How to remove bad smell from washing machine: If you have recently noticed a bad smell coming from your washing machine, below is how to remove the bad smell from your washing machine.
Keep in mind that you can easily perform the steps below by yourself, even if you have never repaired anything (and you won’t need any special equipment).
Let’s dive in:
How to remove bad smell from washing machine easily
Before we look at how to remove bad smell from washing machine proper, let us briefly see what might be causing the awful smell…
Causes of bad smell from washing machine
For the most part, this is caused by layers of gunk inside the wash basket.
Also, your washing machine is likely to have a bad smell if the:
- Lint/drain filter is full of clogs.
- Drain hose is dirty.
- Drain hose is not well inserted.
Now, there are several ways to get rid of this horrible smell – do the following to remove the smell…
Clean the lint/drain filter
Most washers do have a lint/drain filter that helps trap clogs from the washer during wash cycles.
Now, if the filter is fully clogged, it might lead to a smelly washer.
That being so, you want to clean the filter.
So locate it (your owners manual can come in handy here).
Next, take out the filter and discard any lint that might be trapped.
Finally, gently scrub the filter using a gentle toothbrush to remove any residue (do so under running water).
Run the clean washer cycle
Most modern washers have a ‘Clean Washer’ cycle.
As the name suggests, this is a self-cleaning cycle that cleans the washer off mould and other residue that could make it start giving out a horrible odor over time.
So if your washer has this cycle, try and run it to see if this removes the terrible smell.
Pro tip: Manufacturers(nearly all) recommend that you run this cycle once a month (or after 30 wash cycles) to keep your washer squeaky clean and smelling fresh.
Something noteworthy: This cycle can be a bit louder than a normal wash so don’t worry about the extra noise….it’s perfectly normal.
Manually clean the washer
At times, the clean washer cycle might not be enough and you might want to manually clean out a couple of spots/parts to get rid of the odor.
So if running self-clean did not quite work, manually clean the door seal – there might be some gunk stuck around the seal- and the smell could be coming from your washer’s door rubber boot seal.
To be clear, gently wipe the seal using a towel soaked either in bleach or vinegar.
Next, use vinegar, bleach, or commercial cleaners like Affresh tablets to clean the wash basket.
Simply add a quart of vinegar (or 2 cups of bleach), fill the washer with hot water, and let it sit for around one hour.
Finish by running a full hot water cycle.
Pro tip: Bleach and vinegar are both good for de-funking. However, do not mix them together as this can produce poisonous chlorine gas.
Clean the drain hose
This is yet another place to clean – some gunk might have accrued here over time.
To clean the hose, first disconnect it fully from the washing machine and from the stand pipe.
With the hose lying on the floor, proceed to pour in some vinegar and let it sit for around 10 minutes.
Next, use a pipe cleaner to scrub its insides and rinse with hot water.
If you do not have a pipe cleaner, you can tie a rag using a long string and proceed to pull it through the hose several times.
Pro tip: Pour a mixture of vinegar and hot water into the stand pipe to get rid of any gunk that might be in there.
Confirm that the drain hose is properly inserted
Wrongly inserting the drain hose might also result in a bad smell emanating from your washer.
Here’s why…
Pushing the hose too far down the stand pipe will make it bypass the P-trap. In turn, this tends to allow sewer gases to flow back into the washer.
Just so you know, your hose should be anywhere between 4 and 8 inches into the standpipe – no more, no less.
How to remove bad smell from washing machine – maintenance tips
How to prevent washing machine from smelling
The best bet to keep the washer from smelling is to leave the lid/door open in between uses-This allows the wash basket to fully dry.
A couple of other things you can do:
- Ensure you are using warm (or better yet, hot) wash cycles once in a while. This helps remove gunk build-up along the wash basket and the drain hose.
- Use the right amount of the right detergent – most washers require only 2 tablespoons though it will vary depending on soil level. As such, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
- Don’t use pod detergents as they might not fully dissolve and therefore cause clogs in the hose or drain pump.
- Regularly clean the drain/lint filter to prevent the build-up of clogs.
- Clean the washer once a month (or after 30 wash cycles).
Why does my front load washer smell like mold?
Usually, this smell indicates that there’s mold build-up somewhere in your washing machine.
This arises when you close your washer immediately after a wash cycle without letting it to first fully dry.
You see, moisture will accrue in some parts of the washer and this will result in mold growing in these parts hence the smell.
How to remove bad smell from washing machine – summary of what to do
Here’s a recap of what to do when it comes to removing bad smells from your washer:
- Run the ‘Clean Washer’ cycle.
- Manually clean the washer (including the seals) using vinegar or bleach.
- Clean the drain hose.
- Make sure the drain hose is not over-inserted into the standpipe.