Sewage Smell Sign of FL Washer Spider Corrosion?

[littlegreeny]

My MIL has a 2 year old front load LG washer and when it drains the water smells like sewage. Her washer smells fine and seems pretty clean. She has been regularly using bleach with the tub clean cycle and that hasn't made a difference. I wouldn't say her wash habits are terrible as she tends to be heavy-handed with detergent and cold washes are seldom used.

I am now wondering if the smell is a result of the spider starting to corrode. Anyone have any thoughts or experience with something like this?

 

[gizmo]

I don't think a corroding spider would stink.

Look in detergent dispenser drawer for build up - remove the drawer and look into the cavity behind.

Two things come to mind:

1. Try a different detergent. I remember a few years ago I tried a liquid detergent. (I generally use "sensitive" powders.) I don't remember the brand, but it was in Australia so it isn't relevant to you. In the bottle it smelled fine. In the wash it was disgusting, it really smelled like sewage. I phoned the manufacturer about it, they said it was normal, that some part of the formula could react with certain waters and  produce a "slight odour." It wasn't slight, it was horrific. I don't see that brand around any more...

2. has something crawled into the washer and died? Maybe crawled up the drain hose and got stuck in the hose or the pump? Or maybe just a build up of lint and muck in the pump? Open the lint trap / button catcher and look for any buildup. Run a VERY hot wash (hottest available temperature) with detergent but no clothes, and see if that clears it up.

 

[arbilab]

It could be the house rather than the washer.  I seem to remember something like that in my OKC house.  If the inside of the machine smelled like sewage I think that would be detectable with it not running.  But you only smell it when it drains. 

Besides, your MIL seems to be doing everything right.

 

Try a cup (or two) of bleach directly into the plumbing drain and wait an hour.  Then fill the washer with HOT

(if that's even possible these days) and pump it out immediately while it's still hot.

 

If that doesn't do it, the vent (on the roof) may be plugged and the plumbing is farting the air it swallows in drain mode

back into the house (along with its own special additive).

 

 

 

[pierreandreply4]

maybe its something with the plumbing in the house or if her local city is doing work on the sewer system on her street is she hook up on the aquduct system in her city or do she has a spetic drain system for her house if she on a septic system for her house maybe she need to have that clean up i do not know

 

[littlegreeny]

Thanks for the responses. It's definitely not the plumbing that stinks. It's the water from the machine. The pump filter is clean and when you drain the water from the filter it will be stinky too. I have removed the dispenser drawer and cleaned it. There was a little mildew but no odor.

They exclusively use All Plus F&C liquid from Costco (Henkel) and Downy F&G.

 

[foraloysius]

So they are using liquid detergent and fabric softener? We may have found the root of the problem then.

 

[littlegreeny]

Yes, they only have ever used liquid detergent. You think that's caused biofilm within the machine?

 

[lakewebsterkid]

Odor

My grandparents have a nearly 12 year old LG. They use cheaper detergents and lots of 'warm' washes. They do have quite a bit of detergent residue and buildup that does not smell the best, but is easily removed. The pump is always the first place I clean. Generally a sanitize cycle with some rags removes the rest. I have tried to have them use either an extra rinse or Tide HE Turbo. No luck.

 

[combo52]

Smell From A Washer Drain Hose

It is pretty normal the water that sits in the drain pump and drain hose to develop quite an odor, usually you will only notice this on the first load of the day.

 

If the machine does not stink there is probably nothing to worry about.

 

Reply #7 I would love to see what detergent build-up looks like in a washer, the only place I have ever seen DBU is spilled dry or liquid detergent on the top of a washer.

 

Detergents dissolve easily in hot or cold, hard or soft water and if any was ever left behind it would easily rinse off just like spilled detergent on the top of a washer.

 

John L.

 

[rp2813]

I've had this problem with a Frigidaire Affinity and currently an early Maytag Neptune.  I've used liquid and powder in both machines.  I haven't done anything about it on the Neptune yet, and John is correct that it only happens on the first drain with the first load after the washer has been sitting.  Since the Neptune is in the basement, I'm usually not around to smell it.

 

The Affinity was centrally located and the smell became annoying.  I followed instructions for running a "clean washer" cycle, which called for bleach and hot water, and as soon as the initial drain sequence started, I shut the machine off and let that bleach solution sit in the pump for a while (maybe even overnight).  It helped, but wasn't a permanent solution. 

 

That pump eventually needed to be replaced and that's when I got my proof.  After I installed the new pump, there was no smell.

 

I've also been advised by members here to use a good dose of powdered dishwasher detergent for the cleaning process.   I may try that with the Neptune, but first I'm trying an exclusive Gain powder regimen to see if that helps.

 

[launderess]

Bilge water has rotted

First and foremost pump needs to be checked to see if it wants cleaning out.

After that main issue is bilge water that has been sitting since last use that has begun to go off. This can be caused by final rinse water not being "clean", and or build-up of bio-film or something between pump and end of hose.

There will always be water left not just in sump but pump, drain and part of hose as well when cycles end. If conditions are right (warm weather, too long between next use, matter left in water....), the water will do what water does when left stagnant; develop a whiff.

First bit of water out of machine when it drains after sitting for a while is what has been sitting since last use. Balance and subsequent water is "fresh", that is coming after being used.

Best defense in such situations is a good offense; regular hot washes (at least 140F), and or maybe 100F but either way using a good detergent and adding bleach (oxygen or chlorine).

Also you want to look at final rinse water, it should be "clear" or at least free of muck and other matter. If you're still seeing scum as water drains before final spin, that water is going to sit in machine until next use.

 

[DADoES]

 
There's always some bit of poop left in washers ... so I've heard-told per tests by someone/somewhere.

 

[launderess]

Noticed some time ago SQ front loaders at local laundromat had developed a whiff. Sticking one's head into larger machines it was quite a pronounced mould smell. These machines don't have pumps, but drain valves that dump water into a trough which in turn leads to drain.

Attendant leaves doors wide open at closing, so there must be something else going on.

 

[launderess]

What it comes down to is something many have been moaning about for ages; rise of lower temperature washing combined with less use of bleach (chlorine or oxygen).

You might want to add rise of liquid detergent use exclusively into that mix as well.

 

[littlegreeny]

Thanks so much for your responses! I have noticed this odor quite a few times and it's not just during the first wash of the day. They rarely use very hot, steam or sanitary washes. They use the permanent press, towels and quick cycles mostly. I feel like many loads could use an extra rinse because there are some suds/cloudiness in the final rinse.

I was researching this last night and ended up on some bike website that was talking about how when aluminum corrodes it gives of hydrogen sulfide gas. That's what made me think the issue is the spider.

 

[launderess]

Easiest way to test...

Just set washer to fill in normal cycle. After filling is over and machine starts stop, cancel cycle and set to "drain". If you're getting that whiff of foul water, then something needs attending.

Then again if it is only the first bit of water that drains after wash, and no one is bothered, leave em enjoy themselves.

 

[gizmo]

PP, towels and quick cycles mostly...

NOOOO!!!

the "normal" cycle is cottons.

Pretty much all other cycles have something "removed" from the normal cottons cycle to create a new cycle - slower spin, fewer rinses, shorter wash, lower temperature, gentler action. These changes all detract from performance, they are there only for clothes that can't take a "normal" action, or for SMALL loads you need in a  hurry for a quick cycle.

 

It's there in the manual. Read the manual. Each cycle will have a max load size, and generally the rated capacity of the machine is only for a "normal" cottons cycle. Other cycles will be rated for a half load or less.

If you do full loads on a quick cycle, you will get poor rinsing and poor results.

 

I overheard a complaint in an appliance store recently. Customer was unhappy with results of a front load washer. Salesman asked the right questions - What cycles do you use? How full do you make each load? What temperature do you select?

The answers were all the wrong combination - cold wash, full load, quick wash.

salesman said "we get this so often. You need to read the manual. Short cycle is for a SMALL load. For a full load you need to let it do a full cycle."

Customer wasn't happy but the salesman was right. I wanted to join in and agree with the salesman, but I kept my mouth shut.

 

I went home that day with an LG front loader, probably less than 5 years old, salvaged from the dumpster behind that store. (Taken with permission.) It is a direct drive model, in unmarked condition, though filthy inside and out with detergent residue, liquid and powder. I have given it a thorough clean, after 3 loads I can't fault it. I have no idea why it was replaced. The filter access cover had a slight drip, it had a bit of muck in the seal and had a slight drip. I cleaned the seal, no more drips.

 

Any way, if you can suggest it without causing world war 3, try using only the cottons / normal cycle for a while. Don't do short washes. Front loaders take much longer than top loaders, it's how they work. Don't try to make them complete a wash in the same time as a top loader, you will be disappointed in the results.

 

 

[easy]

LG washer cycles

I have a LG 3500 washer and use the towels cycle a lot. Trust me, nothing was removed from the normal cycle to create it. It is in fact recommended in the user manual for mixed cotton loads. It uses a lot more water than the normal cycle, three rinses are standard, and defaults to the highest spin speed.

I believe the normal cycle is the one used to get a machines energy use rating so I always suspect it to be less than ideal.

I do use permanent press once a week for sheets only with hot water and it seems to do fine.

David

 

[jeb]

I worked with someone who bought a house with a washer and dryer left in the sale. They complained that the laundry room smelled of sewer and would dump bleach into the utility tub and floor drain all the time to get ride of the sewer smell. After a few months they had an office party and while showing use the house apologized for the smell in the laundry room and said they were having someone check the sewers next week. After everyone left the room I checked the fabric softener dispenser /lint filter and found the odor. When I showed it to them they did not even realize it was a dispenser. It had an accumulation of softener residue and lint that was giving off the smell.

 

[gizmo]

towels cycle

that's interesting.

I have never seen a washer here with a specific towels cycle, though they would exist no doubt.

3 rinses is standard on cottons / normal cycles here. Many brands do 4. How many does your LG do on a "normal" cycle?

 

My Miele defaults to 2 rinses unless it detects oversudsing, but I always select water plus which gives both higher water levels in rinse, plus an extra rinse. (It is programmable, I have set it do do the max.) Interestingly, the manual says "higher water levels in wash and rinses" but it doesn't actually increase the level in wash, only in rinse. Which is fine by me. I'd actually like 4 rinses.

 

[littlegreeny]

Great advice, thanks everyone! I am starting to suspect there is an accumulation of gunk either in the pump itself or in the washer drain hose. The coin trap filter is clean. I guess we could disassemble the washer to get to the pump, clean that out and either clean the drain hose or replace it.

One thing I'm thinking of trying is opening the door towards the end of the wash cycle and take a deep whiff to see if there are any off odors. If there isn't and then the drain water stinks, it's somewhere within the drain system.

And the permanent press and towels cycles use plenty of warm/hot water. I am slightly concerned they use the quick cycle too often with more clothes and detergent than they should.

 

[littlegreeny]

Chris, the LG will do two rinses on the normal cycle or one deep rinse and several spray rinses if TurboWash is enabled. You can add up to three extra rinses. What I really like about LGs is they do nice intermediate spins between the wash and all rinses on most cycles.

 

[launderess]

No Need To Get At Pump

Just put washer through a heavy duty cycle using hottest water possible with either a good washing machine cleaner, or powdered detergent and decent dose of bleach.

You want "hot" water, something 140f or above.

 

[littlegreeny]

Great advice, thanks Laundress! I'll have them run a sanitary cycle with bleach.

 

[ozzie908]

@littlegreeny

If the above suggestions don't help then I suggest you remove the drain pump and sump pipes and see if there is an accumulation of grot, Quite often the pump itself is the culprit as there is a gap behind the face if you pull the impeller its held there by magnetism so should have a little resistance, You will see in the space behind grey coloured gunge try cleaning it out and see if that helps.!
Good luck
Austin

 

[henene4]

Don't think that corrosion would cause a sewage like smell.

Corrosion itself doesn't really leak much chemicals into the air.
And that sewage smell is usually some biological thing.

 

[sudsmaster]

They should be running the hottest wash possible at least once a week.

 

And also run full cycles, none of this quick wash crap.

 

With an extra rinse standard.

 

Anyway, that's how I do it, and my Neptune 7500 hasn't had a stink issue for the 20 years I've owned it. It drains directly into a copper stand pipe that is properly vented through the roof.

 

I run at least one hot wash load per week - usually bath towels. Sometimes whites, but for the past decade or so those go to the Miele out back which heats much higher than the Neptune (170F vs. 130F).

 

The Miele doesn't stink, either.

 

 

 

[mark_wpduet]

YES OR

running a clean washer cycle with like a cup of LCB.......all that draining bleach water throughout the machine I would think would kill anything it comes into contact with.

Most of the time (not always) I end with the last load of whites with a long cycle and bleach (especially if I know I won't be doing laundry for a few days.)

 

[askolover]

It's probably the concertina hose from the machine drum to the pump.  My little Asko got a hole poked in that hose once upon a time when Tony left a pair of tweezers in a pocket so I changed it out.  The old hose stunk to high heaven but the washer itself never did. All those little folds to make the hose flexible catch crap and it stays wet so it begins to grow.....even using clorox in EVERY white load didn't stop that from happening.

 

[littlegreeny]

I totally agree their usage patterns are likely causing the stink issue. They don't have loads of whites to wash, so have no need to use LCB or oxygen bleach in any regular loads. I'm going to suggest they switch to Tide powder instead of the liquid All but they really love that detergent and it's pretty cheap at Costco.

They are doing many more tub clean cycles with bleach but I'll suggest they use the sanitary instead. I don't think the regular tub clean cycle heats the water at all. I'll have to see if they can add steam to that cycle.