Smelly washing machine problem . . .

MehulLakhani · 2 Apr 2017 at 08:55

Hi All

Have had the washing machine disconnected by the builders for the last 3 weeks whilst kitchen being done

It has always worked perfectly.

Now there seems to be a musky odour whenever i wash clothes coming from the drum ?

Have cleaned out the detergent tray and the housing, have cleaned the seal etc. Have run through soda crystals etc. After doing some googleing I am wondering if it is the way that they have reconnected it up ot the drain under the sink - the plumbing here is all new due to the addition of a water softener.

I have taken a photo, any help appreciated. Is there water from the sink drain getting back into the washing machine ?

R

Mehul

delta0 · 2 Apr 2017 at 08:59

I've always used white vinegar when there is a musty smell. You can use this with a clothes wash and it will remove musty smells from the clothes too.

acake · 2 Apr 2017 at 09:18

delta0 said:
I've always used white vinegar when there is a musty smell. You can use this with a clothes wash and it will remove musty smells from the clothes too.

same as above here. i have a drum wash setting on mine it runs at 70c+ for a hour i think i just add white viniger and let it run.so may be worth runing yours on hottest setting .

As a side note aint that power socket in a dangerous place where it can come in contact with water easely cant belive its right under sink may want to get it moved

Destination · 2 Apr 2017 at 09:34

Single tea towel, wet, some bleach on the tea towel, run hottest setting, then use powder in your machine for a many wash cycles instead of the liquid tablets you get for the next couple of weeks, odour gone.

Mysterae_ · 2 Apr 2017 at 09:44

When I had this (as well as mould showing up in the conditioner tray) no washing machine cleaner or runs with bleach would clean it for good. I even stripped the washing machine down and cleaned it all and it still came back. It turned out to be the ribbed waste water pipe from the washing machine - it had mould in the ribs from standing to long and had gone fusty. No way to clean that so I replaced the ribbed waste pipe and problem solved. Once you get mould in the system it just propagates.

garak112 · 2 Apr 2017 at 11:32

The waste pipe needs to rise above the connection to the sink or sink water can run down inside and sit there making the pipe smell.

Simplest solution is just to pull it up and clip to the wall as high as you can.

Madwelsh · 2 Apr 2017 at 11:37

I'm not a fan of this method of washing machine waste. I believe it depends on what people put down the sink, if you have a wife like mine who sticks fat and rice etc down there regular, it's much less headache making sure the washing machine has it's own waste pipe. You try and tell them, it's 'yeah yeah yeah' then they do it again.. If it has it's own waste, or rejoins the waste later on down the line, your problem will be sorted, it's likely backing up slightly, then some of this gets down the washing machine pipe, then stuff grows, hence the smell.

darael · 2 Apr 2017 at 12:48

I'm betting it's water backing up from the sink, too. A properly plumbed in washing machine should really have it's own standpipe for waste.

MehulLakhani · 2 Apr 2017 at 13:51

Cabled tied the pipe up high - very Heath Robinson . Will post pic later and let you all know outcome

darael · 2 Apr 2017 at 13:59

Give the machine a run on the hottest cycle with a bit of bleach in. Also put a splash of white vinegar in the conditioner drawer.

MehulLakhani · 2 Apr 2017 at 20:53

All done ! No more smell

agw_01 · 2 Apr 2017 at 20:56

Slight OT, not the best idea to put a mains socket there surely?

Madwelsh · 2 Apr 2017 at 22:23

agw_01 said:
Slight OT, not the best idea to put a mains socket there surely?

Not best practice, but then there shouldn't be any water anywhere near that socket.

Abyss · 2 Apr 2017 at 23:07

The sockets to both the washing machine and tumble dryer are under the sink in a similar position in my house. New build from 2010.

Mysterae_ · 2 Apr 2017 at 23:21

I would have thought it was a bit early to know for sure if you've fixed it. Give it a few days of not using the washing machine and let us know.

Burned_Alive · 3 Apr 2017 at 00:09

Although looks like you've fixed it, most washing machines have a "maintenance wash" which runs a highest temperature wash cycle and I believe its generally recommended this is done (without a load) once a month.

chaparral · 3 Apr 2017 at 04:53

Burned_Alive said:
Although looks like you've fixed it, most washing machines have a "maintenance wash" which runs a highest temperature wash cycle and I believe its generally recommended this is done (without a load) once a month.

Think my LG washing machine does it maintenance wash at 90c . :eek:

Madwelsh · 4 Apr 2017 at 09:10

chaparral said:
Think my LG washing machine does it maintenance wash at 90c .

yeah our Bosch comes up with 'drum clean' from time to time, it's 70 or 90 for an hour, mustiness gone! It something to do with using low temp washes a lot, we normally use 30, 2 loads nearly everyday. The machine was £800 but I like to think as it's idos and you can use the eco mode I must have saved a packet on electricity already! Now if only it loaded itself!

DampCat · 4 Apr 2017 at 09:16

Mine is plumbed into the sink waste too, i poured several litres of diluted blue paint down the sink before i discovered that.