Moldy smell from a washing machine.?

Question

Any ideas on how to clean and get rid of the odor of mildew/mold from a front loading washing machine? thanks

Answer 1

do a wash with bleach but no clothes just bleach and washing powder then the smell should go away it always works for my boyfriends mam.

Answer 2

use lenor and calgon together works a treat for me

Answer 3

put the machine on a boil wash with nothing in it,this will clean out the inside then clean the rubber around the door with hot water and detergent.Dont for get to clean out the filter.this should do the trick!

Answer 4

Clean out the pump filter.

Answer 5

How to Get Rid of Mold Smell in Front Loader Washing Machine

If you have a Whirlpool (other brands have the same issue) front loader washing machine, you may notice a moldy smell spoiling all your towels and clothes. Here is how to fix it.

[edit] Steps

   1. Identify the source. The main cause is usually use of a wrong type of detergent that creates too many suds. These suds collect in nooks and crannies and cause mold.

   2. Use only an HE (high efficiency) detergent. The HE detergent creates a lot less sudsing and is designed for the modern front loader.

   3. Clean. First wipe the inside of the washer, especially the area where the door seals to the inside. Mold can collect around the insides and folds of the rubber seals. Get in there and make sure you cleaned it all. You could use bleach or Pinesol.

   4. Use a quarter cup of dish washing detergent (powder is best, liquid if you must), along with a towel. Put the machine on the "sanitary" (hottest water) setting. Let it finish its cycle. This should get rid of the mold completely.

Answer 6

Pour about 1 cup of pine sol in it, wash a few old rags and put it on hot and do a regular load, that should cure the moldy smell. Or you can use about 2 cups of Bleach and do the same thing.

Answer 7

you can buy machine cleaning tablets from anywhere including tesco. throw a tablet into your machine and run an empty wash. when my machine was smelly i had to do two empty washes with a cleaning tablet. after that my washing machine was lovely again. i now do a tablet clean once a month. dishwashers need this too

Answer 8

maybe add a bit of washing liquid and run it through one spin when it takes in water and then stop and put it on the quick spin setting and let it do. Maybe it'll wash it out well. have you not used it in a while?

Answer 9

empty the filter and clean all around the inside of the door seal, sometimes wet gross stuff can build up in the crevices.

Answer 10

soda crystals, you can get them in the diy shop

Answer 11

Return it and get a washer with an agitator. That's what I did.

You are not alone in having this problem. Don't let anyone tell you that it's because you left clothes in washer too long, or that you don't care for your machine properly etc. These machines are defective.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&...

This is a very common problem with the front loaders and the new HE machines that don't have an agitator.

If your machine is under a year old have it serviced (A formality that they require before returning a machine) then go to wherever you purchased it and return it. That's what I did. I had the same problem and there was no way I was gona get stuck with that horrible set. I bought mine at Lowes and they were great about taking them back. They picked them up delivered the new set I picked out and I got a hefty amount of money back as well because the set I got was not as expensive. And let me tell you I am a million times happier with it! I am constantly warning people not to buy them but they do it anyway and I get thumbs down for criticizing peoples beloved front loaders on here but I just continue in hopes that some will hear me and beware. You would be surprised how many people are fine with running empty loads with bleach, vinegar, etc and having to leave the doors open etc. ( leaving the doors open is a danger to small children by the way) just to have the trendiest washer set.Some even buy special products made to clean out the smell but say they would buy a front loader again in spite of it. It amazes me. I truly hope yours is under a year old. Otherwise this is going to be something that you will deal with untill you get a new set. At that time, my advice is the largest set you can find that has an agitator and is not a HE machine. Honestly if they would not have taken mine back I would have gotten rid of it and bought a new set. I could not have put up with it for years.When I wash clothes I don't expect them to be worse off than before I wash them.Good luck!

I'm not saying that having an agitator keeps away mold by the way. What I am saying is that the front loaders and the sets that they began making like the Calypso that do not have agitators and are water misers are the ones with the serious mold issues. ( The HE machines) I personally can not tell you just why that is...it just is.

If you watch the cleaning and laundry section you will see that this is a wide spread problem. Washers should not grow mold. I've been married for 26 years and owned washers all that time and never had a moldy one untill they started all this HE stuff...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

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http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 12

Clean out the filter and round the seal of the door and that should do it. Could also be that its leaked a bit in the past and the mould/smell is the flooring.

Answer 13

try changing the waste tube at the rear of machine for a new one that will help cure that smell.

Answer 14

Biological powder and select the highest temperature wash. Don't add any clothes and let the powder find and eat the mouldy bits.