Whiffy washing machine, advice from my repair chap!

Another vote for soda crystals here.

It worked!

A copious amount of white vinegar in every wash keeps nasty niffs away!

I regularly use a cup.of vinegar in my wash instead of fabric softener.

And I always leave the washing machine door open for a few hours after taking the laundry out. It helps to dry out the washing machine inside. Sometimes I take a cloth and wipe the rubber lining that separates the drum from the front of the washing machine to dry it out too.

It also helps prevent mould in the rubber.

Moving into our house in France, we discovered that the previous owners had kindly left their washing machine behind for us. Unfortunately the rubber inside was full of mould. It took lots of bleach and vinegar, and rubbing, to get it reasonably clean. It's much better now, more so with frequently leaving the machine's door open after washing.

My machine never smells because I do plenty of hot washes for bedding and towels- I had a friend once who’s husband was in charge of laundry and washed everything on a 40 degree wash☹️ The bath towels always smelled fousty and so did her machine. I usually place a cup of bicarbonate if soda and two cups of white vinegar in the drum once a month or so -to give everything a good clear out on a 95 degree wash cycle. Look after your machine and it should go on for years.

Yup. Soda crystals in the wash every single time, and always dry the rubber seal around the door when finished.

I use soda for my washing machine, sinks and shower plug.
Once a month the washing machine has a hot wash with soda,
The sinks too.
We had to have a plumber in because our kitchen sink was always blocking he advised us to use soda. Best thing we ever did.

The same as most of you have advised. We live in a hard water area so I add soda crystals to every wash, I can then use half the recommended detergent. I haven’t used fabric conditioner for years, instead I use vinegar. Since doing this my washing machine stays much cleaner and no smell, the drawer has no nasty black bits either.

When not in use leave the door open as well

I do that too Caro57

Use washing powder not liquid that will get rid of the smell.

My fairly new machine would not work, only giving a message code for ‘send for the engineer’

The problem was liquid detergent build up. The engineer advised ONE teaspoon of washing powder and a hot wash once a week. We have had no further problems or smells and the washing is clean and does not pong! I save quite a few pennies, a box of powder lasts for ever.

I had this problem - horrid musty smell in the washing machine. I tried everything and then by chance stopped using washing liquid encased in gel. Problem was solved immediately. Now only use plain washing liquid or powder and have had no recurrence.

Does anyone have suggestions as to where to buy white vinegar in bulk, not online as postage too much. Only small bottles in local supermarkets.
I started to use white vinegar instead of Comfort but towels still hard. Am I using too much soap powder?

I give my washer a clean by running a very hot wash whilst empty and put a nice smelling biological powder in the drawer along with limescale prevention powder. Clean out your drawer before using this method.
This should be done monthly. Just going to do this now.
If you are in a hard water area use the limescale prevention powder every wash.

Because of sensitive skin I make my own washing powder. Don’t need much and the washing is perfect. Very very cheap. I make enough to fill large plastic bucket. (Re-using fat balls bucket). Contains borax, washing soda and lots of grated soap bars! And essential oils if you wish. Never get whiffy machine. Grating bars of cheap soap is a pain but think of savings and the planet.
If I have lot of whites to do I also add Napisan and run for few minutes until well soaked. Then leave overnight. Hot wash as usual. Excellent results.
Oh I’m good!!!

Hello all, just to say I have tried all of the recommended solutions, but the dishwasher tablet method as given by my repair chap did actually work!

soda crystals down the kitchen sink and in your washing machine.do wash on hot ...should go. good luck...(clean filter first)

Using soda crystals instead of washing powder helps, I think, mainly because soda crystals do the detergent bit but don't add any scents. I think it's the build up of 'perfumes' that cause the stink. That and water not hot enough.

Wash your towels and bedding hot using soda crystals and I bet the problem will evaporate.

moggie57 can't access filter, see OP.

To all: Use soda crystals a lot, sink freshening, soaking oven dishes with baked on stuff, etc etc, but the dishwasher tablet method is the only thing that has worked on my 15 year old washer/dryer.

Since I started leaving the door of the washing-machine open when it is not in use, it never smells musty.

Even, when I forget, as I always do, to sop up the water that is always left in the rubber seal on the door.

How about putting some lemon slices in the powder drawer - works for dishwashers!

The smell is due to build up of bacteria because so many washes are slow temperature these days. A regular weekly boil wash should sort this. You can also use anti bac wash in your lower temperature loads.

low temperature, not slow, although all the washes are!

I use 2 table spoons of bicarbonate of soda in wash drew and 2 cup fulls of white vinegar in drum then hot temperatures to clean my machine.