My washing machine is smelly. What can I do about that?

Question

It's a great washing machine - German, four years old. Lately it's developed this damp smell which sometimes the clothes pick up. What do I do?

Answer 1

run it through a cycle without any clothes and put in a 1/2 cup of pine cleaner or bleach- it will get rid of the odor.

Answer 2

ok here's the reason! Back in frankfurter where they built the washer, they never told you how or what actually "TURNS" the tub as is cycles during a wash. What is happening is that at this particular factory they do not install standard electrical motors in these machines! What they do instead, is make a bit extra room for the machine OPERATOR to fit in it! Yes indeed these lil german dwarfs are packed with enough bratwurst and beer to make it to your house and after a while of living inside the unit they tend to smell a bit if they havent bathed. They also sneak out of the washer at night and eat and do all the neccessary things you need to do, (use the bathroom , etc) so this is why the german washers last so long! The motors never break for many many years! and the Operators work cheap, happy enough to make it to the USA and get out once in awhile..!!

Answer 3

Turn off the water at the mains, un plug the pipes from the wall and the machine and pour some lime scale cleaner in them or vinegar and leave to soak for a while then rinse thenm out

Then without putting any clothes in the machine put a washing tablet and some vinegar in your trays as well as a lemon cut in two in the tumbler part. Run a full session on hot and bingo you'll have cleaned out all limescale, gunk and it will smell lemon fresh for ages!!

Answer 4

Try running a wash with bleach in the machine - should clear the smell. The smell is probably caused by leaving washing in the machine too long after it's finished. Take it out immediately when the wash has finished and leave the door slightly open to dry the machine's insides.

Answer 5

Run the washer with hot water and an entire bottle of bleach. Use the highest water setting, ie: largest load size, and let it run the entire cycle. This should kill the bacteria/mildew/mold in the washer. I did this the first time and never had a problem again. When done washing clothes you should leave the washer lid open so air can get in and dry out the washer. Good Luck!!!!

Answer 6

Purchace a bottle of concentrated lemon juice. Pour it into the bleach funnel (if one) otherwise pour into the drum itself. Run a cycle without any clothes. (Hot water).

Once the cycle finishes, open the lid and allow it to dry. (The current smell will be gone, and as long as you keep the lid open at least 24 hours after doing laundry it will not return.

The oder is caused by bacteria forming in the warm moist enviorment inside the machine wich is trapped when you close the lid after removing the clothes. (it is preventable)

Answer 7

Wash one cycle with a little bit of clothes that you don't care about and put a boatload of bleach. That should kill all the yucky bacteria you got in the washer. The damp smell is from mildew buildup, maybe you should also have it checked by a professional.

Answer 8

Run it through a cycle empty, no clothes, with bleach.... Buy some liquid fabric softener ( downy) and use that in a wash, there are many different fragrance's to chose from, and your clothes will smell fresh and clean also, and no static cling....

Answer 9

Try running it with 1/2 cup of Vinegar instead of soap (no clothes of course!) This should take care of the odor but you might need to run it one or two more times with water only.

Good luck!

Answer 10

look at your pipes in behind where the water drains my mum had the same problem and it was fitted wrong the pipe where the dirty water drains wasnt the right one it needs to be 1 where the water cant come back down or your just washing your clothes time and time again with the dirty water