# Bad smell in washing machine

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-smell-in-washing-machine/362389>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 27, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-smell-in-washing-machine/362389 "2006-06-27T20:33:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Stainz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Stainz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stainz)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-smell-in-washing-machine/362389/1 "2006-06-27T20:33:40Z")

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Our washing machine has a funky smell … I will admit there have been times when I’ve forgotten a wet load of laundry overnight, so I’m assuming that has caused this odour.

What is a safe, effective way to get rid of this smell? I tried baking soda in a load, but no luck.

Advice?

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**Author:** ![acaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@acaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acaos)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2006, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-smell-in-washing-machine/362389/2 "2006-06-27T20:53:17Z")

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I’ve had success clearing this up by running my washing machine empty a couple of times in a row, adding bleach to the first wash and several cups of white vinegar to the second wash. I used hot water for both washes.

It goes without saying that you should never try ammonia to clean the washing machine, though - bleach and ammonia together produce toxic gases.

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**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-smell-in-washing-machine/362389/3 "2006-06-27T21:09:27Z")

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Is your machine a front-loader? Those can get very funky around the whole rubber seal thingy. Give that part a thorough wipe-down, front and back, and see if that helps.

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**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2006, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-smell-in-washing-machine/362389/4 "2006-06-27T21:26:43Z")

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[Sour laundry.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=348024)

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**Author:** ![bbeaty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@bbeaty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbeaty)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2006, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-smell-in-washing-machine/362389/5 "2006-06-27T21:34:11Z")

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> [@Stainz](#):
>
> Our washing machine has a funky smell … I will admit there have been times when I’ve forgotten a wet load of laundry overnight, so I’m assuming that has caused this odour.
> 
> What is a safe, effective way to get rid of this smell? I tried baking soda in a load, but no luck.
> 
> Advice?

It’s bacterial. Chlorine bleach!

If you always add about 1/3 cup of bleach to your normal loads of laundry, then you can forget it for a few days and it won’t start stinking.

For the bacterial coating in your washing machine, perhaps try a full cup of liquid bleach, running empty?