Does your washer ever smell not so fresh?

[geextrarinse]

Ok so here's a question for you all...

My GE...

ITs not a bad smell but after remembering how my mom's whirlpool used to smell after years of original Oxidol and then Grandma's GE with years of Tide and Wisk, my machine smells rather sour. I'll never know what detergent was used in this machine but its not a pleasant smell - and when the washer is not in use and the lid is up to air it out - you can smell it in the whole laundry area.

I was wondering if any of you have any suggestions to help freshen it up.

A cycle with a box of baking soda maybe?

Always, ( tee hee)
Matthew

 

[bobbyderegis]

Matt, is there crud and mildew under the top where the seal is (and under the shroud) ? Pop the top and see. There may be mildew or build-up under the activator as well. Have you ever pulled it apart? It's easy to do, and you don't even need to move the machine. I once pulled the tub out of ours just for the hell of it and found a beautiful gold chain sitting on the boot seal. Yah Hooo!!
Bobby in Boston

 

[tomturbomatic]

Sometimes, you don't really have to pop the top to clean it; just use a scrubby pad, hot water and chlorine bleach and flip the tub gasket forward as you scrub the areas behind it. Then use hot water when it is called for in washing and keep the lid up for a while after use so that the machine can dry inside. There is one awful situation that can exist if liquid detergents were used in the machine and that is a buildup of slippery black sludge in the bottom of the outer tub and that does require lifting the top, but it can be removed without taking the tub out if you use a brush with a flexible handle.

 

[sudsmaster]

My '78 GE Filter-Flo used to smell like... well, a spitoon - a definite rancid tobacco kind of odor. I lifted the top and scrubbed the brown mold away, and that helped a lot.

 

[westyslantfront]

I always keep lids open after laundry so they can dry out. Perhaps keeping lids open might help.

 

[angus]

Funny this should come up. I never had this problem before with any machine, but I am having it with my Whirlpool. Hot washes with bleach help for about a week, then I get the mildew smell again. Cleaned under the top with hot water and bleach, but I am getting annoyed.....

 

[coldspot66]

Angus- make sure the rear legs of your DD W/P haven't "collapsed". If the washer cabinet seems to lean towards the back standing water from the last load will pool at the back of the outer tub until next washload. Also around the top perimeter of the outer tub scum tends to cling. You won't be able to see this unless the cabinet comes off for service.

 

[Designgeek]

You might want to check to see if there's any warm air leakage from your dryer output duct that could be blowing in next to or under the washer. Warm moist air may accelerate mold formation in out of the way places.

Agreed, leave those lids & doors open between loads.

Many people will leave them closed to prevent their pets or small kids climbing in there and making a nest. What's needed is for the manufacturers to include a way of locking the door in a "slightly open" position, enough to air out but not enough to tempt Fluffy to climb in and curl up.

 

[toggleswitch]

Did you pull the agitator and clean out under it;
and at the same time washing down the drive-shaft tube

My GE 90-ish Filter-flo's was mucky.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Device to keep lid partially open

The first Frigidaire washer had a small metal rectangular bracket on the underside of the lid and fastened on each end of the lid handle that, when flipped down, kept the lid open a fraction of an inch to allow air to circulate, but I do not remember anything like that after that. The Whirlpool washers that had the spring-loaded lids opened by the button in front would stay open a few inches if they were not locked.

 

[Designgeek]

Tom, interesting; nothing new under the sun. They really should bring back those "lid partially open" features. Between now and then, if there are small kids or other critters around, just leave the machines open all the way and close/lock the laundry room door to keep 'em out.

Re. cleaning the washtub: Here's a trick I recently figured out for keeping top-loaders sanitized if one doesn't expect to do a load with bleach in a given week. Fill up a cup of water with diluted bleach solution (fill partially with bleach and the rest of the way with water). Set the dial for the spin cycle, lift the lid just a little and pour it into the washer whilst it's spinning. The bleach water will hit the spinning drum and be flung into the outer tub area at high speed, splashing all over the interior of the machine in places you can't clean by hand w/o disassembly. Let it sit for a half hour or so. Then repeat the procedure with a couple of cups of plain water, to wash the bleach out. This won't get rid of built-up deposits of nasty stuff, but should prevent it getting started growing in there.

Does that sound any good or did I just make a fool of myself in a public place?

 

[gyrafoam]

Years of using detergents that created mountains of suds, left my *Callapso* with a case of bad breath.Previous owner evidently did not read instructions about using low sudsing detergents! The whole underside was gunked up and of course closing the lid on a *Collapso* seals in the moisture. Had to take the tub retainer off so I could get in and scrub off the awful breeding ground for cooties that was causing those odors.

Fab seems to work well in it, and does not create a suds cake.

 

[Bryan71]

Washer Odor

My Maytag washer developed a smell (like a stinky feet smell) after about 5 years of use. I removed the agitator and clean the mess from under there and now run a cup of bleach and about 1/4 cup detergent every six months and no more problems.

 

[48bencix]

Leave the lid up

Here's my advice:

1. I always leave the lid up on my top loaders for 24 hours. Probably a couple of hours is O.K. If the load was done with hot or warm rinse, then the water would evaporate fast, however, most washers have cold water rinse as the default, and that would take longer to evaporate.

2. My GE FF service manual says to remove the activator every month and clean underneath. I imagine most users would never do this. I did do it after I got the machine and it was pretty crudy under there.

3. My Maytag owner's manual says to wash out the whole machine by doing a load with clorine bleach. Once it did start to smell and I did this. Usually an occasional load with bleach will keep it clean. And with the hollow agitator, it is a good idea to remove the rinse dispenser cap and clean that area out.

4. If I had a front loader, I would leave the door open for a while.