Front-loaders, because they're airtight, have to periodically be run through a cleaning mode, in which you use only bleach and water. My front-loader has a special "mode" for this.dairyou said:
I agree, leave it open to let it completely dry out. Another tip, maybe off topic... We had ours serviced this spring and the repairman (who had the same waher/dryer as us- Whirlpool Duet) told us to use about a third of the max amount of detergent and softener. He said that there is such little water used that it cannot dilute all of the soap. It has worked for us and we are really saving on detergent and fabric softener now!daemom said:Do you close the door tight after you've finished washing? I leave mine cracked open a bit to "dry out". There's still a bit of water that sits under the seal and if it's left closed up, it will smell mildewy (is that even a word?). Good luck!
Pop Daddy said:
I agree! 
My front loader died it was eight years old, it smelled moldy.my clothes never smelled clean... mildewy. I did the vinegar baking soda clean, i used bleach , i used affresh, I used tide washer cleaner. I always left the door open, always dried up excess left over water in the baffle. But it always smelled.So when i went to buy a new washer I got some interesting info from Sears salesman who was a repair tech for 30 years. He told me the problem is the liquid detergents. Their base is ANIMAL FAT ,it leaves residue inside the washer pumps and hoses that cant be washed away, what he told me made me ill and it made sense. He said that the general public has this problem whether it be front or top loader since the invention of liquid detergent. Its the type of detergent! He recommended powdered detergent and powder non chlorine bleach. Liquid bleach is ok and downy fabric softener liquid is ok. He also said to use less than the directions say. He recommended washing towels with baking soda and vinegar and absolutely no fabric softener for towels, its waxy and although it makes towels soft it affects their absorbency. That was two years ago and Im over the moon no smelly clothes, no mildew at all. Get rid of liquid detergents use powder and your clothes will smell like downy again. Not sure if this method would work on an already ANIMAL FAT CONTAMINATED WASHER . But it is worth a try!We have a front load washer. Before when we had our old washer our clothes had a nice downey smell. Now, however much I put in I can't smell it. At times even, it smells faintly mildewy.
What am I doing wrong?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! I miss that downey smell
Deb
Tallow (animal fat) was extremely common in people soap and laundry soap long before electricity was even invented.
Yeah, but who knows what was used 13 years ago? (when this question was originally asked)
