My washer smells awe-full!!?

Question

Every time I do a load of wash, my wash will smell like it's been in there for weeks!! I use a good detergent and a liquid softener, but you can only smell the bitter mildewy smell.
I've tried baking soda and white vinegar, nothing works.... any suggestions??

Answer 1

Look under the rim (between the tub and sides) and take out all that caked on goop under there, that's the one that is causing that smell. Use a long thin bottle brush to remove it. Then run a load with just hot water and vinegar and and when ever you finish washing your clothes, always keep the lid up (open)when not in use, so it can air dry and remove any caked on goop that you find under the rim and tub.

Answer 2

Make sure you look between the drum and the case. I had a foul smell coming from my washer and there was a dead mouse in there. i guess my cat was playing with it and it crawled in there to get away and just died. I didn't actually make my clothes smell, because it wasn't in the part the clothes go in, but it still smelled none the less. Also someone mentioned cleaning the goo from around and under the lid, that works well too. We have an older washer/dryer set, we have worked on them a lot.

Answer 3

Have you put a cup of baking soda through the wash cycle without clothes and perhaps a litre of white vinegar in the last rinse. Then perhaps just using baking soda in a prewash before using your normal cycle. Can you line dry your clothes this will get rid of musty smells. Make sure clothes are totally dry before putting them away.

Answer 4

Try lemon juice - fresh squeezed. I know it works for a garbage disposal (although you can toss in a half a lemon in that) the juice itself should work to cleanse the washer. Just make sure you don't put in a load of white's during that wash.
The other option - your sewage tank could be backing up - may want to have that looked at.

Answer 5

Here's the real answer, okay on the back of your washer you have a hose that lets the water out during the spin cycle. If it is bent you need to straighten it out so all of the dirty water can go out during the spin cycle. That smell is dirty water left behind. Go directly to spin before you next wash, and if water comes out then that was the problem. And remeber to hold that hose up so the water can come out. Because no water should be left behind after a spin.

Answer 6

Could be the mildew is on the outside of your washer tub. Had this happen to me and my hubby took the back of the washer off and cleaned it with Lestoil cleaner. Also, if your washer sits on a carpeted floor the carpet will get that smell too. Best thing to clean the carpet with is the Lestoil too. Good luck.

Answer 7

Try running washer w/o clothes. UUUUse cold water and 1'2 gal of bleach. Ater washer has filled lift lid and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. Then run it through the cycles. If this does help, call a repairman.

Answer 8

Always leave the lid open when not in use. I would run a load as full as possible and hot as possible with a lot of bleach. Sounds like you have yourself a mold problem. Try this several times in a row and leave the lid up when you are done/

Answer 9

use vinegar -
- always keep the lid / door open when not in use -
you have to wash at maximum heat at least once a month to make sure the algae is killed
- never let your wet, damp clothes lie more than a couple of hours in your washer

Answer 10

Try running a load with out clothes in it no detergent use a gallon of vinager. That usally does the trick. You might have to do it twice.