Smell from washer drum

[annem]

If I take the clothes straight from the drum as soon as the cycle finishes it's ok, but I left the washer running whilst I went out for ½ hour. When I opened the washer door there was a horrible smell which I can only describe as like a hamster cage what the hell's all that about...?

 

[elebax]

Annem,

The drain pipe of your washer might have debris cought up in it.

Have you got a U-bend at your drain? U drains usually prevent nasty smells from flowing back into the washer, toilets etc after waste water is drained away.

If you do have a U bend, flushing it with a good pipe-block chemical should do the trick.

New Washers have usually got an internally fitted U bend to prevent this from happening.

Check out our webiste for a large selection of eco friendly soaps and descalers along with a large selection of energy efficient washing machines, dryers...etc.

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[cmother1]

Hi - I've had this problem as well. The smell was best described as a cross between farts and wet cardboard. I too thought that the drain was the most likely culprit , so I duly dismantled it and cleaned the whole thing out. No dice: the smell was coming from the machine itself - some form of fungal growth I suspect.

Treatments tried (all on a hot wash): bleach, washing soda, full bottle of white vinegar. The first two had little effect (both alkaline) but the vinegar worked reasonably well for a while. The real breakthrough was switching from liquid detergent back to powder (as recommended elsewhere in these pages). This has all but eliminated the whiff.

Another good idea is to keep the door ajar when the machine isn't in use. This will discourage moulds from forming

 

[annem]

Thanks.

I've been using those liquid capsule things that you put in the drum with the clothes for the past few weeks, so that could be a good point. I'll try powder next.

Meanwhile, I'll give the white vinegar and washing soda a go and see if that will do anything for the smell.

I do leave the door ajar, but OH in his infinite wisdom keeps closing it...

 

[cmother1]

Good luck, but don't put the soda and vinegar in together. They'll foam and neutralise each other producing carbon dioxide and sodium ethanoate (my son tells me) - probably not much use as a machine cleaner!

 

[annem]

I've given the machine a good scrub around the rubber seal and the dispenser drawer. Towels are in at the moment on a hot wash, and then I was gonna throw the vinegar and soda in - luckily I read your post beforehand. Thanks.
I was never good at chemistry and physics (unlike your son by the sound of things) not bad with biology though

 

[markturnbull]

I was told an good fix for smeally dryers - not tried it myself - but apparently you chop up around 10 lemons and run a quick low temp cycle with them in the drum. Don't be tempted to use oranges or other fruit though

 

[annem]

In theory that should work as lemons are used to neutralise smells - might be less messy to use lemon juice from a bottle perhaps?
I actually used a bottle of white vinegar in the dispenser drawer and so far it seems to have done the trick.
Have bought powder today though to use in place of those things you put in the drum... watch this space...

 

[Brightness]

It's caused by bacteria in the pipes. If you use liquids or liquitabs then about once a month you need to use about 300ml thin bleach on a 90 degree wash in an empty drum. This will clean out the pipes and keep everything fresh.

This source of info comes from my friend's hubby who owns a chain of launderettes and is also a washing machine repair man. It's never failed for me

 

[annem]

Thanks for that. I'll try that now - I don't think the vinegar has cleared the smell, only masked it for a while.

 

[^woody^]

You need to do a maintenance wash - high heat programme with soda crystals instead of powder (no clothes!)

Our previous Hoover had a stainless steel drum casing and we never had a problem. The current crappy Hotpoint has a plastic casing and gets this smell and bits of debris every few months

 

[annem]

Thanks woody. It would seem that this is a common problem.

I don't think it helps matters when I have to wash workwear each week. Oil and grease can't be good for any washing machine.

To be honest the washer is always on - as anyone with a family will know - but I should try and make time to do a maintenance wash.
It's only when I have problems, i.e. now, that I make time for one.