Musty washing machine

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Discussion

zac510

Original Poster:

5,546 posts

219 months

Friday 13th November 2009
quotequote all
Have a front-loading Bosch washing machine and after washing clothes they sometimes smell a bit musty. This is immediately after the cycle has finished, not 12 hours later!

I once tried putting vinegar in it and running it on the hot cycle with nothing in it which seemed to clean it up a bit but a few months later it's musty again.

I think it is because my housemates use too much detergent but there's not much I can do about that as they're stubborn undomesticated women smile

Is there a better solution to cleaning it up or is it just a result of lots of use + hard London water?

SGirl

7,922 posts

274 months

Friday 13th November 2009
quotequote all
Have you tried emptying the filter and giving it a Calgon treatment?

P924

1,272 posts

195 months

Friday 13th November 2009
quotequote all
What about a dishwasher cleaning thing.

Chuck it in, and put on the hottest cycle and your clothes will smell lemon fresh for the next 6 months.


Fully expect someone to explain why this is a completely stupid idea smile

garycat

4,843 posts

223 months

Friday 13th November 2009
quotequote all
Washing machines need a hot (90C) cycle every few washes to prevent bacteria build up.


zac510

Original Poster:

5,546 posts

219 months

Friday 13th November 2009
quotequote all
garycat said:
Washing machines need a hot (90C) cycle every few washes to prevent bacteria build up.
Do you recommend putting a\ cleaning agent in it too?

Carl_Spackler

2,877 posts

201 months

Friday 13th November 2009
quotequote all
We've a Bosch washing machine 7/8/9 years old at home that did this for a while, absolute pain in the arse having clothes comming out the machine smelling worse than when they went in, can't quite remember how we fixed it, sorry, I vaguely remember finding the instruction's taking a bit off the front/back of the machine pulling a small (about 25mm dia) pipe out and draining some pretty foul looking and smelling water out.

I'll try and dig out my instructions when I get home and consult Mrs Spackler who was alot more passionate about getting this fixed that I was. smash

Edited by Carl_Spackler on Friday 13th November 14:19

croyde

24,585 posts

243 months

Friday 13th November 2009
quotequote all
We have had this problem and were told that the liquid tabs do not have something that the solid tablets that you put in the drawer do have.

Went back to the solid stuff and good old fashioned powder and the smell quickly went away.

Not sure what the missing ingredient was but it was good for killing bacteria. It may have been bleach.

zac510

Original Poster:

5,546 posts

219 months

Friday 13th November 2009
quotequote all
I know the panel/hose you are talking about at the front, I did that last time I tried to clean it with vinegar. I'll give it another shot on the weekend.

croyde

24,585 posts

243 months

Friday 13th November 2009
quotequote all
"I work on Bosch and have encountered this problem many times.
I bet you the customer is using a liquid detergent!
I cannot pin down any particular brand as I once had someone using sommerfields own brand which left her machine smelling..perfumed!
Also I`ve had machines smelling VERY `drainy` who have been using gel tabs. NEVER encountered a powder user with a smelly machine!
Hope this has been of use to you and would welcome any further comments on this to confirm my suspicions that liquid is the cause of most `eggy` and `drainy` smells.
p.s. a change over to powder usually gets rid of smells after two to three weeks so feedback tells me."

The above was lifted from a UK White goods forum.

zac510

Original Poster:

5,546 posts

219 months

Friday 13th November 2009
quotequote all
Guilty liquid user here frown

GingerWizard

4,721 posts

211 months

Friday 13th November 2009
quotequote all
longest wash on the hottest setting, put some watered down bleach in all the compartments (soap/ conditioner/stain removal jobbie) worked on mine......


(put it on a rinse afterwards)

V8A*ndy

3,697 posts

204 months

Saturday 14th November 2009
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You need to clean the detergent tray. Take it out and look inside for mould, usually found in the cavaity above where the tray goes. Bleach and a brush. Same for the seal around the door. You won't the believe the crud hiding in there.

Then as already said empty the filter and a hot cycle.

cjs

11,171 posts

264 months

Saturday 14th November 2009
quotequote all
Make sure you leave the door open when a wash is finished, let's the drum dry out.

I also had a problem with some detergents, used to use aerial I think that would leave my clothes smelling musty, I change powders and the problem went.