My sister has a front load washer. The laundry closet is in the kitchen and the doors would block the main exit/entrance to the house. So, we can’t leave the front loading washer open to air out, like we could with a top load.
The washer always smells like mildew. The clothes never do. But, we hate the smell while we’re loading our clothes.
Mary has tried running the washer empty with just bleach and there was no difference whatsoever.
No one has ever left a wet load in there for more than an hour or so after the cycle stops.
Front load washers should always be left with the door ajar. It’s enough to just have it slightly open. The feet of the washer are adjustable so you can tilt the machine to where the door stops just short of close when it is unlatched.
I don’t know of any way to avoid the smell if you have to close the door when not in use.
I’m not sure what you mean by “the doors would block the main entry”. Is there not even room to leave the washer door just slightly ajar (unlatched)? If not you will probably have to leave the washer door open for about an hour or two after you wash and then close it. You have to give the moisture a chance to dry before closing the door.
Clean the seal/gasket that keeps the water from leaking out the door.
BTW I only know this from hearing about a recall a few years back about this subject and a blurb on the news here and there so I can’t give you anymore specific information.
As for the door, the closet wasn’t quite built deep enough for the washer/dryer. The appliance doors have to be completely closed in order to close the folding doors even slightly, or else the folding doors get stuck on the appliance doors. The folding doors, when they’re open, block traffic out the kitchen door, which is the only door we use to get in and out.
It’s really a kinda stupid setup. We hated it from the minute we moved in. But, there’s nothing we can do about it, short of removing the folding doors.
As long as the clothes smell clean and not mildewy, I doubt my sister would remove the doors.
First thing you can try doing is to run your whites with bleach as the last load. This way, the tub, pump and whatnot have been recently bleached, and try to schedule laundry so you can leave the washer open for a while after the last load.
Another thing to do is to look in the machine’s instructions for info on cleaning the tub - some front-loaders have an actual tub-cleaning cycle. Failing that, try running a warm-water cycle with nothing but a cup of bleach and activate your extra water and extra rinse options.
Leave the door to the washer open at night. Make it a habit to open the washer door when you lock the back door, and close the washer door when you go into the kitchen in the morning.
I was getting plumbing parts this weekend and noticed a display of tablets designed specifically to “remove odors from HE washers.” I figure HE is High Efficiency. Had a picture of front loader on the package.
I did figure out a way to keep the washer open while the folding door is closed. It required closing the folding door and then squeezing my fat self in there so my arm could reach the washer door to open it. Once it was open, it swung until it hit the folding door. Unfortunately, I forgot to tell my sister. When she went to open the door, it smashed on the washer door. Oops.
I think that will work though. I’ll just have my sister be the squeezer. She’s skinner.
If if were me, I’d either remove the folding doors or just keep them open so it could air out. But, my sister has some anal-retentive issues to work on and things like that drive her nutty. I think she’d rather a washer that smells of mildew than having open closet doors in the house. Since it’s her house and I’m fairly easy-going, I’m willing to deal with it as long as my clothes still smell clean.
I had the same problem recently. If it’s a fairly modern washer, you might check the Owner’s Manual - there may be a special cleaning procedure that can be used.
On my HE washer (sorry, I don’t remember what brand it is), the manual gives directions to put the washer in a “cleaning” mode. A certain sequence of buttons are pressed and a cycle begins that uses a bit more water than usual, and bleach is also used.
The first time I did this, the sequence flushed out a couple of childrens socks that had been stuck within the flexible door seal, and a bunch of lint. They were pretty nasty and rotten.
Exactly.
I leave mine with the door open and the detergent dispenser drawer open for an hour after use and overnight sometimes.
Also dry it out as much as possible and clean the detergent dispenser regularly.
Check the filter, there could be garbage trapped there and ponging.
I used to look after student flats and the washing machines were often in quite poor states of health. The worst one was when they were away for nine weeks in the summer and left a load of (washed) clothes in the machine. It was quite a task to get that machine stink-free again, the clothes were beyond recovery.
Another machine I had to fix had a bra underwire stopping the pump which was also full of elastic bands and around £25 in £1 coins
HGand other brands sell a detergent especially designed to clean the inside of your washing machine. It removes chalk deposit, organic matter (remains of fabric) and soap remains.
I run it every three months, as directed on the package. It helps a lot, is easy to apply, and is supposed to make your washer last longer and need fewer repairs.
Wipe off the gunky residue that accumulates on the black rubbery seal, and especially on the side facing into the machine. That may not be all of it, but it’s a good start.
My MIL complained about the same problem - same cause, her washer door would block the travelway. Both her washer and ours have a 3-hour “sanitary” mode where it heats the water beyond tap hot, effectively pasteurizing the clothes (usually towels). One sanitary load fixed her problem. The sanitary cycle also took care of a problem we had where our towels basically started smelling like sewer water (or floormats after a week of rain). One sanitary cycle and the they were good as new.
The Sears serviceman also mentioned to us that leaving the washer door closed when wet encouraged rusting and eventual bearing failure in front-load washers.
Oops.