My washing machine smells a bit. Will this cure it?

Question

It has a slightly musty odour. It's (visibly) very clean and is used almost every day, so its difficult to tell why it doesn't smell like daisies. Was thinking of running it very hot on an empty wash and adding bleach or bicarbonate of soda or something. Er vinegar and lemons? Any other 'old wives tales'?

Answer 1

vinegar is best.

Answer 2

Whenever my washing machine starts to smell I wash a load of white towels with bleach and hot water.

Answer 3

Run it on a hot wash and add some washing soda, that will get rid of any smells or sludge left behind, no need for anything fancy

Answer 4

This is an old wife answering your question. What you plan on doing is great. You should run your machine empty on a hot wash every month or so and another wee tip is to add a tablespoon of Soda Crystals in with your washing powder.

Soda Crystals are great for removing grease, blood, ink, tea and coffee stains from clothes and leave no smell. They can be used to clear blocked sinks etc so putting it in the washing machine with the wash will help keep your clothes clean and your drains cleared.

I live in a rural area and have a septic tank so try to use things like Borax, Soda Crystals, White Vinegar and Bicarbonate of Soda for all cleaning jobs around the house. Most of them have been around for about a hundred years and cost a fraction of the price of smelly sprays etc.

Another little hint is to minimise built up in your washing machine you should use a selection of powders, liquid and tablets.

For instance Powder is better for ground in dirt and liquids for cool washes and removing oil.

Good luck

Answer 5

put an empty wash on with a packet of soda crystals in the drum they only aabout a £1 a packet

Answer 6

A washing machine has an inner drum that you can see and an outer drum beyond all those little holes. That's where all the missing socks escape to. The inner drum moves and the outer drum doesn't.  The smell is because you've got bacteria growing between the drums.

You should be able to clean it by running a high fill wash with some disinfectant in the water.  A hot wash is usually low fill and wouldn't reach all of the outer drum.  Now you've got the problem of how to stop it smelling of disinfectant :-(

Answer 7

Vinegar is a good idea. Also, when my machine starts to get an odor like that, I run it with hot water and bleach.

Answer 8

Washing at low temperatures is the cause of this as it allows bacteria to buld up in the limecale depsotis and crevices of the machine.

A very hot was 75 C or above once a week and this will reduce the odour.

adding bleach and vinegar together can produce deadly chlorine fume, spray the water/detergent drawer insides with a dilute bleach solution to help but only dilute!!

best use a dedicated washing machine or dishwasher descaler/cleaner in the hot wash.

Answer 9

give it s bath :P

Answer 10

do your idea with bleach

about a cup to the filled washer

Answer 11

i had the same prob with mine,the filter was packed..we emptied the filter,and cillet banged it..then ran it thru a couple ov hot wash cycles empty,now it smells ov roses....

Answer 12

whirlpool makes a product called "AFFRESH" bout 12 dollas a package,  fill the washer up with hot water drop a couple tablets in and let it run thru its cycle

works great

Answer 13

or one of the widely available washing machine cleaing products from a supermarket.

Answer 14

try a very hot wash with soda crystals, also I've found that if you clean the detergent drawer and then leave it slightly open after each use, it stops that smelling and going mucky too.  Check the filter is clear too.  Leave the washing machine door open whilst not in use and wipe around the rubber seal after each use.  All these things should help.  

Answer 15

pop some lavender oil in and run on a 90 degree wash

Answer 16

Run the washing machine (empty) on a hot wash using a solution of bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar as your washing liquid (I suggest a tablespon of bicarbonate of soda and say a half tablespoon of white vinegar) .... then put it on a rinse cycle after the wash cycle has completed (to rinse away any remaining solution in the machine) ... then leave the door open .... from now on leave the door open after washing - to allow air to circulate inside and around the drums - most bacteria (that which hasn't been washed away) will die on contact with the air ....

Answer 17

Have a look here

http://www.ehow.com/

Answer 18

Your method is actually the manufacturer's recommended method for cleaning my model of washer.  Highest settings for water level and heat, and lots of bleach!

You might add baking soda to the rinse.  

Do NOT combine bleach with anything acid, like vinegar or lemons!

Answer 19

make sure the filter is clean then run it and put some distilled white vinegar through it