stench
The worst washer stench I ever encountered was in a Speed Queen front loader I purchased from a thrift store in Indiana some years back.
The owner of the thrift store had advertised he purchased large lot of them. He had about 24 or 25 of them lined up in two back to back rows. I asked him where they came from and he said he purchased them from a military academy, I believe he said it was in Michigan, but not sure. Apparently the Government must change them out, in mass, on a regular interval.
I wanted to pick a good one out without bearing noise, so he gave me a long extensive cored and turned me loose, he stayed far away and the other end of the store while I tested them. I can see why.
As I opened the first one, the stench just hit me in the face. I can't quite describe it, except to say it was one of the worst, most nauseating and revolting smells I have ever encountered. It wasn't really a mold smell but more of the the odor of a well used, and ultra ripe, sweaty/dirty gym sock smell, multiplied by 100.
If I remember correctly the machines were approximately a 2006 model and I was there in 2015, so these Speed Queens had washed cadet guys dirty socks and sweaty underwear for 9 or 10 years. After doing calisthenics, and marching several miles a day in the hot sun, their sweat soaked garments didn't didn't smell like a bed of roses.
I didn't see mold in the outer tubs, but they quite likely had it one the inner tub which may have contributed to the olfactory experience.
Trying to pick one out was difficult as I was trying to hold my breath while looking in the tubs. After plugging a few of them in I selected one.
Upon getting it home, it stunk my kitchen/laundry area up every time I opened the machine's door. It took multiple runs of hot water, detergent and large amounts of bleach to reduce knock down the horrid odor to an acceptable level.
I took the door apart (surprised it was made of cheap lightweight waffled plastic) and did find mold and gunk on the inside of the door panels. Difficult to clean off of the many waffled edges. I don't think this contributed to the odor which emanating from the tub, though. Over time the stench did lessen and finally disappeared.
I can't imagine what those guys clothes must have smelled like after being washed in those machines. The odor was so over-powering it must have transferred to their clothes. Their parents and girlfriends much have wondered why they stunk so bad.
