Help! Mildew smell in washer!

[jlima]

Last Wednesday night I did DS15's sheets and asked him to tell his Dad to move them to the dryer on Thursday morning. I was away for the weekend and got home last night; and the house smelled!! You guessed it - they never moved the sheets into the dryer. I washed them again this morning; but now the washer smells of mildew. Should I run a cycle with vinegar? Help!

 

[terri01p]

run a cycle with vinegar

 

[clh2]

For some reason - I think Bleach would be better than vinegar for this particular application. And - I would do a cycle with the amount of bleach that would be used for a large load of clothes.

I would also do the longest cycle that your machine will do.

 

[Buckeye Gal]

I've also found that OxyClean powder works wonders. I had to pull that out tonight in fact because the last load that was in the dryer (from a week ago) apparently didn't dry completely. As soon as that door opened, I knew I was in trouble! Of course here I'm talking about clothes mostly dried, but I assure you I've had the same smell in the washer, and after cycling (with that 2nd rinse cycle) the washer with the OxyClean in hot or warm water, all the smell went away.

 

[Starbrite]

run a cycle with vinegar

I second that.
I'd say it's safe to run the sheets too - they won't smell like a salad.

 

[JR6ooo4]

or use color safe non chlorine bleach if the sheets are not white.

Mikeeee

 

[jlima]

I am trying vinegar; stay tuned!

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

1 cup of vinegar. I use it every day with our pool towels. It makes sheets and towels fluffy and soft!

 

[dizluvah]

Vinegar is the fix....just ask the budget boarders!

 

[Kim&Chris]

I had the same issue a few months ago. I ran the washer on the hottest setting, with about 2 cups of vinegar AND 2 cups of chlorine bleach. Problem solved.

 

[mill4023]

We forget to move laundry from the washer to the dryer fairly often.
Re-running the load with bleach always gets the smell out. You shouldn't need much. If it's a load of colors, I'll still use bleach sometimes. I just add about a capful of bleach to a big cup of water and pour that in once the washer is done filling.

 

[jlima]

OK, I just put vinegar in where the bleach goes & ran it; and I still smell it, just a little. It is a Samsung steam washer. Should I try it again?

 

[freckles and boo]

Bleach, bleach, bleach.

I use vinegar for a lot of things, but not laundry.

 

[monsterkitty]

Vinegar again and then go out for dinner!

 

[jlima]

2nd time with vinegar worked! No more mildew smell.

Thanks everybody!