Washing machine drum smell

Seems a bit of a far fetched theory that durhamjen - i suppose there is a possibility that if someone did a lot of business travel and slept in a lot of different beds and the bedding had been washed at low temperature and previous users of bedding had colds... they just might pick up a virus.
I think the only time hygiene raises its head is if people have had norovirus and then it would be wise to wash all sheets and towels on a hot wash to avoid passing them round the family.
But hands are a much more common way of passing bugs around, along with sneezing and food hygiene.

i had a smelly dishwasher the other week.turns out it was more the drains and the smell was coning in that way so i just chucked bleach down the sink and the drain and it went .... Checkout mote tips here :http://shoprex.com/appliances/washing-machines/

I seem to remember reading somewhere that the problem of everyone getting ill a lot of the time is because cool washes do not kill germs.
I remember from having a guest house that you need to wash bedding on a minimum 55 degrees in order to get rid of bedmites.
I always wash towels on the hottest, which is 90 in my machine, as that cleans the machine as well.
I think another problem is that clothes wash manufacturers usually tell you to use twice as much powder or liquid as you need, so there is usually a build-up in the machine.

Yes definitely the Dr. Beckmann treatment! Works well for mine. Sainsbury has an own brand which is similar. I also run a very hot cycle every few weeks without any clothes in. I think not only is it the low temps but I tend to use conditioner which seems to cause the build up of a lot of gunk in the rubber seal and drawer. Gets smelly if not dealt with. I know from experience!!

I now use white vinegar instead of soft rinse - no lingering smell similar to chips I assure you- and since then I have had no gunk in the drawer or funny smells. I also do a couple of very hot washes every week for sheets, towels and tea towels. I have recently made some washing liquid too - seems fine but too early to really evaluate how good it is- made from Borax, soda crystals and liquid black soap - ( savon de Marseilles).

I used bicarbonate as someone else said, a good scrub then a hot wash with bio washing liquid. Leave the door wide open when not in use to allow to properly dry out.

Harrigran - I will try the Dr Beckmann thank you. I've done that rockgran, it helped slightly. Soutra - you have found me out, guilty as charged

My machine instructions say to do the very hot wash with powder but without any washing in. It does help the smell but I hate the waste of a good hot wash with no washing!

Oh Soutra, does anyone actually ever have wash dirty clothes?

soutra Well done! You have cracked the problem.

I know why this is - you are clearly washing dirty clothes in your machine. If you were to only wash clean clothes, all would be fragrant. You could wash your dirty clothes in a friend's or meighbour's machine, then rewash them in your own when they are clean!

I had the same problem in a holiday home, and assumed it was because the water was turned off for a while, although it had only recently started to happen. Right about the time I changed to non-bio liquid and cool wash in fact. Now I do a hottest wash with fierce biological washing powder every now and then to kill the bacteria and it is fine. (I throw in all the dishcloths /floor cloths etc for good measure).

Mine suffers from the same complaint. Keep meaning to get a Man Out to look at it but that would costa packet and the machine works fine otherwise. I've just done a VERY hot wash with no clothes in, but with some bleach, in the hope of rectifying the problem. Will keep you posted.

Dr Beckmann washing machine cleaner, magic, I use it at intervals. Cool washes are not enough to clean the machine, I never use 30 degree wash for that reason.

Thanks all. We've checked the filter and it's fine. The macine is less than 2 years old. I've tried the very hot wash but will try some of your remedies above.

Bet the products contain either bleach or peroxide... A washing machine repair man told me that too Brendawymms - every so often do a hot wash and that prevents gunk from building up.

I think using washing powder/liquid that contains no perfume reduces the problem too.

Very hot wash cycle and some bleach. I'd use Ecover Laundry Bleach (powder) but it isn't available everywhere.

There are products on the supermarket shelves for washing machines and dishwashers and I apply one to each as necessary. It does the trick each time and you do not have to buy the most expensive on the market.

The detergent manufactures advocate these low temperature washes but low temperatures do not kill germs. Theses need killing off occasionally with a high temperature wash.
If there is still a smell after a high temperature wash perhaps there is a corpse somewhere as per recent other post

Clean the drawer and the rubber seal. Do a hot wash with a cup of bleach added.

KatyK Try giving it a wash over with Bi-carb and hot soapy water make sure you go into the folds of the rubber seal around the drum as stagnant water can collect there,every 6 mths I put a machine treatment through mine there are a few different types on the supermarket shelves.

Is there anything trapped under the door seal and going mouldy with the damp?

Have you checked the filter and for any kinks in the outlet pipe?

I believe you can actually get a product specifically for this, but in the interim, how about running through a hot cycle with lemon juice instead of detergent?