Wahing Machine Help...do you get a Mildew type smell in your machine?

[cheerbop]

The other day I noticed that my washing machine is smelling of Mildew. Where inside, I do not know. It is only 2 1/2 years old!

Does anyone know how it can get that smell and how do I remove it?!
I hate it that it smells like that, I am a clean freak!

Thanks for any help!!

 

[OhMari]

If it is a front-end load, -1/2 cup to a bucket and wipe the lining down around the door entrance. I have a Neptune and these are notorious for this. There was a big law suit and if I would of saved all my bleach receipts, I would have gotten my money back. What a joke.

 

[cheerbop]

We have a top loading machin...but I did consider running bleach in the acine through a small cycle and then a bleach solution wiped around nooks and crannies.
It is sooooooo frustrating!

 

[cheerbop]

Bumping to see if anyone else can help.....

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

Did you ever say whether or not you have a a front-loading machine?

If you do, push back the rubber around the opening and check to see if there are any socks in there. I discovered that my machine eats them...causing the mildew smell.

Try leaving your machine open after you finish a load...wet and dark mean mildew every time.

 

[Rollwithit]

Have you pulled it away from the wall to make sure nothing is leaking? Mine smelled like that too - but mine was over 22 years old and we figured out the outside of the barrel was getting rusty and sprung a leak.

Make sure there are no leaks anywhere.

 

[LoveWDW]

My new machine is only a month old, but the old machine had exactly the problem you are describing. I had a plumber in, I called the appliance repair shop, and I called the manufacturer- GE- who insisted that such a thing was unheard of by them. I talked to the people who clean septic tanks, because I even thought it could be a septic backup- it wasn't. It also wasn't a blocked outlet pipe- the one on the roof. The only thing that seemed to help was what you are saying and running a bleach load through. I even ran a small load of hot water with bleach into the machine, let it sit overnight, and finished the load (with laundry) the next day. This would work for a few days and then the problem came back. The machine before that one, also GE, had the same problem, but I was able to remove the agitator and bleach out the inside of it in my kitchen sink, but the next machine had the agitator screwed in and I couldn't get it out. I never did find out what the problem was or how to stop it. I did leave the door open between loads of laundry, but nothing got rid of the smell. We have a well, but I am not sure if that is significant.

If anyone has a solution I am interested. My new machine is a different brand and does not smell yet, but it may be a matter of time.

 

[Kae]

I started using vinegar when I wash rags & the clothes that we work in the yard with. about 2 cups in the wash cycle. And it helps. Leaving my lid up helps also.

Kae

 

[ItsonlyExperiment626]

I have a top-load washer and this happened to me once. I found out there was mold growing all on the outside of the tub and inside of the liquid fabric softener dispenser when I had a repairman come in to fix something on the washer. Apparently the dispenser clogged up and water would pool outside of the tub and in the dispenser. Pop open the dispenser to see if you got a mold problem in there. If so, call a repairman and have him remove the tub to see if you got a mold problem on the outside of your tub. The repairman washed the outside of the tub with bleach, I cleaned the dispenser with bleach and I haven't had a problem with the mildew smell ever since. I have not used my fabric dispenser ever since either. I don't know how else to wash the mold out without getting a repairman to take your machine apart.

good luck!

 

[LoveWDW]

I have a top-load washer and this happened to me once. I found out there was mold growing all on the outside of the tub and inside of the liquid fabric softener dispenser when I had a repairman come in to fix something on the washer. Apparently the dispenser clogged up and water would pool outside of the tub and in the dispenser. Pop open the dispenser to see if you got a mold problem in there. If so, call a repairman and have him remove the tub to see if you got a mold problem on the outside of your tub. The repairman washed the outside of the tub with bleach, I cleaned the dispenser with bleach and I haven't had a problem with the mildew smell ever since. I have not used my fabric dispenser ever since either. I don't know how else to wash the mold out without getting a repairman to take your machine apart.

good luck!

Please help me to understand, so if it happens again to me I'll know? Are you saying that the liquid fabric softener dispenser clogged up and thus caused water to pool outside of the tub? or was the water pooling outside the tub independent of the fabric softener problem? Would avoiding using the fabric softener dispenser keep it from clogging up?- I think I know the answer to this myself- if you don't use it, it won't clog. But I am still puzzled about how the clogged dispenser would cause water to sit outside the tub. If it wasn't the dispenser causing the tub pooling, was it something that the repairman could repair so it didn't do that anymore?

Thanks.

 

[monsterkitty]

We use a product called "Washer Magic." We have very hard water and a front load machine. The two just don't mix. We buy it on the internet. YOur local Sears may carry it.

 

[cheerbop]

So, I guess I need to inspect my machine very closely. It is a top loader. I will see if I can remove the agitator... I will check all around everywhere...inside and out.

If I don't see anything I think I may run a just bleach and water cycle through it...

What is this Washer Magic?

Thanks for all the tips so far. I HAVE to get to the bottom of this because it is driving me nuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LoveWDW]

Be very careful about pulling the agitator out. Our first washer you could just lift it out. The next washer I hurt my back trying to pull out the agitator. I even called the company when I found I was having trouble and they said it would come right out. Turns out it was screwed in with a screw in the side, so be verrrry careful.

 

[cheerbop]

Thanks for the heads up about the agitator!!

 

[cheerbop]

ok...So I ran the machine with some HOT water and some bleach and the smell is still there. I wiped everything I could reach with bleach too!

ANYONE have any other options? Haven't pulled out agitator yet. Tried but didn't want to pull too hard for fear of breaking a screw or something per one reply...

HELP!

 

[Dina]

I had that problem once when I forgot about a load of clothes I washed and left in there for a day. I just ran the washer with some bleach in there, and that fixed it. I also had problems where the fabric dispenser clogs up. I take the entire thing out, and soak it in vinegar, then I get a vegetable brush and really scrub it, and it gets really clean. That usually solves the problem.

 

[LoveWDW]

I had a little luck by running the washer full of hot water, dumping in a lot of bleach, and letting the mixture sit overnight. But it wasn't a permanent solution.

 

[snowwhitesmom]

Just subscribing - I have the SAME problem!