How do I get rid of the moldy/musty smell in my front load washer? It smells like wet towels that have been sitting in the damp basement of an abandoned house! Please help.
By Hunter
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Run some baking soda through your washer on a quick gentle cycle. Then remember to not close the washer door until it has completely aired out. I have a pretty dishcloth I hang over the door so it won't close and everyone knows that the washer is drying out. Closing the door on a wet washer is what gives you that musty odor. Good luck!
I had this problem with my front load washer too, until I started leaving the door ajar between washdays. No more problem!
I had the musty smell whether I closed the door or left it open. I was about to throw the machine away even though it was only two years old. A repairman told me to stop using liquid detergent, use only powdered, and no liquid fabric softener. The liquids are petroleum based and leave a residue on plastic pipes and rubber gaskets etc.
Powdered HE detergent is hard to find, but worth the effort. Also, he said not to use as much as recommended, he said most people use way too much soap. There is absolutely no smell in my machine now, and amazingly the clothes are just as clean. For two people washing a small load of clothes I use only a rounded tablespoon of HE powdered detergent. Try it... the only thing you have to lose is a moldy smell.
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I have a front load washer and after each wash, I dry the door and inside the rubber gasket around the door. I cut a piece of window screening (the soft kind) that fits over the hole and use 3 magnets to attach it to the washer. I never have a problem with mildew smell and it keeps the cat out of there!
By Gail McNamara Romano from Englewood, FL
After going through the normal routine for cleaning my front loading machine I still was experiancing a slight moldy smell. I found that the drawer that holds the soap had built up mold in it also. The drawer slid out easily and even came apart into several pieces so that it could be cleaned in every nook and cranny.
