Smelly Clothes from washing machine.

[Feather]

I have had my Zanussi Aquacycle 1000 XC washing machine for many years and it hasnt given me a pick of bother.
Till now,
For about 6 months I noticed that my clothes never smelt quite as fresh as they used to.
i thought it was how I was drying them, so became fanatical about making sure they didnt overlap and have plenty of room to dry. Ive changed my washing powder and softener many, many times now including the type with Febreeze in. Im not 100% sure if the clothes are coming out quite as spotless as well. I dont really get my things that dirty but have noticed that some marks havnt come off in the wash.
On the whole my clothes look ok when I pull them out and theres the smell of the detergent but not massively a strong smell of it and after theyve dried the detergent smell is virtually gone and I can smell a faintly musky like smell like they were damp and folded away.
The machine itself still runs great. Turns on, goes through its cycle, no funny noises and Ive emptied and washed the filter too.
Its just the clothes dont smell too fresh anymore.
Any ideas anyone???
Can I also add that Ive removed and washed the detergent drawer and am just about to throw a few towels in without detergent on a hot wash.

 

[Burnerman]

Probably a few runs using the hottest wash possible would be a reasonable idea - I'm sure these low temperature detergents aren't much good for removing deposits that gather inside.
John

 

[LooPrEvil]

John is correct both in the cause and the remedy.

You need to do a cycle on the hottest wash possible, using your soap powder / liquid, but without any clothes.

I would also clean your filter first, and soap tray if you use it, and then do the 'maintenance wash' as above.

Often the machine manual recommends doing the occasional maintenance wash, but how many of us actually fully read them? !!

 

[Maxsys]

Good tip here and it works, run on the hottest wash cycle with a dishwasher tablet in it, trust me it works.

 

[rocks1]

No not with soap powder or liquid. You are just adding to the scum and sludge in the drum. Use White vinegar or soda crystals to desolve all the crap that's inside it.

 

[LooPrEvil]

No not with soap powder or liquid. You are just adding to the scum and sludge in the drum. Use White vinegar or soda crystals to desolve all the crap that's inside it.

Taken from the Zanussi website (I failed to state use biological soap though!):

Maintenance Wash
With the use of low temperature washes it is
possible to get a build up of residues inside the
drum.
We recommend that a maintenance wash be
performed on a regular basis.
To run a maintenance wash:
● The drum should be empty of laundry.
● Select the hottest cotton wash programme.
● Use a normal measure of detergent, must be
a powder with biological properties.

 

[rocks1]

So explain every time you do a 90 wash you are doing a maintenance Wash then are you. Every instruction book tells you to do that once a year, so 365 hot washes it should be clean then and no smells. you are only adding clothes. You only have to pull the bottom of the door seal back to see the scum , then do a few hot washes with a cleaner then see the scum disappear then what do I know only been doing the job for 20 years.

 

[LooPrEvil]

Please ask Zanussi's technical team your question.

Those instructions are for the UK and may differ from your location in the Cayman Islands!

 

[rocks1]

Just cos that's the Location don't mean I'm there I'm not far you only about 200 miles.

 

[LooPrEvil]

I thought not!

But I would be interested to know how the Zanussi techies respond to you.

 

[rocks1]

And all the other manufactures they say the same but books are printed before the appliances. Look at the logic if you have a bath with bubble bath and leave a scum wot do you clean it with.

 

[zipper]

LooPrEvil:
Don't blindly believe everything you read on manufacturer web sites. Any experienced service technician will tell you exactly what you have already been told.
Planet saving detergents (even ones with magical "biological properties") gunge up your washer.
Conditioners & penny saving tactics by using low temperature wash programs only make things worse.
If you are a domestic appliance engineer please grace us with your logic...if not then perhaps you should stick to what you know.

 

[LooPrEvil]

I ALWAYS follow the manufacturers instructions to the book, particularly during the warranty / extended warranty period, as it does not give them any reason to suggest that I am the cause of a problem that may arise, and thereby prevent them from meeting their own obligations.

When I had to do the maintenance wash in-line with what the manufacturer specified, it worked an absolute treat. I just had to buy biological powder instead of using our normal non bio powder (what difference that makes I do not know).

 

[Feather]

Can I firstly say thankyou for taking the time to answer me.
Ive already had the detergent drawer out and cleaned it.
Im gonna run the machine on a few 90degree washes without laundry but with soda crystals chucked in the drum.
Ill let you know what happens.

 

[Alarm]

Washing machine repairmen like myself have been recommending a maintenance (or service) wash for about 15 years. Washing machine manufacturers have eventually decided to endorse the advice by also advising it in their instruction books. This is particularly important if you mostly use low temperature washes and (or) liquid detergent, and other washing machine detergent without bleaching agents such as colour friendly detergent.

Source : http://www.washerhelp.co.uk/usage_2.html