Washing machine and mouldy smell

[Petal~flower]

How can I get rid of it?

I use non bio and always use a low heat wash btw

[Rtaxron]

Mines the same Petal,

Hope we get some answers?

[Panic Button]

Leave the door open as much as possible to ventilate it.

[Bathsheba]

I think you're supposed to run it on the hottest wash every now and then x

[Velvetee]

Yes, leave door open, to allow air to circulate and dry out. Also do the ocassional empty drum boil wash with a little bleach.

[Petal~flower]

Will give suggestions a try.........thanks :-)

There you go Rtaxron.. :-)

[ChuckFickens]

Run a hot wash with the machine empty once a month using a cheap non colour old style washing powder and leave the door open between washes.

The modern colour safe tablets/liquids dont contain any bleach and dont kill the germs/bacteria in the machine which is what causes the smell.

A simple maintenance wash on a high temp on a regular basis will cure it.

[Petal~flower]

thanks ChuckFickens, should I do the hottest wash?

[ChuckFickens]

Yes,do a boil wash using a real old style washing powder, the type that comes in a box the size of a small suitcase :)

Run the machine empty because the idea is to clean the washing machine, not the clothes!

Do that about once a month and make sure you leave the door open a little between all other washes so the machine can dry out and It won't smell any more.

if really bad mold has built up on the door rubber then you will need to get it replaced though

[Ethel]

Chuck is absolutely right.

That warm,damp atmosphere after your wash is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, and will eventually cause black mould to develop on the door seal.

I do the boil cycle as Chuck says monthly, use the cheapest biological powder I can find. It must be powder.

This is an ideal time to get that drawer out and give it a very good wash, and the drawer cavity. I find a bottle brush to be ideal for cleaning as far back as possible and the roof.

While your at it, use a suitable implement to clear the jets in the roof where the water comes out. I use a cable tie because it is flexible to get in the hole, and strong enough not to break.

This is a very good site indeed for all your white goods problems:

http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/modules.php?name =Content&pa=showpage&pid=43

[adamhornsby]

Ethel's got the idea. Can see she does the laundry! hehe
But yes, you have to run the hottest wash with bio powder to clear out the gunk. Dont you wash towels at 60? that should be enough to keep it clean.

[pingu748]

just as a foot note ..

when doing whats called a boil wash, don't do it with nothing inside the machine .. use an old tea towel / hand towel ... its will aggitate the water much better and reach further in to hard to reach areas.

[Kenzie]

I googled this question about a month ago - and thank you guys for some good advice. I couldn't understand why my washing machine had started to smell mouldy for the first time in my washing career (30 years) and didn't make the connection with non biological powder (duh). I put bleach into the powder drawer (be careful - I put it into both sides (pre wash and main wash) (about half full in each cavity) and washed on a 90 degree wash - I almost fainted when it frothed up like billy oh and I thought the suds would overflow. Anyway, they didn't - and no mouldy smell since. I have gone back to biological powder now, but a different one because of the nice smell. I will, however, continue to "purge" with the bleach solution on a frequent basis, perhaps 3 monthly - but not quite so much!