To freshen my washing machine

[Patri]

My washer and/or dryer are stale smelling. How should I freshen them up? I can read the manuals, look online, or ask my TUG friends who know everything.
Thanks!

 

[AwayWeGo]

Vinegar & Then Baking Soda. (But Not At The Same Time.)

My washer and/or dryer are stale smelling. How should I freshen them up?

Try running the washer through a full wash-rinse cycle with no soap or detergent & with no garments in the machine, but add a gallon of white vinegar at the start of the cycle.

Then do the same again without the vinegar but adding a box or 2 of baking soda at the beginning.

When that's finished, run the washing machine through 1 more full wash-rinse cycle with clear water only.

After that the machine will be as fresh smelling as it's going to get.

Good luck.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[Kal]

and after that, leave the doors (or lids) OPEN or slightly open.

 

[dougp26364]

I use a product called Affresh, which is a hard tablet put into the machine and run on a normal cycle once a month. Tide also has a product to clean machines but, it's a powder and it tends to gum up in the soap dispenser (we have a front loading machine). We've had our washer for over 5 years and we haven't had an issue with musty smells since we started using this product montly. I still have to occasionally wipe the machine down to prevent the build up of mold along the rubber gaskets.

Both of these products are in with the laundry detergent at our local version of Kroger. I'm sure they're available at Walmart as well but, I've never looked for them there.

http://www.affresh.com/

 

[Passepartout]

I agree with Alan on the vinegar and baking soda. Here's an eHow about it: http://www.ehow.com/how_4797790_clean-smelly-washing-machine.html We haven't had the problem as long as the washer door is kept ajar between loads, and I wash the occasional hot load with bleach. Washing in cold water and closing the door is asking for the moldy smell to take over.

Jim

 

[stmartinfan]

I use this product formulated by a former washer repair guy. It's been around for more than 10 years, and it sold at Ace Hardware stores, and a variety of other places plus on line. You use just a small amount regularly, and it seems to help with build up.

I just bought a new front loader, and was told by the guy who installed (who also repairs washers) that he recommends using powdered detergent to help reduce build up and smell. He claimed that there's a small amount of fat/oil (can't remember why it supposed to be in there) in the liquid detergents and that's what makes it congeal on the surfaces around the outside of the tub and then start to smell. I'd guess that liquid fabric softeners contribute a lot, too.

With my previous washer, I had used powder for years and then as it became harder to find at my local store, I'd gone to liquid. And for the first time I started to have order problems. The Smelly Washer stuff cleared it up. Now with my new washer, I've started using the Costco powder and it seems to clean fine. We'll see if it helps hold down the build up. My new washer has a special "deep clean" cycle you run every so often to clean the area surrounding the tub.

 

[lll1929]

I have a front loader and I use the tide front loader cleaner sold in stores.

 

[normab]

If the vinegar wash doesn't work, fill the machine with hot water and 1 cup of clorox liquid bleach. Run the regular wash cycle. This will definitely make it smell better.

Also, I second keeping the door open. If you keep it closed, the water can't evaporate and it gets musty.

Norma

 

[Dori]

I generally do one load of whites per week. I guess the hot water and bleach keeps the odors away, since I've never had a problem with this. The vinegar is very good as well. I use it in my dishwasher once a month. I just have to remember to open the door after the rinse cycle, but before the dry cycle.

Dori

 

[Patri]

I do leave the door open (it is a front loader), but sometimes it swings nearly shut, or the kids close it, thinking they are doing a good deed. We've had it about 5 years now, and sometimes the clothes are coming out smelly. We'll try one of these remedies!

 

[AwayWeGo]

Extreme Measures.

I second keeping the door open.

The Chief Of Staff's grandmother not only kept the door open after doing laundry, but she also took the agitator out of her old-technology Sears Kenmore top loader.

On those old-style Kenmores (ditto Whirlpool washers of that time), the agitators just sat on tapered hex-shaped drive blocks & lifted off easily after the top knobs were unscrewed. Agitators on newer models are fastened on more substantially.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​