Nasty smell in washing machine.

My old washing machine was a secondhand machine, as I couldn't afford a new one. It was pretty gummed up with gunge when I got it, but managed to clear it all. I used it for a couple of years, but really missed my washer/dryer, and used to have lots of clothes airers about the house, and every radiator was decorated with underwear and small towels. The machine started to smell of mould, and, despite using all sorts of cleaners, the smell didn't go away. I relented and bought a brand new washer/dryer, which is amazing, provided I don't put my knickers in the hottest dryer setting, because when I did, they shrunk slightly.

Has your machine ever been in storage? My daughter had this problem after she got her machine out of storage and nothing she tried (& she tried many different remedies) had any longterm effect. Unfortunately, she has just had to give up and buy a new one. Sorry!

There are special tablets to put in machine with the washing powder......recommend ed by manufacturer s.........forget the name......founf in supermarket next to powder. They really work. Use one a week or so

The British Gas man told me to put a dishwasher tablet in the washing machine and run it on 60. It worked.

I was going to suggest using white vinegar but you have to put your machine on at least 2 hot washes to get rid of the smell. Pleased to hear the soda crystals worked as that was going to be another suggestion.

Have you removed and cleaned the powder / liquid dispenser ? If that's not cleaned regularly mould can build up and cause smells.

My daughter had a similar problem and we discovered the dishwasher outlet pipe is joined into the washing machine outlet pipe too and this was causing smell from both pipes. She had a plumber separate them into single pipes to the drainage and the smell disappeared ..!

The washing machine repair man said you must use a biological powder on the hottest wash at least twice a week. It is using the liquid only that causes the problem