Bad smell in wash machine, help!

[mantysk8coach]

There is a really nasty smell in our wash machine. Has this ever happened to any of you, and what did you do to get rid of it? I tried running bleach through an empty cycle on hot, but that only seemed to make it worse...the smell of bleach mixed with the other smell eew!

I probably need to call a plumber or something, but just wondering in the meantime if any of you helpful people had any advice?

Thanks!

 

[meandtheguys2]

Check you vent/tube thing! We had a mouse die in ours once! IIIIIICK!

 

[Kaycee]

Check you vent/tube thing! We had a mouse die in ours once! IIIIIICK!

That was my first thought too.

 

[chyam]

I hope it is not a Neptune..........my friends have one and have this problem and so far after numerous phone calls have still not been able to find the problem.

 

[always quiet]

Do you have an automatic fabric softner dispenser? Mine lifts out (from the aggitator in the center) and sometimes, if moisture is let sit there, it gets all kinds of icky under there.

 

[pat fan]

If your septic is getting full, that may be the cause. It may not be full enough to actualy back flow into the washer, but the level may be high enough that when the water from the wash dumps into it it pushes the top layer of "odor" up the pipe into your washer. Pleasant

 

[Kim&Chris]

Do you have an automatic fabric softner dispenser? Mine lifts out (from the aggitator in the center) and sometimes, if moisture is let sit there, it gets all kinds of icky under there.

Yup, I had the same thing happen. Started smelling a bad odor and pulled the softener dispenser out, and.....EEEWWWWWWWWWWW!!

Because this mechanism is sealed, I guess some water ends up in there and begins to stagnate (sp??). I used Lysol cleaner and the smell did disappear.

 

[chrissyk]

What kind of a smell is it? I had something plastic melt to the heating element in the dishwasher a couple of months ago. The smell was HORRID. I've tried EVERYTHING to get rid of that smell, and nothing has worked. I agree that bleach just made it worse. We run the dishwasher twice a day and the smell still hasn't improved Could something similar have happened inside your washing machine?

 

[Beth76]

Maybe pour some white vinegar in and run it once. I hope it's nothing like a mouse. That would be yucky.

 

[lbgraves]

Whenever our washer has a sour smell I run white vinegar thru it. It gets rid of the odor & sanitizes too.

 

[Albertan mom]

I hope it is not a Neptune..........my friends have one and have this problem and so far after numerous phone calls have still not been able to find the problem.

We have a Maytag Neptune, and yes, we have a smell! It is a front loader-is yours? I tried the hot water and bleach, and it didn't work. I will try the vinegar. Hubby took it apart and tried to get the smell out-didn't work. I think that part of the problem is the water sits there stagnant at the front of the opening. It is gross-let me know if you try anything that works!!

 

[chyam]

We have a Maytag Neptune, and yes, we have a smell! It is a front loader-is yours? I tried the hot water and bleach, and it didn't work. I will try the vinegar. Hubby took it apart and tried to get the smell out-didn't work. I think that part of the problem is the water sits there stagnant at the front of the opening. It is gross-let me know if you try anything that works!!

Yes my friends is a front loader and they have tried everything.......I had made a comment to them saying how envious I was that they had a Neptune and she had said be lucky you don't because the smell problem has been going on for a year! They too tried the bleach and vinegar and had the ring around the door replaced they are still trying to rectify the problem but if I learn anything I will let you know.......I guess I am lucky that I was only able to afford a "cheap" model washer!

 

[Martha7]

I have a Bosch front-loading machine and have noticed a mildewy smell as well. I'm excited to try the vinegar thing! I also have another cleaning challenge: we have a new house, (six months old), and my boys'white fiberglass tub/shower has a strange orange stain all inside it. When I clean it with Softscrub, I can get it out of a few spots for a while, but it takes a lot of elbow grease, and it's never completely clean, especially on the texturized floor of the tub What in the world can it be, and if I can't get it clean, is there a way to have a new surface applied to the entire thing? We may end up putting the house on the market, and no one will want an orange tub!

 

[vacanut]

Do you have rust in your water?

 

[Ryu]

What kind of a smell is it? I had something plastic melt to the heating element in the dishwasher a couple of months ago. The smell was HORRID. I've tried EVERYTHING to get rid of that smell, and nothing has worked. I agree that bleach just made it worse. We run the dishwasher twice a day and the smell still hasn't improved Could something similar have happened inside your washing machine?

Yeah, that's what I thought. If the bleach made it worse, something may be corroding. BUt what do I know, the only thing I can fix is a sandwich.

 

[GreatBiscuit]

Here's what you do.

1. Go to the deli and order 1/8 pound of hard salami (cut on #2 - Very Important)

2. Ask your neighbor if you can borrow a raddish.

3. Fold the raddish inside the salami and place in an envelope.

4. Mail the envelope to the people who made your machine.

5. On the envelope, write - "My washer smells like this!"

6. Mail it on a Saturday evening so it gets some extra time to stew in the summer heat.

 

[vacanut]

Here's what you do.

1. Go to the deli and order 1/8 pound of hard salami (cut on #2 - Very Important)

2. Ask your neighbor if you can borrow a raddish.

3. Fold the raddish inside the salami and place in an envelope.

4. Mail the envelope to the people who made your machine.

5. On the envelope, write - "My washer smells like this!"

6. Mail it on a Saturday evening so it gets some extra time to stew in the summer heat.

 

[mantysk8coach]

Thanks for the replies. I am so hoping that it's not a mouse (or anything else dead). I don't know how it wouldn't have gotten in there. I don't think my DH could handle removing a dead creature any better than I could!

We live in the city, so it's not a septic tank issue.

I'm hoping just stagnant water. Though it seems like I do laundry often enough for it not to get stagnant!

We'll be needing a plumber soon to have a leaky toilet replaced, might as well have him look at the washer!

Thanks again for the replies!

 

[3gr8kids]

Here's what you do.

1. Go to the deli and order 1/8 pound of hard salami (cut on #2 - Very Important)

2. Ask your neighbor if you can borrow a raddish.

3. Fold the raddish inside the salami and place in an envelope.

4. Mail the envelope to the people who made your machine.

5. On the envelope, write - "My washer smells like this!"

6. Mail it on a Saturday evening so it gets some extra time to stew in the summer heat.

 

[sharbear]

I have a Bosch front-loading machine and have noticed a mildewy smell as well. I'm excited to try the vinegar thing! I also have another cleaning challenge: we have a new house, (six months old), and my boys'white fiberglass tub/shower has a strange orange stain all inside it. When I clean it with Softscrub, I can get it out of a few spots for a while, but it takes a lot of elbow grease, and it's never completely clean, especially on the texturized floor of the tub What in the world can it be, and if I can't get it clean, is there a way to have a new surface applied to the entire thing? We may end up putting the house on the market, and no one will want an orange tub!

I have a new tub and it get orange stains also. I think that it is rust stains. I use the Magic Eraser on the tub and poof! the stains rub right off.

Can't help with the stinky washer but have you tried to clean outside of the tub. Mine gets ickey around and underneath the tub and when I clean it, yuk!