My scary washing machine !

Do you leave the door open when it's not in use so the air can circulate and everything can really dry out?
I also remove the detergent drawer when it's not in use for the same reason.

Have you cleaned the bit at the bottom, I think it is called the drainage sump. Last time I did that it was full of manky fluff. I suppose if it is holding stale water it could smell.

Does your machine have a "cleaning programme"? My latest one, (hotpoint) about a year old, does, but I had to read the paperwork to find out about it.

Do you have an integral machine? My DD had an integral washing machine in her last house, they had the kitchen fitted so it was from new she said the same after about a year. It said it was ridiculous basically having essentially a " cupboard" door open all the time to air the machine.
When they moved, they had a new kitchen fitted she decided to not have an integral one. She said it was easy and less intrusive to leave the door open all the time when it's not fitted in to the kitchen units.

Leaving the door open between use is the way to avoid mildew and musty odour.

I agree. leaving the door open is a must !

Nandalot

Have you cleaned the bit at the bottom, I think it is called the drainage sump. Last time I did that it was full of manky fluff. I suppose if it is holding stale water it could smell.

Yes, I'd subscribe to that. I took my machine almost apart and it was that in the end.

Thanks for all your replies.
Yes I always leave the door open and dispenser tray out.(Note: Dispenser area has no smell, it seems to come from the drum)
The machine is not integral.
I have not investigated a 'Drainage sump' I take it that's different from a filter, neither of which are located at the bottom of my machine.

They come with VERY flimsy instructions these days, just a paper sheet with basic instructions, so I will look online to see if I can find this sump. I'm just so fed up of the smell when I've always done EXACTLY as I did with my old machine, funnily enough that one DID get a bit of mould on the door, but NEVER smelled !

Having had an awful lot of well used washing machines over the last 55 years, I have never had a smell from one nor do I leave the door open or clean the drawer.

I do, periodically, put a washing machine cleaner through but that's mainly because our favourite door to door salesman sells them and we like to buy from him.

I do, very occasionally, clean the sump thingy.

Hot wash - that’s all that’s needed. My linen is all white, and it gets washed once a week on the hottest temperature.

Clean sweet smelling machine and whitest of whites😊😊😊

The stagnant water smell gives you a clue that it is most likely to be the sump. Or poss a problem in the pipes having a kink or blockage stopping them from draining properly?
I don't recall having the mouldy smell problem years ago. But like everyone else advised I now keep the door open when not in use (very irritating) and clean door seal with rubbing alcohol to kill bacteria.

kitty I haven’t seen a door to door salesman for absolutely donkey’s years.

Wwmk2 we use the hottest temp wash often, but still get problems. 🤔

Best thing I used in my old machine was a cup of soda crystals, you literally could see black stuff in the water being pumped out.
My washer engineer said best to use powder as soap pods rot the mechanism under the drum.
I alternate now as I have stocked up on soap pods.
New washer now, start as I mean to go on. I now take out the soap drawer, place in the sink until it drys. Open the door as well.
I find those integrated machines the worst for going mouldy.

Whitewavemark2

kitty I haven’t seen a door to door salesman for absolutely donkey’s years.

He is one of the so called 'Nottingham Knockers' and he actually lives in Nottingham. We send the others packing but try to buy from him if we can as he has been coming for years.

rocketstop have you thought about what detergent you use?
I use Tesco non-bio liquid, measured into the cap on the bottle it comes in and the cap placed in the drum on top of the washing.
No fabric conditioner as that can clog the pipes and grow mould.

On reading your threads title rocketstop I envisaged the washer making its way noisily across the floor! 😶‍🌫️
I’d try the emergency draining and filter thingy (do all machines still have them?
Some can be hellishly difficult to unscrew though, it’s as if they’ve been glued in.

Whitewavemark2 is definitely right about the very hot wash. I do it too and it has certainly put an end to the smell...so all the whites get washed at 60 degrees or hotter and everything is sweet

On reading only yesterday in Which? magazine anout how to have fragrant washing tgere is a nite about NOT using vinegar in your washing machine. Causes deterioration in rubber, plastic, silicone in machines. Do you use fabric softeners as they accumulate some ingredients in the products and can cause damage. Mentioned just in case could be creating a smell. Sorry no help on how to eliminate smell other than what OPs have written.

Do you use those pod thingys? I remember when years ago the Bosch engineer told me that most of his call outs were because of those "wretched" things which didn't dissolve properly and gummed up the works.

I have never used them but used to use the tablets but production seems to have stopped, sadly. I now use the liquid stuff, as powder always seems to get damp in the laundry room and turns into a brick at the bottom of the packet!

I have never been desperately fastidious with my machines but have never had any whiff.

My friend had this problem and the plumber had to change the drainage connecting hose. He advised to run the hottest wash regularly.

I do always leave the door open after finishing the wash for 12-24 hours. Never longer as it would be in the way. It works - result has been no mold or smell.

How does you washing smell? And what temperature do you use when washing?

If the washing smells and is clean, then the problem may be the filter, I too am uncertain whether this is the same as what some are calling the sump.

Or it might be the drain, the machine is draining into.

I suggest you try putting drain cleaner into the drain, but I am not sure if you can in the UK, as your plumbing tends to be different to ours. Here washing machine hoses go down into a floor drain with a grid, which you just remove in order to put drain cleaner down it.

Do you often wash pure wool in the machine, or do you have cats or dogs? Animal hair and pure wool can leave a machine smelling musty in my experience.

Here prevention in the tedious form of brushing animal hair off your clothes and their bedding before it goes into the machine is better than any amount of cures!

Otherwise, I suggest you run the machine empty on the hottest cycle you have and see if that does the trick.

We had a problem with our sink waste pipe - it was too long and too narrow and both the dishwasher and the washing machine emptied into it. It slowly got blocked which resulted in the plates not cleaning properly and also the washing as the waste water was not running away quickly enough. Had to cut a piece out where it was sticking and slot a new pipe in, and now we run hot water through frequently (and no fat). Do investigate because I know someone who ignored it and the pipe burst.