out and let the door open. The whirlpool branded products will not collect water in seal due to their design. If after this you are noticing an odor problem, run your (b)RINSE DRAIN SPIN(/b) cycle with 2 cups of bleach on COOL OR WARM WATER, DO NOT USE HOT, hot breaks down the bleach defeating the purpose of the bleach. Now this should eliminate the smell problem with the use of the bleach and open door. IF you have your machine in the basement, and are still noticing a smell, then you need a (b)dehumidifier(/b) Reason is, your basement contains too much moisture in the air to allow the seal to dry properly. Top Loading Machines(NON HI_EFFIECENCY MODELS) Fill the wash drum with WARM WATER, add about 1/2 gallon of bleach, allow the bleach rinse to run, and spin out. Then take a rag dipped in a 50/50 bleach solution, and wipe the under part of the lid, seals, dispensers, and if you can get under the ring of the washer, run it there as well. Leave the lid open to dry. Here again, if after doing this, you notice the mold/must smell comes back, YOU NEED A DEHUMIDIFIER! TOP LOADING HE MACHINES: Repeat the rinse drain spin with 4 cups of bleach on warm water. Then follow the instructions for the conventional top loader. Remember folks, a washing machine is just like your shower stall. If the tiles don't dry, they collect mold and mildew. Your washer needs to dry out after the last load. This is especially true for basement machines. Like I stated, if you have the machine in your basement, and these fixes don't work, you will need a dehumidifier. The machine can't dry out because the air is too humid. A mildewy machine means a mildewy basement. Hope this helps. Xavier PS. I have had my Kenmore he3 for 5 years now and have yet to smell any mold. My unit is on the second floor and I leave my door open after the final load of the day. To this day my washer smells brand new. (11/05/2007) By Xavierbu RE: Washing Machine Smell After reading through these posts, I decided I had had enough of the moldy smell in my washing machine. It is now midnight, and for the last 5 hours, I have been cleaning my washer. I raised the top of my washer, secured it with a bungee cord, took the front panel off, and nearly gagged on the amount of mold I saw between the "plastic" outer tub and the inner metal tub. I scraped all the black mold off, sprayed with bleach, took the rim off the tub and scrubbed it with a tooth brush. In the morning I will put it all back together. I guess until I get a new washer this will be a yearly chore. (11/07/2007) By mba RE: Washing Machine Smell I just purchased a used Kenmore a few days ago and of course, it smelled pretty awful, but the price was right. It was a rather nauseating smell, mildew and something else, just not pleasant at all and it rather rapidly filled the kitchen area where the washer resides. I had read these reviews before I purchased the machine so I knew what was in store and the possible fixes. The thought of major disassembly didn't work for me. The fixes unfortunately didn't work so well. First, I cleaned out the soap/slime/mildew mix from the door seal. Then ran an empty load with bleach, and it still smelled bad. Then vinegar, then oxi-clean, still bad. I then took off the bottom front panel and removed the accordion rubber "tubing" connecting the drum to the pump. That was caked 1/16-1/8 inch with old soap residue and smelled nasty bad. I washed all that out in the sink, found some loose change and a closed safety pin at the bottom of the tube. The tube was constructed to collect those types of things so they don't go into the pump and break it. I wiped the tube with bleach, it still smelled, but it was much, much better. This led me to believe the weird smell had something to do with the soap residue in my machine. While I was inside the machine, I detached the eject hose on the other side of the pump and found a rubber backwash valve that had accumulated a bunch of hair and misc. around it. I cleaned it off and re-attached the hoses. I had to assume there was much soap residue and mildew/mold forming around the outside of the drum and the inside of the drum housing that encapsulates the drum, judging from what I had seen in the tube, and from what has been posted here. So, I needed something that would cut through or dissolve that gunk, and also a way to get it everywhere in the washer, sides, top, etc. Foam was the answer I came up with. I happen to use this liquid stuff found at the 99 cent store by the name of LA Awesome. I have been using it to clean just about everything these days. It was bought as a last ditch effort to clean the outside of an old pinball machine, which it did exceedingly well when nothing else would. This stuff cuts through everything, so I tried it on some soap scum beneath a bar of soap. Loosened it right up. The stuff is as amazing as microfiber cleaning cloths. I poured 8 or so ounces (from 20oz bottle) in the machine on warm, and let it go. It sudsed up quickly and filled the machine with thick dense foam. The machine ran a full cycle, with me watching to make sure no foam came out to the floor, which it didn't. When the full cycle had finished, there was no mistaking it smelled so much better. Ran another round of bleach, and another of vinegar. Plus, I have been adding white vinegar to the subsequent loads of laundry since yesterday. This morning the kitchen had almost no smell. The cleaned clothes smell great. There is still some smell inside the machine, so I am thinking of adding bleach to some good sudsing detergent to get the bleach all over the machine also. I will probably do the LA Awesome stuff again in a week or two, depending if the smell comes back. By the way, buy and use the HE soap. It is different and it leaves the door seal free of any residue. I also have a hunch that using liquid fabric softener contributes greatly to the build-up of soap residue found in the machine, but have not done any test to prove it. It could be they have a special softener for HE machines. I don't know, but if it's soap, and doesn't say HE on it, I won't use it. I am leaving the door open and pulling the soap tray halfway out too. I hope this helps all of you to some degree. (11/08/2007) By Scott RE: Washing Machine Smell Try using "buffered bleach" to clean out the smell as follows: 1) Let washer fill with water. 2) Add 1 cup of bleach and allow washer to mix with the water for 1-2 minutes. 3) Add 1 cup of vinegar and allow washer to complete cycle. It is important to include bleach and vinegar together. The reason is that bleach, in and of itself, is a relatively weak disinfectant. However, the power of bleach is enhanced enormously when the pH is lowered, and this is what the vinegar does. A bleach solution will have an alkaline pH and little killing power. Do not mix the bleach and vinegar and then add, as you will get a dose of chlorine gas, this is why they are added sequentially. A bleach/vinegar solution as described has enormous killing power and can kill even difficult-to-kill spores (e.g., Anthrax). Hope this helps. (11/10/2007) By RP RE: Washing Machine Smell Something that, so far, has taken care of the smell is leveling the washer. For 2 yrs I have been trying the cleaning. The repairman came again and leveled the washer and it helped some. So my father got under there and noted the rubber gone from one side of the leveling legs. He tilted the washer a little more back to drain, then replaced the leveling legs' rubber. It has been 1 week, and so far there isn't a smell. My first load after the leveling was bleach, then followed by regular laundry. I do continue to leave the door open because of the wet seal. I hope this may help some of you. Carrie. (11/10/2007) By carrie RE: Washing Machine Smell Try this: Check the discharge hose to make sure it is not pushed too far down in the drain pipe. It can go through and trap. If that happens, you will get sewer gas smell, it happened to me. (11/15/2007) By woollsg RE: Kenmore Washing Machine Smell We have a 2-year old Kenmore HE4t front-loading washer. The smell started over a year ago, so we just left the door open. It recently got worse, so we ran a cycle (normal) with bleach, but the smell returned quickly. Then we read one of the posts that suggested using the "Sanitary" cycle (2 hours with extra hot water). We ran the first cycle with a few old towels and 1/3 cup bleach. Then another cycle with the same towels and 1/2 cup white vinegar. Voila! The smell is gone and has been gone for 3 days. I ordered some PureWasher just to try it out, but it seems the "Sanitary" cycle once a month may be the answer. By the way, our laundry area is a small closet on a room temperature floor. I hope this info is of some help to those of you with the same problem. Jim (11/19/2007) By Jim RE: Washing Machine Smell I also tried a product called Whirlout, from Home Depot, that really helps to manage the smell. It is designed to eliminate hot tub soap scum and smell. (11/21/2007) By Dave RE: Washing Machine Smell I just received a Kenmore HE2t today. The installer and my very close friend both said to use the "self clean" feature on the washer at LEAST once a month to prevent the smells. If your washer has a "self clean" feature, USE IT! It saves a lot of money in cleaners for your Washing Machine. (12/03/2007) By Guy from Long Island, New York RE: Washing Machine Smell Thanks for the great advice. I found another solution of running baking soda through the machine. Purewasher I've heard is good here. www.washing-machine-wizard.com/ (12/11/2007) By RE: Washing Machine Smell Our clothes, especially jeans and towels, had a horrible smell. We tried everything. Finally, one day I was thinking about using baking soda to get the smell out of our clothes (we thought we were going to have to get rid of some of our clothes the smell was so bad). I was looking for something to help and I saw Arm & Hammer Laundry detergent. It worked great. The clothes do not smell anymore and it is inexpensive. I tried Purewasher to clean the washer and to deodorize the clothes, but the Arm and Hammer detergent worked better and so much easier. (12/20/2007) By jmac RE: Washing Machine Smell I have had this same problem for about a year...finally searched the web for advice...found a site (repairclinic.com) that showed an exploded view of my washer (maytag top loader). I was able to figure out how to open my front panel, and got a look at the drums. After taking off the circular top that lays over both drums, I found a gross sludge around and under this top and in between the drums. My husband and I took it apart, cleaned all the sludge out, and put it all back together. I ran the washer on a rinse cycle to clear out any residual sludge. The washer no longer smells moldy and I will be buying new towels, with hope that this thorough cleaning will take care of our moldy smelling towels. Hope this helps! (12/30/2007) By clc4446 RE: Washing Machine Smell I wiped down the inside with Clorox and switched to powdered detergent. No problem since. (01/03/2008) By Steve RE: Washing Machine Smell You may want to check the drain plug first to see if anything is caught in there. I have an LG and mine is on the lower front of the washer. It is behind a compartment. Then using the sanitary cycle, use 1 c. bleach and 1 c. vinegar. Also, make sure the rubber ring is cleaned thoroughly with bleach. It can become moldy. Someone told me it is best to leave the door open after every wash so it can properly dry. Hope this helps. (01/05/2008) By Dan RE: Washing Machine Smell I have an LG front loader that also had a smell. We have had it for 3 years and it has had minor smells until this week, it smelled like someone died in there. First, I ran bleach and hot water through a cycle, but it still had the smell. Then, I put some drain enzymes through a cycle, and it still had the smell. I then put Lime-A-Way (or any lime and scale remover that can be used in a washer) in, ran it through a cycle, and the smell is now gone. I'll see how long it lasts, but it looks and smells brand new now. (01/19/2008) By Steve M. RE: Washing Machine Smell Stop using liquid fabric softeners and fabric softener sheets. They are made with animal fat, which is food for mold and mildew. It mixes with the wet lint that collects outside of the drum (like several people have mentioned above) and that is the perfect environment for mold and mildew. I stopped using all fabric softeners and within a few loads, my mold smell problem went away and has not returned. I'm sure my machine probably has collected gunk over the years, and I have not cleaned that yet. Regardless, the absence of softener "food" has solved the smell problem. I heard this tip from someone at work, and a Sears salesperson admitted this as a huge problem that people don't know about. He said people don't want to give up their fabric softeners. (01/24/2008) By Minnmom RE: Washing Machine Smell We have a top load Maytag that had been smelling sick of rotten egg smell for about 6 months. My husband and I tore this monster apart. After 3 hours, we found GROSS gunk all around the drum and even in the plastic part where the water gushes into the drum. YUK! Everyone on this post is talking about liquid laundry detergent. What I do is water down my liquid Tide or Cheer in a 5 gallon Igloo cooler with a spigot. I've found that a 4 (part water) to 1 (part detergent) works just as well as full strength. Same suds, same fragrance. Also, at $10 per gallon for these, I've saved $40 by watering down. That $40 goes in my retirement account. "BE FRUGAL ON THINGS THAT DON'T MEAN A LOT AND EXTRAVAGANT ON THINGS THAT DO" THEN YOU'LL NEVER FEEL POOR! (01/30/2008) By Kim in Georgia RE: Washing Machine Smell Yep, mine had the smelly washer syndrome too! I thought it was the well water though, guess not. My washer is a Bosch front loader. I just started spraying Lysol on the rubber ring in the front. Or sometimes I spray it and then wipe it out due to the amount of water that accumulates in the rubber ring. That works...it takes that nasty smell away. (02/05/2008) By Gayle RE: Washing Machine Smell I am so glad I found this forum. About 2 years ago our laundry started smelling moldy. We thought it was because our washing machine was old and not cleaning very well anymore (it was very old). We bought a front loader type machine a few months ago, and we still have this problem! The washer doesn't smell, but the clothes do. I tried everything, bleach, vinegar, ammonia, oxi-clean, and a few others. I decided to check the internet to see if others have this problem too. Well I guess so! After reading most of these posts, I decided it is not the washer, it is the detergent. Somebody mentioned manufacturers took out an ingredient for environmental reasons. The absence of that ingredient is what is causing the moldy smelling clothes. As per a few suggestions here, I went out and got some 20 Mule Team Borax this morning and did a load of my smelliest towels. They came out smelling fresh! I am so excited! So, for those of you with the moldy smelling towels & jeans, get some Borax. The rotten egg smell comes from using fabric softener. I once got a used washer from a friend, and it smelled like something died in it. I took it apart and it was caked with brown waxy foul smelling fabric softener. It was not easy to clean. It was totally disgusting. I learned from that experience to never use fabric softener. It was so thick and gooey, that this stuff NEEDS to be removed from your washer in order for the smell to go away. You can't just stop using fabric softener. Or, run purewash or anything else through to get rid of the smell. My recipe for fresh smelling clothes and a fresh smelling washer: NO fabric softener ever! 1/2 cup borax 1/3 the recommended amount of powdered detergent (02/10/2008) By dana RE: Washing Machine Smell Check the pipes and the drain. Maybe it's in the underground pipes and not your fault. (03/06/2008) By kibby RE: Washing Machine Smell I sell a completely natural washing machine cleaner at www.smellywasher.com / The reason that washers get odor is almost invariably because of overuse of detergent and fabric softeners. They will build up on the inside of the plastic outer tub and are a food source for fungus to grow on. Bleach will make the fungus invisible but won't remove it. This fungus is a health issue and won't come back if the washer is cleaned and detergent habits are changed. All the testimonials on my site are real. I have received more than a few emails from customers who state that their health problems or the children's health problems were cured after cleaning their washers. These problems include respiratory problems, colds, allergies and skin rashes. UNLESS YOU HAVE A MORE EXTREME CASE all that is normally needed to remove the fungus buildup is just one tablespoon of cleaner added to the hottest setting and no clothing. Allow the washer to finish the cycle. You may also re-agitate or soak for longer treatments. If you go to the blog page at smellywasher.com there is more information on the odor problem, use of smellywasher cleaner and also other advice on appliances. We are so confident that this will take care of your odor problem that we have a money back guarantee on smellywasher cleaner. THERE IS ENOUGH IN ONE ORDER FOR 24 TREATMENTS. Paul Flynn/smellywasher.com/ 952-465-6444 (03/08/2008) By Paul Flynn RE: Washing Machine Smell I tried everything, but nothing really worked until I found SIMPLE GREEN (anti-fungal/anti-viral). It works great. Home Depot carries it ($16/gallon). The bottle will last you a year. Just run 1 cycle w/ Simple Green about once a month, then run a rinse cycle after. The first time I used it, I ran 3 cycles back-to-back. After that month, it seemed to do the trick. (03/09/2008) By Mike S RE: Washing Machine Smell I have discarded one front loading machine because of the horrible smell problem. It was three years old and I could find nothing that eliminated the problem. I believe all of these problems are related to the removal of phosphates from our laundry detergents. In the "good ole days" all laundry products were phosphate based and were very effective as phosphates cause dirt and oils to remain suspended in the wash water and rinsed away instead of being redeposited on the laundry. Well, since the environment doesn't like phosphates, they've been removed, gradually and now completely, from laundry products. Less effective but more environment-friendly chemicals have been substituted and so now, we get dingy laundry and deposits of yucky stuff on our machines. It's the yucky stuff that grows mold and smells so awful. What to do? Well, I think anything we can do to keep the laundry grime suspended in the wash water is a good start. I used to be able to buy a phosphate additive for my laundry (I lived on a farm and the wash water was used to irrigate pecan trees which need phosphorous as a nutrient). Now that I live in a city, super phosphate additives aren't an option. I'm trying a product called "Swirl Away" which is a product for cleaning the plumbing of hot tubs and spas, to remove the same kind of grimy build up that we're getting on our washing machines (Available at pool supply or on eBay). I think it is definitely helping to remove any fabric softener build up. I run the cycle with very hot water and add a couple of tablespoons to the water. I'm also adding Borax to my laundry and occasionally Calgon water softener (from the grocery store). These both act as aids to boost the effectiveness of the detergent. The detergent has to be able to disperse oils to be effective and these products help. That also helps remove and wash away the fabric softener residue. I don't add these to every load, but they are both safe for all fabrics. I am starting out with a brand new machine (a top loader this time), and I want to avoid that horrible odor problem. I hate that we have to work so hard to clean the machine that is supposed to clean our clothes, but gone are the days of good ol' sudsy laundry detergents that felt slippery and got our clothes (and our washing machines) fresh and brilliant. Now we have to use second rinse cycles to try to get the re-deposited grime off of our clothes. It doesn't make sense, but that's how it is. What I would give for a truckload of the old, phosphate-loaded Tide or Cheer detergent that worked so well without additives, multiple rinses, or smelly washing machines. (03/09/2008) By LawZilla RE: hypoallergenic powder detergent I use something called "Nature Clean", it's a hypo-allergenic and natural (and phosphate free) powder detergent. I think alas that it's only available in Canada but you could try checking local green or health-food stores (Mine came from "Grassroots" but I think they only exist in Toronto). I have also seen a lot of recipes for making your own powdered detergents on the internet. They're supposed to be very good for sensitive skin. Googling "make your own washing detergent" will probably do it. Hope this helps! Katie (04/27/2008) By Katie RE: Washing Machine Smell http://www.apwagner.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=553 Check it out, this stuff is supposed to work great! (04/28/2008) By Joe RE: Washing Machine Smell Well I have dealt with this for a long time and finally figured out the SMELL. Took a little bit to take care of it, but once it was gone it was gone. My repair man told me to STOP using liquid softener, it clings to the underneath of where you put it in at, the pipes, and the drum. He said this is why your laundry mats stink! Next was a good cleaning, not just the areas you see, but turn the machine around and clean the pipe and the screens and such! Clean as much as you can see! Then I ran 2 loads with white vinegar, small loads to the first drain and finally, I ran washer magic through it. Didn't notice any smell difference, but washer magic cleans areas where you don't see the pipes and such. The next few loads of clothes, yes, I could still smell (moldy) a little but a massive difference. I ran vinegar once a week for 1 load until I didn't smell it anymore. It took approximately a month, but it's the liquid fabric that gives you that smell, with a combo of not cleaning the machine. Once a month I spend some time with my washer, cleaning it all, including the screens in the back and running a load of vinegar. Thank you maytag repair man! (05/08/2008) By dwazlzz RE: Washing Machine Smell Thank God for this forum. My smelly machine was driving me crazy. Unfortunately it made my bath towels smell too. But only after they were wet. It was disgusting. I tried the bleach like so many suggested and then I came across a post to try Simple Green. Duh it cleans everything else so I gave it a shot. First I sprayed the rubber around the seal and then in every other nook and cranny and used a toothbrush in hard to get places. I then turned up the water heater to it's hottest selection, filled the machine with water, added more simple green and then put simple green in the liquid dispenser. WORKED LIKE A CHARM. I also went out and bought powder detergent. Thanks for all the input and suggestions. (05/26/2008) By ASIA777 RE: Washing Machine Smell I have a whirlpool duet, 3 yrs old that smells. There is a post here from Ollie (9/25/07) with a picture of a removable filter on his kenmore. My duet is exactly the same as that picture and I found 2 infant socks blocking that filter. I did a bleach rinse and a hot water rinse after removing the socks. Smell is gone. Thanks Ollie! (05/30/2008) By jwm RE: Washing Machine Smell We have a kenmore with the same problem. Had several techs look at it until one was smart enough to open the trap at the bottom of the machine. It had several coins and other items that had gotten between the seal and the tub. It is obviously an issue because the OEM put the trap in. Check the trap and see if it is plugged because the washer will not fully drain unless it is, so you keep using a majority of the same water. (06/07/2008) By Frank RE: Washing Machine Smell We have a Whirlpool Duet HT front loader. I spent all day trying to figure out the smell problem. Called Whirlpool and the tech rep said they knew about the problem but there was nothing, that is right, nothing, they had to offer other than maybe going to www.smellwasher.com and buying their product. I read this website, which was at least the tenth website today. It mentioned the filter in front of the pump. Holy moly, there in the filter was an ugly, moldy, baby sock that must have been there for at least five months! There was no product that was going to clean that out. Thank you very much! (06/09/2008) By Tom from Hawaii RE: Washing Machine Smell Just bought affresh at home depot. I have a LG steamwasher, the red model, and it had the smelly mildew washer too. With the wash cleaning cycle and bleach it would still have the smell. Just tried affresh yesterday when the wash cycle was done, and the smell is gone. I did notice that there was little residue inside the rubber gasket, but very little. I will say that this product works, but expensive for a bag. I believe it was $12 for 3 tablets. I just bought the product from smellywasher.com. I will report back later when I receive the product and try it, and let you know which was better. (06/13/2008) By Ed RE: Washing Machine Smell Being in the industry (industrial side) I can tell you that the one reason your machines are smelling is that when you are done using them you shut the door. Make sure that when you are done using the washer that you leave the door open or cracked so that the cylinder can breath. This will cure your problem. (06/18/2008) By Eric RE: Washing Machine Smell We have a Whirlpool Duet Washer approx 5 years old. Over the years the smell got worse & worse. We tried everything recommended by Whirlpool, cleaners, leaving door open, cleaning seal, etc. NOTHING WORKED! Our clothes, especially jeans and towels smelled horrible! After reading the postings here and on other sites I called Whirlpool and asked them where the filter was located so I could clean it. They told me that our model did not have a filter and offered to sell me some washer cleaner or make a service call at $149.00 for just the diagnosis. My husband and I at our wits end with this expensive, stinky, piece of junk decided to take it apart and investigate. What did we find? A FILTER! Go figure, Whirlpool said it did not have one! In the filter we found a sock, a dryer sheet, a couple of paper clips, a couple of toothpicks and LOTS of scum! I cleaned it out in the sink with bleach and also very carefully cleaned the pump assembly parts that were covered in scum. I was very careful not to get bleach or water near the electronics portion of the pump. We are now going to run it with some CLR just to make sure everything else is clear. We'll see, my husband is now putting it back together but I am sure this will help as the smell inside that filter was horrible. It made me want to vomit! Now that all that stuff is clear I'm sure the pump and drain will work much better. THE MORAL OF THE STORY---CLEAN THE FILTER, EVEN IF WHIRLPOOL TELLS YOU YOUR WASHER DOESN'T HAVE ONE! (06/28/2008) By Lisa RE: Washing Machine Smell We had exactly the same problem believe it or not. But the cause was the use of a well known brand of Biological washing powder. It took several months after we changed to a non-biological powder for the smell to go, and it has never returned. (06/30/2008) By littletoe46 RE: Washing Machine Smell I had a bad smell coming from my 2 year old Kenmore front loading washer and read the info below as well as some from other sites. I had checked the rubber seal around the door and some grime does build up there, but not such a bad smell. On the Kenmore, there is a "filter cap" (not what I pictured, but I guess that's the best way to describe it and what Sears calls it) attached to the pump. You can see the exploded view on Sears' web site. To get to this part you have to remove 3 screws at the bottom front side of the washer and then remove the cover below the washer door. The "filter" is a white plastic piece almost directly in the center. All you see is a handle you can unscrew. BE FOREWARNED - quite a bit of water poured out when I removed the filter. I'd say at least 2 cups, maybe 1 quart. I found 2 quarters and some pretty gross looking green stuff, but the water that came out smelled really bad. I just did this last night so I'm not sure it fixed the problem overall, but I have to believe it helped. (07/03/2008) By Gerry RE: Washing Machine Smell Thank you Gerry! We just did the same thing on our Kenmore front loader and I seriously started to dry heave from the smell when I unscrewed the filter. I can't believe I've been washing my clothes in there with all that slime for the last few years. This is easy to do, I'm not very mechanical and I was done in 5 minutes. I also had a lot of water come out so be sure to UNPLUG the washer before you do this! (07/05/2008) By Brian in Ventura RE: Washing Machine Smell Just an FYI, we had the same nasty, offensive, foul smell from a used 7 year old Inglis top loader we recently purchased. We tried several of the same bleach/vinegar concoctions many other people wrote about but the smell always came back. As a last resort I pulled out the agitator & drum to find them coated with a brown waxy grime. After a good scrubbing and a hosing off in the driveway - the washer smells like new. This stuff was so disgusting we re-washed anything that may have been previously washed in it. During disassembly I found signs the previous owner may have been using liquid laundry detergent which some people suggest may be the cause of the slimy build-up? I had our old washer apart several times over the years and never seen anything like this before (and we have always used powdered detergent). Sorry to say, but after seeing this I doubt anything but disassembly & elbow grease will remove it. (07/30/2008) By Dave RE: Washing Machine Smell My wife and I found that if you leave the door open when the washer is not in use it helps with the smell, also put a small moth ball in the seal seam. It totally eliminates the bad odor and as long as you use dryer sheets, your clothes won't come out smelling like moth balls/they smell squeaky clean! The Pearsons, W.R. Ga (08/24/2008) By Mr C. Pearson RE: Washing Machine Smell Hi there. I work at Whirlpool, and I know that both Whirlpool and Maytag washers recommend a product called Affresh to help eliminate washer odor. If your washer really stinks, you might have to do three straight cycles with just an Affresh tablet in the washer in order to get rid of the odor. Otherwise, you just use one tablet per month to keep the odor away. Right now they're running a promotion on whirlpool websites that will get you free shipping on a 3 pack of Affresh tablets. You just enter EAF822 as the promo code and you dont have to pay the shipping. (08/26/2008) By DoinLaundry RE: Washing Machine Smell This last post looks suspiciously like spam. Whirlpool and Maytag are now one and the same as WP bought Maytag at least a couple of years ago. We've used Affresh (2 packages) and it worked, for about 3 days, and the odor was back. Bleach and vinegar will do the same thing. I don't feel comfortable giving money to a manufacturer of a washer that shouldn't be smelling in the first place! (08/26/2008) By Thomas Report Spam or Abuse Request: Washing Machine Smell Archived on 05/29/2007 My washing machine stinks like rotten eggs almost every time I do a wash. I've put bleach through the wash and it helped for a short time. The clothes do not come out smelling bad. Zazz4 from Oroville, WA Answers: RE: Washing Machine Smell I bought a used front loader. Got home and smelled. Pulled out the dispenser tray and sprayed vinegar water blend until all the gunk came apart. You may want to put a rag to filter the gunky chips from going into the lines to the washer. When done, just throw away the rag. I cleaned the rubber gasket around the door. It was nasty. I ran a vinegar drenched towel along the seam of the rubber and the door where I spotted the gunk. The smell reduced but I can still smell some in the drum. I am not going to take it apart. I will try running a cycle with Cascade, vinegar, baking soda, and hot water individually to see what happens. Bleach did nothing. To prevent, I will not use liquid fabric softener and make sure I use about 1/4 capfull of laundry soap instead of a capful now that I have a front loader. (07/12/2006) By Brian. RE: Washing Machine Smell Oh Gosh... wish I had read all these before getting my Maytag front loader less than a year ago. So far no problems, but I do know this, when we were shopping we did have one salesperson tell us about the problem with the Neptune and that it had been discovered that it was smelling due to water collecting in the gasket and not draining completely and that they have since changed that feature. We bought a Maytag, newer model, against my better judgment... having had numerous problems with other Maytag applicances recently.We will be buying NO MORE MAYTAGS!Wish I could have a bumper sticker to that effect. (02/17/2007) By fauxpaslover RE: Washing Machine Smell Bleach should have taken care of your problem, try vinegar next time, about 1 cup, see if that works (02/17/2007) By Sickandsexy RE: Washing Machine Smell I have the same gross smell. The service man that came out explained that water gets trapped and stored then reused. That's what makes them efficient. He also explained that detergent companies changed the way they make detergent to be safer on the environment. That is why everything stinks. Humm. Not bleach or vinegar or hot water works. There is some stuff called Bromine that is used for bottles in making beer. We use that stuff to get the stink out of our kayaking clothes and maybe that would work. (02/28/2007) By Jules RE: Washing Machine Smell We bought a Frigidaire Gallery front loading washer 8.5 years ago and the only problem I've ever had with it was the latch lock on the door. They are plastic and when they get worn, the door won't lock and you get the buzzer. After 2 hours on the phone with "service representatives", I was finally directed to a store up the street from my house. 20 minutes and $3.42 later, It was fixed. I've never had a smell...ever. I only use a powder soap called Persil. It is low-sudsing for efficiency washers. I live in Ontario, Canada and our friend from the Nederlands recognized it right away. They've had it in UK and such forever. I tried (once or twice) other HE or liquids but they are slimy. See info at www.persil.com Hope I helped! (03/03/2007) By Canadian RE: Washing Machine Smell The Sears Repairman just came by our house to help us with the smelly "rotten egg" washing machine. He charged us $72.95 just to ring the doorbell. He was inside the house for 23 minutes and charged an additional $34.50. He told us to stop using liquid detergent. He told us to run a couple of cycles on hot water with only a tablespoon of dishwasher powder. Bottom-line, don't call the repairman. Just get rid of the liquid detergent and switch to HE powder. Then, only use a tablespoon for your loads. (03/09/2007) By Ontario Gary RE: Washing Machine Smell It's been 6 months since I used Purewasher to clean inside washer to remove fungus odor. It still smells as fresh as the first day! I forgot the website but if you do a search on purewasher it will come up. (03/12/2007) By tara9 RE: Washing Machine Smell The problem that some have touched on is our overuse of detergents. The required amount of detergent to clean a load of wash is much less, as low as 1/4 the amount suggested by the detergent manufacturer. They are in the business of selling detergent, not saving you money. After getting rid of the smell, by whatever means, try a load using 1/4 the amount you used to use and observe the results. Are your clothes clean and good smelling? If so, stick with that amount. If not clean, add 1/4 more and observe. You will probably be able to get your clothes clean with much less than you expect! It requires you to readjust your assumptions of "more is better." Also, if you have a septic system, keep in mind that powder detergents have fillers that can, after time, block drainfields. Be careful! GOOD LUCK! (03/19/2007) By Fathermike RE: Washing Machine Smell The "rotton egg" odor is caused by chemicals or bacteria in your water supply that are attacking the magnesium rod in your hot water heater. This is usually a problem with well water, but we have it in our municipal water here. You have to determine the source and have it treated. (03/21/2007) By Frank Newkirk RE: Washing Machine Smell I had a bad smell in my washer for about six months. I recently had the washer serviced and had the timer and the belt replaced. The smell has vanished! The repairman explained to me that when the belt is going bad, the machine doesn't spin as forcefully. When this happens water doesn't completely spin out of the machine, and sits in the drum, causing a bad smell. Maybe you need to have your washer serviced. (04/02/2007) By Rose RE: Washing Machine Smell Will Glisten work? I've tried Washer Magic twice and CANNOT get rid of this fungus smell. Aren't Glisten and Washer Magic both liquid? Would it matter if the cleaner is a powder form versus liquid form? Also, I wonder if the liquid detergent versus powdered detergent makes a difference? (05/04/2007) By Donna RE: Washing Machine Smell Citric Acid? NO, THANK YOU! I used Citric Acid to try to get rid of odor in my washer. It worked for about two days - after it discolored and ate away the rubber door boot on my washer so bad that it had to be replaced. I just hope it didn't ruin any seals on our new washer!! I gave up and am putting up with the smell! (05/04/2007) By Karen R. RE: Washing Machine Smell I just went through the same problem on a Maytag top-loader. I removed the front panel of the machine; then removed the drain hose from the machine and where it enters the waste pipe. The drain hose was full of "sludge" comprised of detergent buildup and mold/mildew. I hung the hose in a U-shape and filled it with bleach and let this sit for 2 hours. Afterward, I thoroughly rinsed it and re-installed. I then ran the machine with the hot water setting with 1 cup of Borax and 1 cup of Baking Soda and the now the machine is clean and fresh again. Hope this helps! (05/06/2007) By Andrew RE: Washing Machine Smell Recently noticed that our towels would start smelling after just being used once. I'm positive that it is the liquid soap that we switched to about 2 months ago (our top load is almost 5 yrs old). Will be switching back to powder as several posters have recommended. (05/13/2007) By Carlos Citric Acid Warning To the poster who recommended citric acid. Please don't post unless you know what you're talking about! My glass front is permanently cloudy from washing with citric acid. Hopefully the seals are not damaged! (05/13/2007) By Liz RE: Washing Machine Smell If you are on well water that rotten egg smell is typically due to hard water (excess minerals etc). The only way to rid of it is getting a water softener installed. My parents had the same problem until they installed a UV Scale Ban system that purifies and softens the water...just a suggestion. (05/16/2007) By PA RE: Washing Machine Smell Thank you to JDW and everyone else who posted info about their smelly washers on this site! We have a Maytag Performa top loader. For the past year it has had a really bad, funky smell coming from it. To me it smelled like rotting stinky socks and/or sort of like sewage. However, we checked ALL the hoses, drains, traps, etc., and nothing - no problem with them. Still, the smell persisted and was driving me absolutely crazy. My husband says I have a nose like a blood-hound. I say I have an unusually sensitive nose and stinky smells bother me ALOT. We tried running extremely hot wash with bleach in it through the machine. We tried running extremely hot wash with 1 cup Cascade through the machine. No luck with either in getting rid of the smell. It seemed to work for a day or so, and then the smell was right back. We finally decided we were going to just have to get rid of the machine. As a last ditch effort, I decided to search "washing machine smells" on Google and thank goodness this website popped up as one of those listed. Thanks to all the helpful info posted, we decided to take our washer apart today to see if we too had the horrid soap scum and lint build up that others spoke of. Boy did we ever. The soap scum and lint build-up was 1/2" thick or more all the way around the top inside of the drum assembly, and since there are 3 layers to the assembly, the scum/lint build up was caked on all three layers. Completely disgusting. We have now cleaned everything off and wiped it all down with hot soapy water with bleach in it. My husband is an instrument mechanic by trade (e.g. he can fix pretty much anything (BreeMar Services 604-302-2416) so he didn't have a problem with it. Our problem has just always been trying to figure out exactly where the smell was coming from. For awhile we thought it might be the pump (wrong). Thankfully, the washer is now spic and span. We will never use liquid soap again (we usually use Zero for gentle wash) and will cut down on amount of powdered soap we use. We've also decided to do our white loads last when we're doing laundry, so that the last wash we do is with extremely hot water with bleach in it. We have also taken note of the Borax tip, and plan to use that occasionally too. Hopefully, we won't have this problem again. If we do though, we now know how to fix it. It takes awhile to take machine apart and clean it out, but is much better than the expense of having to go out and buy a new washer or call a repairman who charge huge $$$ just to show up at your house, never mind the expense of actually servicing the machine after that. Also, dealing with 1-800 Customer Service is a complete waste of time. If you don't have a warranty don't bother, and even with a warranty they just give you the run around and treat you as if YOU are the problem, not their poorly designed machine. Again, thanks to all who have posted their stories on this website. You really helped us A LOT. (05/20/2007) By Jeri, Mission, BC Report Spam or Abuse Request: Washing Machine Smell Archived on 02/15/2007 There is a mildew smell inside my washing machine. I've tried leaving it open to let it air out and I've run it without any clothes thru a wash cycle with a cup of bleach. This helped some, but the smell is still there. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Janus from Gainesville, GA Answers: Top Loaders I have been married 30 years and never had this problem. I've only owned two washers in that time...only top loaders. I probably wash in warm the most and not in hot all that much. I don't think you have to wash in hot to kill germs if the load will end up in the hot dryer and the hot water shrinks and fades. I guess the only thing I wash in hot is white undies and washcloths. The only two washers I've owned have both been Kenmore's. To hear about these really expensive washers having these problems makes me think I never want one of them. (09/06/2006) By Debbie52 Top Loader Our two year old top loader stinks! We bought a Maytag top loader after years of frustration and mold with the Neptune. Consumer Reports rated very highly and never dreamed we would have trouble. The store where we purchased thinks it's the liquid soap/warm water/Chicago area water that causes the problem. I think it's the liquid soap as well since never had a problem in 20 years before. Switched to liquid in last few years. Thanks for all the advice. By the way - nothing has worked so far so will probably have to get it professionally cleaned. (09/10/2006) By M Burke Liquid Detergent Good news, if you are using liquid detergent with your front loader, STOP. I have a front loading washing machine and initially used powder detergent. I switched to liquid and had the same problem, smell, gross buildup in the black rubber boot. Called the manufacturer and received the "run a cup of bleach" answer. This did no good. While cleaning the gross buildup, I inadvertently slipped the boot spring off. Called the repair man to fix it and after some discussion he said stop using liquid detergent. I cleaned the boot and started powder detergent and the problem is GONE! Unbelievable that the manufacturers don't tell you this. (09/13/2006) By Melinda Whirlpool I have a top loader and have mildew smell. I called Whirlpool after reading many of your comments. First of all I told her I only wash in cold water. We have well water and extremely cold! She said run your hottest water in tub with bleach, do it couple times. For cold water to break down it has to be at least 60 degrees, Cold water wash doesn't break down the detergent and it gets gross and smelly. I stood and watch while hot cycle rinsed out and oh the smell was bad, along with a lot of lint, I had poured baking soda and vinegar in both tub and dispenser. Now I am redoing in hot with a cup o bleach in tub and cup in dispenser. I never had smell before with other washers, but had always used warm or hot water. I am sure its all from cold water and liquid soap. (09/15/2006) By Mrs. Minnesota Warning Be careful what chemicals you put in your washer! Too much bleach, vinegar, ammonia etc. will dry out seals and cause leaking! Not to mention dangerous gases that can form and cause lung damage. (09/16/2006) By motsbc Frigidaire I had the same mildew smell problem with my Frigidaire front loader. I tried several of the ideas from this site (i.e., empty bleach load, Cascade) and it still smelled. I took out the soap dispenser and cleaned it thoroughly (totally disgusting) as well as inside the machine where it is inserted. I quit using Downy and now use white vinegar in the softener dispenser. I dry inside and around the rubber gasket after the final wash-load and leave the door open for a while to let things dry out. I haven't had any smells since either from the washer or in my clothes and towels. (09/17/2006) By daisy8 Neptune i had a neptune. The smell was horrible and I used everything and nothing worked. Finally, the circuit board when on fire and scorched my wash room. Of course this did not get me a new machine right away. The problem had to happen again and again and again. Then the cycle went terrible wrong and the drum broke. Finally after having to have a repair man to my house approved by maytag and having to waits months, the insurance company decided it was not worth it anymore. The repairs exceeded the cost of the machine. I now have a whirlpool and there is a smell. I am going to start to not use Downy anymore and also HP Tide. I am going to use a small amount, as we are not to use a lot in a front loaded, just fill to max allowed, with vinegar for the rinse, as suggested on the web page, and I am going to dilute washing soda in water and add that to my machine and see what happens. Any of you out there with a Neptune, good luck and watch the circuit board. The reason i had to wait months was there were not anymore in stock. i was not the only one with the problem. Do not go outside and leave your machine alone. I did not know there was a fire until i came in from the yard and smelled the smoke and saw the scorching. (09/19/2006) By theresa Purewash I have a top of the line Kenmore HE washer. We have had it for 5 years. In the past 6 months we got the dreadful musty smell. We noticed it most on our towels when they got wet. We do laundry all the time, clothes do not sit too long, we leave the door open, use vinegar/baking soda in the wash and for no reason the smell appeared after 4-5 years. It was so bad we were ready to buy a new washer. I cleaned out all hoses, the rubber gaskets with bleach and ran bleach, Cascade, baking soda and vinegar through at the hottest setting. The bleach cleaned out the washer and gunk, but the smell remained. I was on this web site and there was 1 person who said that they were a repair man and there was only one thing that would get rid of the smell. I wasn't sure if it was true or not? I decided to order a powder from "smellywasher.com". The product is called "PureWash". It comes in a plastic zip lock baggy in a brown envelope and I got a double bag for $20.00. I turned up the heat on my hot water heater and used the product. It really worked and the smell was gone from the washer. We used 2 Tablespoons (suggested max). We put in 3-4 towels as suggested to get more water in the drum. We added 3-4 more gallons of hot water through the detergent drawer. Do not fill too much or washer will drain automatically as a safety feature of the washer. Our towels still smelled so we washed them with some smelly washer powder once and then again with detergent. The towels now smell fresh again! I suggest cleaning the hoses, gaskets, drum with bleach to clean out mold spots. Make sure that your hot water tank has the temperature hot enough so that bacteria is killed during all hot washings. Leave the door open after washing. Use the Purewash on the hot cycle and follow instructions. Was all towels with 1 Tablespoon of PureWash and then re-wash with detergent. Smelly Washer advised to use less detergent and not to use liquid HE Tide as the liquid caused residue in the washer and can smell. It said to switch to Tide HE Powder available at Target. We also are adding Borax powder 1/2 cup with the detergent as it helps kill any bacteria. I read this tip on this site as well. Anyway, we are stink free and our washer, towels and clothes smell fresh again like the detergent. Thank you to all!! (10/10/2006) By JDW Kenmore I have a crummy Kenmore Series 80 top loader that came with my new house. I hate it! It's only 9 months old and started to smell a few months ago. I tried everything. The service man came out and cleaned it with water and it still smelled. Another came a week later and did nothing insisting it wasn't the washer smelling. When I called Sears again the woman on the phone told me to try filling the machine with the hot water setting then adding 2 gallons more of boiling water and a cup of bleach (I added more bleach). During the rinse she said to add vinegar. So far so good no smell. She said the liquid soap and fabric softener contain wax and the hot water and bleach break it down. Why would you produce a washer that stinks when you use soap and fabric softener in it? I'll never get that, but I am glad that the smell is gone...for now at least. (11/27/2006) By Lacey Too Much Detergent My repairman said many of these problems happen because folks use way too much laundry detergent, then way too much fabric softener and a water temperature that is too cool. The ingredients in the things you're adding to the water usually need a warmer/hotter temperature to dissolve properly. Most folks could wash their clothes without adding detergent and would find that there is detergent coming out of their clothes in the washer! Then leave the washing machine lid open when you're finished and allow it to air out! It's often not the machines that are the problem, it's the operators! (11/29/2006) By Grandma Margie The Smell Is Back The smell is back. Any more suggestions? I like the way the repairmen blame the operators. Why do they put cold water settings and dispensers for fabric softener if it's not made for that? I always wash in cold water because warm or hot will fade your dark clothes. I now use vinegar for fabric softener, but the smell is still there. (12/04/2006) By Lacey Purewasher If you don't have good luck with vinegar, ammonia or bleach (be very careful not to mix them) there is a cleaner called purewasher that is only sold at smellywasher.com / This cleaner will clean inside your washer and remove mildew or musty smell from towels and clothes. All you'll need is one tablespoon. The smell hasn't returned yet! (12/16/2006) By Tara9 Rotten Egg Smell I'm responding to the "rotten egg" smell. We've recently moved into a new home and bought a front load washer and have experienced this smell. The washer drain hose is connected to a drain pipe by a rubber coupling with two ring clamps. Our shower drain, in an adjacent room, has a short run before the washer drain pipe ties into it. What I've found is that during the spin cycle, the washer drains very quickly. So quickly, in fact, it siphons the shower trap... thus, allowing the gases from our septic tank to enter the house resulting in the smell. If your piping is exposed in the basement, separate the two drains... or pipe over a new vent line to between where the two are connected to the common line. Or, in my case, I could just run the shower for a few seconds after each wash (not ideal). In any case, it should be addressed so carbon monoxide isn't entering your home. (01/19/2007) By Ryan LG I have a new LG 1812 washing machine that has a terrible odor inside the machine as well as in the clothes once they are washed. Especially noticeable in the towels. I have tried everything. I ordered the Purewash from Smelly Washer and am hoping it will do the trick. Do not buy the LG! (01/21/2007) By Yana Powdered Detergent I switched back to powdered detergent from liquid and the smell has gone and remained gone. Can't hurt to try. (02/09/2007) By Lacey Purewasher The "purewasher" does work! We had a terrible fungus smell from mold in our washer and switched to powder. It helped a little but our clothes and towels still had a mildew smell. Our neighbor gave us 2 tbsp. of purewasher. We did one cycle with a tbsp. and ran a "soak" cycle with the other tbsp. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THE FUNGUS THAT CAME OUT! I ordered some and soaked all of our clothing and towels with a tbsp. and everything smells fresh again! It's kind of expensive but 1 order lasted my neighbor a whole year. (02/11/2007) By emmygal Report Spam or Abuse Request: Washing Machine Smell Archived on 09/04/2006 My washer is about 8 years old. Recently it has started to smell AFTER I wash a load of clothes. It smells very bad, almost like cat urine, but no cats can get to it. I've tried running hot water and strong bleach through it, no effect at all. Once I was away for 2 weeks, it seemed to be gone when I got home (but came back later) so maybe water is holding up somewhere? You've been such a big help before. Any suggestions on this one? Jeneene from Cincinnati, OH Answers: RE: Washing Machine Smell I have a front loader which is about a year old now. A tech that came out to try to fix the old one told me that you should run an empty load with cascade every so often to clean the drum and it also helps calcium deposits from forming. Also, as others have said, try to leave the door cracked when not in use. It does seem to help! (04/01/2006) By hairyjoe RE: Washing Machine Smell Try running vinegar through a rinse cycle. Works for me! (04/02/2006) By heartprints RE: Washing Machine Smell If you have a fabric softener dispenser, take it apart as much as you can and clean it out. I took mine apart after having a horrible smell in my clothes and what gunk build up!! It was gross! I used a long handled screwdriver and a paint stick to dig down in there. I bet there was a least a half cup of built up softener in there. Has been fine ever since. (04/03/2006) RE: Washing Machine Smell I am an engineer and my recomendation would be to run the machine on the hottest wash (90 degree) without detergent or clothing. Once it has finished leave the door open to let the air dry it out. (04/18/2006) By tbarnet RE: Washing Machine Smell I've been having a problem with a moldy smell coming from my washing machine for quite some time. The smell never left whether I left the door open or not. I've tried everything from running vinegar to baking sode to javex and still it continued. Finally, I had my husband take the whole thing apart because I just couldn't take the the smell anymore. Towels, were the biggest problem because after one use they'd smell musty and so would you if happened to use them. Once, we took the whole thing apart we saw that the build up of mold and old soap around the top and bottom of between the drum and the basket. Since then I haven't had a problem. (05/06/2006) By Jennifer RE: Washing Machine Smell Been a while since anyone posted on this, but I wanted to share my experiance here as well. I have a Maytag Neptune top loader, bought in late 2003. About a year ago I had the most horrid mold/mildew smell coming from it and our clothes were flat out nasty! Seemed fine until they got damp then hands and face as well as entire body would smell horrible after drying off or washing. I started doing research and found numerous problems with the brand that I bought, but because I wash A LOT of clothes and need a large capasity machine that can take blankets, comforters... etc, I want to try everything I can before getting another brand/type of washing machine. I had done everything from bleach to vinegar, and nothing helped. Recently, I sprayed my entire machine with a mixture of bleach water, wiped down all exposed parts, seals, lid, dispensers.. then I combined 5 tablespoons of baking soda with 1/2 cup of vinegar in the dispensor & ran an empty cycle, after that I let it sit overnight with the top open to dry any excess. The next day I washed all day and decided I would 'test' the machine! I put a large blanket in there and washed it, let it sit overnight and woke up to check it... smelled fresh as if it had just completed the cycle. Normally the smell would have knocked me down! I don't know how long this will last, but I'm willing to do this every week if I have to. I've seen people use baking soda and vinegar but have never seen anyone put them together and let the stuff fizz up, so I tried that... sounds like a lot but it took me about 5 minutes to spray and wipe everything down, and of course just dumping the baking soda in then the vinegar, and set the machine. This has been my experiance, and might be worth a shot. If this doesn't last and the smell returns I've made up my mind that I will do away with these and get another brand! (06/12/2006) By just me RE: Washing Machine Smell We purchased a Maytag top load washer FAV6800A in March of 2005. Every 3 months I followed the Manual instructions on Pg. 9 to run bleach through for maintenance. I use TIDE detergent, liquid and about 1/4 cup only. I do laundry for 3 people. For almost a year now we have been battling with the moldy, mildew smell that is constant. The repairman from the Appliance dealer we purchased it from came and took apart the area around the pump and cleaned it out. Then he ran Rust Remover through. Again, a couple weeks later, same smell, so we ran more Rust remover through again. A couple weeks later, the smell still existed, so he came out again and took the entire machine apart. It was caked with soap build up, mold, mildew etc. I took 2 hours to clean and it wasn't a pleaseant task. That was obviously causing the smell. He then ran a load on extra hot with bleach. I thought the problem was solved. 3 days after he was at my house, I walked in the laundry room and again I could smell that horrible odor. Put my head in the drum of the machine and it was back again. I talked with Maytag and emailed customer service and found out they no longer make this machine surprise, suprise. I am willing to bet this is one of the reasons why. We have also had our clutch replaced and circuit board. Maytag told us there is nothing they could do. How is that for customer service. We paid $1,000 for that machine and now have a lemon! I wouldn't ever recommend purchasing a Maytag. (06/22/2006) By Kools RE: Washing Machine Smell Kools, I'm really sorry and disturbed about your Maytag problems. I have been such a great fan of that brand for years. I own a washer and dryer, glass top cookstove, and dishwasher... all Maytags! They range in age from 3 years to 18 years and all have given excellent service! I absolutely love each one! I do so hope they get their heads out from under their armpits (fooled you!) so they'll have reliable products again by the time I need replacements! I would be sending a letter to the TOP dog at Maytag company and also one to the attorney general in your state. If they're discontinuing that model that acknowledges something is wrong with it. They should replace it with another model.....free of charge to you! (06/22/2006) By Grandma Margie RE: Washing Machine Smell I had this problem and it nearly drove me nuts, in the end I spoke to a repairman who said its because we usually wash everything at 40 degrees and it causes a build up of gunk everywhere. He said to just run a boil was with soda once a month to clear it out and hey! no more smell! (06/30/2006) By Kate RE: Washing Machine Smell I have a 4-year-old front-loaded Frigidaire Gallery washer, which hadn't given me any headace before. About one month ago, it developed digusing mildew smell. I will try the different methods introduced here and will let you guys know the result. (07/10/2006) By DAN RE: Washing Machine Smell I bought a used front loader. Got home and smelled. Pulled out the dispenser tray and sprayed vinegar water blend until all the gunk came apart. You may want to put a rag to filter the gunky chips from going into the lines to the washer. When done, just throw away the rag. I cleaned the rubber gasket around the door. It was nasty. I ran a vinegar drenched towel along the seam of the rubber and the door where I spotted the gunk. The smell reduced but I can still smell some in the drum. I am not going to take it apart. I will try running a cycle with Cascade, vinegar, baking soda, and hot water individually to see what happens. Bleach did nothing. To prevent, I will not use liquid fabric softener and make sure I use about 1/4 capfull of laundry soap instead of a capful now that I have a front loader. (07/12/2006) By Brian. RE: Washing Machine Smell I had a very bad smell in my front load washer after I left a load of clothes in for 3 days. (just forgot them) I have tried cleaning it out, running beach through with hot water several times and the smell kept coming back. My clothes smelled sort of like mildew. I finally think I found something that works. I cleaned out the washer really well around the inside of the door and under the rubber seal. It was gross with junk. Then I just add a 1/2 cup borax with my regular detergent and the smell is gone. I also make sure I leave the door open slightly so it can dry between washes. I did some research on the net and found that borax when mixed with water turns to peroxide which kills mold. Hope this helps. (07/19/2006) By linx2pct1 RE: Washing Machine Smell I've had my washer almost 8 years and have never had a smell problem. I read that so many people do. Is everyone using plenty of hot water. I wash in hot water alot. Towels, underwear, sheets, etc. I know, I know, global warming, but I pay the bills and need the laundry to be CLEAN and smell good. One thing, I go easy on the Tide, or I rinse twice. I also switch detergents from time to time, to what's on sale. You folks with the smell problem, you might try turning up your hot water and extra rinsing for a week or two and see if it makes a difference. (08/29/2006) By Vicka RE: Washing Machine Smell This maybe related to a colder hot/cold water mix + liquid Tide. We have had the same problem for the past 6 months and it's most obvious with thicker laundry such as towels. We have a 12-year old Maytag top loader and had no major problems other than a hose and a belt change. I removed the agitator (attached only wiht one screw) and cleaned out a thick layer of soap scum from under it. I also noticed two plastic access panels under the agitator so I pulled them open, and noticed an even thicker layer of soap scum inside, below the spinning drum. It was tricky to clean up the whole surface through the two small access doors but I managed to scrape much of it with various implements (3M scrubber, old toothbrush, etc...) Then I soaked it with a michture of soap scum remover and boiling water. I let it cycle after an hour and repeated the cleaning, removing 80% of the deposits. It's much better now but I think we need all new towel, because the old ones are permanently "contaminated." I also noticed that the hot water was flowing much slower than the cold water, so I clean out the host filter. So that may have affected the water temperature. My wife had switched to liquid Tide (from powder form) approximately a year ago, and we believe that that had a lot to do with it. I'll be returning the unsused portion to Costco soon. I wonder if anyone can confirm my findings. (08/31/2006) By Abe Report Spam or Abuse Request: Washing Machine Smell Archived on 01/01/2006 I have a problem with my washing machine, it has a musty/mildew smell inside the machine itself. My clothes smell fine and my towels do also but afer you use the towels they have the same smell to them as my washing machine and of course once you use the towels you smell like the musty/mildew smell. My washer is fairly new, approximately a year old and I have tried numerous things to get the smell out. I've used bleach, baking soda, cleaning products especially for mildew smells, almost everything imaginable but the smell still exsists. I've never left clothes in it for a long period of time and I myself have no idea how the smell got there but if any one has any suggestions or has any clue as to why my washing machine would smell the way it does please contact me. Thank you to whoever has an answer or even a little help for me, it is greatly appreciated. Latisha from Grafton, WV Answers: RE: Washing Machine Smell OS (Guest Post) I have a Calypso by Kenmore. I had drainage problems and had to call for service (it took three service vists for Sears to fix this problem). Anyway, I also had a mildew smell in my washer and I asked the senor tech about it. He said it was from detergent buildup around the drum. Apparently, the down side of water saving machines is that they have detergent buldup inside of them around the drum. He said he knew of know solution to the problem. I hope to annually get someone to take apart the machine so that I can clean the drum in addition to following other suggestions posted. RE: Washing Machine Smell Post by Vicka If vinegar and bleach and baking soda haven't worked, maybe you could try a load of Cascade dishwasher powder, although I don't know what effects it might have on washer parts. I can't think it would be worse than vinegar or bleach. One last thing, try running smaller loads of your towels and putting them through a complete second time using vinegar in place of soap and regular rinse. Sometimes just super rinsing is good. we use way too much soap. RE: Washing Machine Smell (Guest Post) I have left a load of laundry in the washer and it smelled musty as well. I rewashed the clothes, but the smell remained. I solved the problem by soaking the offending laundry in the washer (which also smelled) 1/2 box of baking soda mixed with a washerful of water and 1/2 gallon vinegar. I set the washer to agitate for five minutes or so and then just let it sit for 24 hours. Then I reset it to agitate and let the washer run through a regular cycle. The clothes smelled okay, but I still put them through another regular wash with a little detergent. Hung the laundry to dry outside and left the washer lid open. All is fine now. Hope this may help you too. You could probably use bleach instead of the vinegar, but My laundry was colored. RE: Washing Machine Smell Sandi (Guest Post) Latisha, Try using a cup of vinegar in your rinse water instead of any liquid fabric softner. It also helps colored clothes not to loose their color as quickly. Sandi RE: Washing Machine Smell Post by Great Granny Vi If you use the same laundry soap all the time try changing to a different brand. JUST DO NOT RUN THE WASHER WITH CLOTHES IN IT THE FIRST RUN THROUGH! You'll be amazed at the dirt/scum that comes loose. Then run a second time before washing a load of clothes. By adding white vinegar to the rinse water twice a month, it will keep the towels from having a fabric softener build up. And they will be more absorbent. RE: Washing Machine Smell Post by ldyharley Vinegar is good for just about anything! I just bought a little book on ways to use vinegar and I just yesterday, poured two cups of white vinegar in my washing machine to clean it out. I don't know if it did but it smells good! I also pour a cup of vinegar in my dishwasher and run a short cycle. The other night I poured white vinegar in the rinse compartment to see if it would make my dishes and glasses look better and it did! I have a water softener system but sometimes the dishes don't look as 'sparkling' (lol) as they should. The vinegar did the trick. Vinegar is an amazing liquid and after reading that little book, I will be using vinegar to clean my house instead of harsh chemicals. It's also good to eliminate odors, gets rid of mold and mildew, sooths insect bites. What amazed me about vinegar is that cats and racoons hate the smell of it!!! If you are tired of these animals getting into your garbage cans, pour vinegar in a spray bottle and spray your cans. You can spray diluted white vinegar around your yard also but don't spray it on your plants or flowers because it will kill them. By the way, vinegar kills weeds too and it's cheap! RE: Washing Machine Smell Post by cookwie I had that problem and it turned out to be the scent from the ALL detergent many years ago. I kept on doing Clorox washes and wondering why they didn't work. And then I figured it out! RE: Washing Machine Smell Josh (Guest Post) I'm having the same problem with my kenmore 70 series top loading washing machine. I will try the vinegar, bleach, and baking soda ideas. However, I am a little concerned about the idea of trying vinegar and baking soda as the chemical reaction is probably quite familiar to those of you that have children that have made one of those fake volcanoes. - It mixes and foams everywhere! RE: Washing Machine Smell Dee Steer (Guest Post) Thank you for all the tips, I'll try the vinegar first and get back to you with the result. RE:Fix for Washing Machine Smell Jeffie2003 Jeffie2003 (Guest Post) I have a Whirlpool/Kenmore top loading washer about five years old. For the past few years I have battled a rotten sock odor in the machine. Last week I could not take it anymore. I tore the blasted thing apart and discovered I didn't have a rotten sock. Rather, I had a buildup of lint between the washbasket and the water barrel right about where the top waterline would be with a full load. Obviously, when the lint stays damp it begins to rot and viola', odor. The area in question cannot be reached unless you disassemble the washer. I am not a professional Washer mechanic. So, if you go this route, please consult qualified personnel. Good luck. RE: Washing Machine Smell pattya at nc.rr.com (Guest Post) I have the Nexxt Washer and we have the same problem with a musty/mildew smell. I have been fighting with Bosch over this because it is because of the tight seal and because it holds water. My clothes are beginning to smell as bad as the bath towels. I would suggest contacting Bosch and have it documented before the warranty is up. I have found (after purchase) that most of the front loaders have this problem. there even are some class action law suits out there. RE: Washing Machine Smell Ann (Guest Post) I AM SO REVOLTED. I just wiped the inside of my washer (a high-efficency top loader by Kenmore) up under the top, where the "drum" meets the top part, and was DISGUSTED to find a gross brown film all over it. I must have used 30-40 wipes to get it off. And I think it's probably in places I can't reach. Our towels smell sour too when they get wet. So if this is mildew, it's probably all over our clothes. I am so grossed out. It makes me want to contact a washing machine technician just so they can take it apart and I can clean it. So I'm posting this in case the smell you all are having is due to actual mildew in your machine, which can't be washed out because the water doesn't get up into those crevices. Gross gross gross. I do leave a wet load in it overnight sometimes, so it's probably my fault - never again! I live in FL where mold/mildew grow EVERYWHERE. Hope this helps somebody. Report Spam or Abuse Request: Washing Machine Smell Archived on 02/24/2005 I have a front loading washer (which I LOVE!) but I have developed a problem. Over a month ago, I left a couple of towels in the machine after washing for a whole long weekend - just forgot they were there. They "soured" and even with rewashing with vinegar they still had an odor. That was OK since they are now "shop rags". My problem is the washer still has the odor in it. I have used vinegar, OxyClean, baking soda (for a week!) even Windex-type cleaner both in laundry loads and just to wipe down the interior. I leave the door cracked to dry the drum after a day of washing but the odor remains even after all this time. Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks for your help. Melody (PS: because of allergies, I prefer methods that are less "bad" chemically but everything is a chemical of some sort!) Answers: RE: Washing Machine Smell Post by homeschoolin_mum Try vinegar and baking soda together. Put the soda in as you would your powdered detergent then add your vinegar (I would imagine you have a spout in the top) where your softener would go after the water has started pouring in. RE: Washing Machine Smell Post by kidsNclutter The odor could be from MOLD. Should try liquid chlorine bleach, fairly strong, on the longest cycle (not prewash). Run it through w/ just the water, or maybe will need to put in a load of towels that can be bleached (or those shop rags!) so the water fills to a good level b/c it is a front loader. If the odor is from MOLD it will be killed by the bleach. RE: Washing Machine Smell Post by beanygurl That "soured" smell is from bacteria. I agree with using chlorine bleach to kill it. Use a cup or two with hot water in a full cycle. RE: Washing Machine Smell Post by Katie A. In addition to using bleach, I suggest leaving the door open more than a crack (i.e. even if the towels hadn't molded, leaving it only slightly open might be letting new mold grow). Unless your washer is in a really obvious place, I'd leave the door all the way open on a regular basis. I do that with mine and have never had a moldy smell problem. RE: Washing Machine Smell Kelly (Guest Post) My machine had the same thing, only it is not a front load. I took apart the bleach and fabric softener dispensers and washed them and the interior of the machine (mine has a ledge at the top of the drum where a lot of lint and scum had collected) really well with vinegar and hot water. Then ran a full wash cycle with 2 cups of vinegar and 1/2 a box of baking soda and haven't had an odor since. I had done the vinegar/baking soda load before, but never cleaned out all of the other things and I think the odor was lingering in those areas. Make sure you get all of the crevices, anywhere that scum and lint could build up. RE: Washing Machine Smell Suzie (Guest Post) Try Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda. It's an odor absorbing cleaner as well as a laundry booster. RE: Washing Machine Smell NonaCZ (Guest Post) thanks for all of you all's help. RE: Washing Machine Smell Susan (Guest Post) I developed this problem with my Bosch Next washer. I am also having problems with the soap dispenser. After 2 repair visits, I was told by the Bosch rep that They would replace the soap dispenser with a "redesigned" part. For the mildew smell, he recommended wiping out the gasket after each use, washing gasket with vinegar, using a product called Washer Magic, and leaving the door cracked after each use. It is the Maytag Neptune all over agian. Lowes has discontinued this lemon of a machine. Good luck; hope you have better luck than we have had. Report Spam or Abuse