Help! Maytag LA712! STINKS!!!!!

[realvanman]

To quickly recap, this is the washer I got from my friend a while back, that would not transition from agitate to spin.

I fixed the timer, then it sat outside for a while.

Yesterday I moved it into the laundry room, and noticed that it did have somewhat of an odor to it, but figured running it empty just full of soapy water would fix it.

So I did, then I ran a load of rags and hand towels and the like.

Then I ran a load of bath towels. Everything seemed pretty much OK.

But today, that dude STINKS! WHOA!! Thank goodness for the airtight door into the house lol.

So an hour ago I ran it full of water with a big helping of bleach on both the wash and the rinse cycle, figuring that would surely fix it. But NO! It smells like, well, you get the idea. It smells REALLY bad lol.

Ideas? Suggestions?

I can only take one minute or so videos on my phone. Here are the last two from last night.





Thanks,
Keith

 

[artcurus]

check/replace the water pump.

 

[jeb]

Maytag smell

I had a friend from work who bought a house with a Maytag laundry pair installed. After a few months he complained about how bad the basement laundry room smelled and thought there was something wrong with the septic system. He even had quotes to replace it. He was continually pour things down the laundry room floor drain(right next to the washer) trying to get rid of the smell. When I asked him about the washer he did not know that the softener dispenser was removable or that there was a lint filter in the agitator. Turns out the smell was old fermenting lint and fabric softener. Once removed and cleaned the smell went away. Jeb

 

[nmassman44]

Actually there is nothing wrong mechanically with the Maytag washer from what it sounds. That woo woo sound during agitation is from the hole in the lint filter where the softener dispenser is. When you wash at an ex large water level, the water will touch that filter hole and when agitation occurs, on each stroke, the water is pulled back down thru the hole, that makes the woo woo sound. The lint filter works by the using 4 slots between the agitator vanes. During agitation, water is pulled thru the slots on each stroke. Think of it as a vacuum where the water is pulling thru the filter and down to the base vanes.
The other sound you showed is normal as well, its the motor carriage doing its thing holding the proper tension for agitation. You will notice less of the noise during spin.
The smell you have might be from someone being el cheapo using cold water only for washing. If you use hot water, your loosening up the slime/gunk in the outer tub. My suggestion would be to get a washing machine cleaner like Tide and run it thru a hot wash cycle. Then I would run it again to really rinse out the gunk and such. Also clean that filter and softener cup area, that can house scrud , a softener build up that can be nasty smelling too. The filter I would run a good stiff brush that won't harm it yet still remove deposits. Let us know how you make out.

 

[fester]

Stinks????

Stinks like sour laundry? Wet, rotton, mildewed rags, etc? I found one once that had the lint filter and agitator center cavity just jam packed with a mixture of rotting lint, hair and soap scum. It took boiling water and considerable effort to remove and the funk was unreal when it finally did give up and come out. My guess is that the PO didn't know there was a filter because it was otherwise unusually clean for a curbside score. Just a thought, check under the agitator as well. YMMV.

 

[wayupnorth]

A few years ago a friend said his Maytag (same vintage as mine) was starting to stink. I tried to pull out their lint filter and it was completely clogged. Showed them what they neglected and how to clean it, because its not mine, and it was fine after that. Once they knew you have to clean the lint filter out. Read the owners manual.

 

[realvanman]

Thanks guys! Lint Filter it is!

It's funny, but last night when I was actually using the machine for the first time, I surmised that it must send the lint down the drain, since it *obviously* (lol) didn't have a lint filter like the Whirlpool that I've known since it was new in 1984. Clever, I thought! That Whirlpool filter is a hassle to clean anyway lol.

Evidently my friends did not know about the secret filter either lol. They got the machine from her mom, but evidently not operating instructions

It took some doing to get it out, but here's a photo of the culprit. Is it easy to remove the agitator at this point? Would be easier to clean out of the machine, I think.

Keith

 

[askolover]

Oh that's gross!

It amazes me at the level of ignorance that abounds in the world today! I remember my mother scrubbing her old Maytag outside under the hydrant with a toothbrush when I was little. She showed me how to do it, then let me do it as often as I wanted to. I kept that filter looking new!

 

[combo52]

Smelly Washer

From the condition of the lint filter you can tell that the perivios user of this machine were doing MANY things wrong in addition to not cleaning the lint filter.

 

If the filter has this much crud on it there is also a build-up of crud under the agitator, under the washer basket, in the center of the outer tub and possibly at the top of the wash basket on the concrete balance ring area.

 

The previous user used way too little [ or cheap or Eco ] detergent for water, soil and water temperature conditions.

 

Good news if you start using better washing habits these other areas of the washer will gradually clean them selves, but it may take a hundred proper washing's or more for most of this build-up to go away on its own.

 

PS, try to use chlorine bleach as often as possible when washing clothing in the meantime.

 

John L.

 

[mayken4now]

askolover

"It amazes me at the level of ignorance that abounds in the world today!"

SECOND THAT!

We have been through this so many times. Yep, I know, 1973 is 12 years younger than I am. Those machines were around long into the adult life.

 

[realvanman]

Detergent Ignorance

I presume that the best detergent is selected based on the quantity and type of ingredients, and perhaps the absence of some undesirable ones?

So is there a list of things to watch for? And to watch out for lol?

Obviously the ads will have you believe they're all the best lol, and pricing can be just as misleading.

Keith

 

[realvanman]

How deep the soap / detergent rabbit hole goes....

I found the answer to my previous question, and then some!

http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREADM.cgi?59278

Keith

Using STPP

I have a question I know someone out there knows the answer to. I used STPP sodium tripolyphosphate in my Speed Queen wringer washer. I use Zote soap and Calgon all the time. I posted a Zote soap post a wole back and the term STPP came up. I bought a pound of it to try. I must say what a...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[pierreandreply4]

what i think is that this washer needs a good cleaning

i think this maytag washer needs a good cleaning with the following

hot water and bleach run on a full cycle then i would remove the agitator from the washer and have it soak all night in a hot water solution and a good cleaner and at the same time i would say the wash basket would need a good cleaning as well i am sure all the maytag expert of the site would agree with me and i can not belive that some owners would neglect to clean there washer after each load when i had my old direct drive topload i would make sure to wipe the tub after each load and when i go back to a good old fashion toop load i will wipe the tub after each load as well

 

[realvanman]

Not everything is always as it seems....

I'm really sorry about this, but, as it happens, the Maytag was not the source of the stink. Instead it's move into the washroom and it's first use just so happened to perfectly coincide with the stinking of a forgotten bucket of dirty water. Basically nothing unusual that night, and the next morning, WHOA! lol.

The washer still needs to be cleaned, and I'm glad to have learned about the lint filter, and it looks like I'll be learning a lot about soap, detergent, and STPP and the like. But, now that I've gone to the trouble to move the washer back outside, before discovering the bucket, I stuck my nose into the washer, and it only has the slightest hint of odor to it. Lots of lessons learned here

Thanks,
Keith