How to get rid of the smell in the washing machine

Unpleasant odors from the washing machine are a problem that owners of old appliances often have to deal with. But sometimes an annoying amber can also come from a new device recently purchased at a store.

The problem with bad smells needs to be solved immediately, otherwise - you will have to rinse the laundry additionally and for a long time, which instead of pleasant freshness may start to smell like a swamp or sewer.

To solve the problem effectively - it is necessary to establish the factors that provoke the appearance of undesirable odors and proceeding from them, choose the appropriate way to eliminate them.

Causes of Bad Smell in a Washing Machine

There are many factors provoking the occurrence of a problem. Consider the main and most common:

1. Closing the hatch of the machine immediately after washing results in the unit starting to “suffocate”. In this case, the problem with the smell of musty, damp or swamp is solved quite simply: after washing, leave the appliance door ajar for 2-3 hours.
2. A stale amber may appear due to the fact that you do not wipe the rubber o-ring on the hatch of the device, and small debris and moisture could remain on its folds. These residues will begin to decay over time, and this process is fraught with the appearance of colonies of molds, which, with strong growth, will not be easy to remove.
3. Storing dirty laundry in the drum of the appliance is another factor causing a problem. Dirty shirts, trousers, underwear, folded for future washing into a machine, the loading tank of which is poorly dried - the optimal environment for the reproduction of all kinds of microorganisms.
4. A putrid odor can occur due to the use of cheap and low-quality detergents.
5. Contamination of the powder tray and the air conditioner or the channel through which detergents are supplied to the unit can lead to the appearance of a rotten smell from the machine. To prevent problems, it is recommended to wash and clean these elements of technology at least once a month.
6. A clogged drain filter can also cause an annoying sense of smell to the dots, which picks up small debris and thereby prevents clogging in the sewer. If the filter is not cleaned, all the fibers from clothes, threads and other rubbish will begin to rot and exude at the same time not the most pleasant aroma.
7. A bad smell may also appear because water remains in the machine constantly. To solve the problem, you need to check the correct connection of the device to the sewage system and the operability of the drain pump.
8. Unpleasant aroma can also come from the heating element of the unit, if during the operation it was covered with a dense coating of villi, specks, and also suspended from water. It may not be possible to get rid of such a “scum” on your own, and therefore it is better not to experiment, but to contact a professional master.

Less often, the smell of decay and mustiness is caused by problems with communal utilities, but in this case the stench will come not only from the washing machine, but from the sinks.

Ways to get rid of odor

The way to get rid of the smell in the washing machine is selected based on the reason for its appearance. But some methods are universal and can be used in different situations.

Citric Acid - Odor Removal Principle

Citric acid is a substance that is in every home and it will help you out if the cause of the unpleasant odor from the washing machine is scum on the heating element or stuck powder on the walls of the appliance. The acid will corrode the scum, and the bad aroma from the device will disappear, the main thing is to use it correctly:

• For the cleaning procedure, you will need a 0.5-1 cup of citric acid;
• The specified amount of substance must be poured into the powder tray or into the drum of the unit;
• Next, you need to select the longest washing mode at a high temperature (at least 90 degrees) and start the device in operation.

Important! After cleaning the machine with citric acid, open its drum and carefully inspect the cuff on which scale particles could remain. Clean the cuff with a damp cloth and check that no debris remains in the drain.

A simple procedure using citric acid will save you from the smell of mustiness from the device and at the same time qualitatively clean its heating elements and walls from deposits and scale.

Baking soda - the principle of work

In the fight against the smell of decay and mold, baking soda, which is used by housewives to clean dishes from grease and strong contaminants, can also help. Soda acts as an abrasive and a substance that can corrode scale and deposits on the walls of the washing machine. The procedure for cleaning the washing machine with soda will consist of several stages:

1. Preparation of the cleaning mixture. To get the mass, you need to mix soda with clean water in equal parts.
2. The finished mixture must be applied to areas of the device in which mold is most often formed: a drum, a rubber cuff, a container for detergents. Soda mass should be left after application for about half an hour, for a better effect.
3. Clean the machine with a soft sponge, and for hard-to-reach areas use an old toothbrush or cotton swabs.

Important! When cleaning the washing machine with soda, use only soft sponges. If you take a sponge hard or metal - you can scratch the device.

At the end of cleaning, turn on the machine in quick wash at low temperature to wash the remaining soda.

Table vinegar - principle of operation

A universal folk remedy, table vinegar, will help to cope with the smells of a washing machine of different origin. For the cleaning procedure, you need to pour a small amount of vinegar (no more than 0.5 cups) into the powder container and turn on the long wash at maximum temperature.

After the device finishes work, its individual parts will need to be additionally cleaned with a sponge or an old toothbrush, and then wipe the machine with a clean and dry cloth.

Important! After finishing the cleaning procedure - do not forget to leave the machine door open so that the caustic aroma of vinegar disappears.

Dishwasher tablets

To eliminate the smell from the device, you can also use tablets for dishwashers. For cleaning, you will need approximately 5-6 tablets that need to be put in the drum of the washing machine.

After laying the tablets, turn on the washing mode at high temperature and wait until half the work cycle has passed. After the machine you need to turn on the pause and leave for 2-3 hours, and then continue the washing process until it is complete.

More ways

To clean the machine from mold, dirt, and also to eliminate an unpleasant odor, you can also use:

1. Simple bleach for linen. The bleaching substance is poured into the powder tray, after which the washing mode at a temperature of 90-95 degrees is turned on.
2. Copper sulfate. Vitriol is a caustic substance and therefore, before use in the cleaning procedure, it must be properly diluted: thirty grams of granules are taken per liter of clean water. The resulting mixture must be wiped from the inside and left for 24 hours, then thoroughly clean the machine with a soft sponge and wipe with a clean, damp cloth.

To clean the washing machine, you can use specialized products that are sold in household chemical stores.

Classification of unpleasant odors. The better to remove the smell in the washing machine

Unpleasant odors from the machine can be different - from the device it can smell of mold, musty, damp, sewage, gasoline. Each type of smell has its own, most effective ways to eliminate, knowing which, you can quickly solve the problem.

How to wash a washing machine from rotten smell

The rotten smell in the washing machine appears due to stagnation of water, the formation of mold or clogging of the drain or drain hose. To eliminate it, you can apply various cleaning methods, but such folk remedies as soda, copper sulfate can cope with a rotten stink.

From soda or copper sulfate, you need to prepare a mixture that processes all the places where mold is formed. The solution is left for some time for a more effective effect, after which the machine is cleaned manually, using a soft sponge, brush or brush.

If the cause of the smell of rotten meat from the washing machine is a clogged drain, then you need to open it, remove all garbage from it and wash it.

The smell of dampness in the washing machine

Damp from the appliance may start to smell if you immediately close the appliance door after washing or store dirty things in its drum for subsequent washes.

The problem is solved quite simply - regularly ventilate the unit after use, leaving its hatch open for a couple of hours, and store dirty things in special baskets.

It can sow dampness from a machine even when water accumulates in the device. The reason for the accumulation of water is the incorrect connection of the unit to the sewer. Check if you did everything correctly when connecting the device, and if you can’t do the test yourself, call the wizard at home.

The smell of sewers and swamps in the washing machine

The smell of sewage and swamps from the appliance can occur for various reasons: a clogged filter, scale formation on the heater, stagnation of water, contamination of the detergent drawer, problems with common sewerage.

You can clean the heating elements and trays at home - to do this, start the “empty” wash with citric acid or vinegar, as well as wipe the powder containers and rinse aid with any detergent. It will also be easy to clean the filter and hose - just read the instructions for the typewriter for this. But if the problem is in the sewer at home - you will have to contact the communal services.

How to remove the smell of gasoline from a washing machine

The reason for the smell of gasoline from the washing machine is always one - it is the washing of clothes that have been saturated with this caustic substance. Such clothes should be pre-rinsed in clean water before washing in the machine and only after that they should be put into the drum of the device.

If you forget to rinse things that smell like gasoline and wash them in a typewriter - automatic machine, a persistent gasoline smell may appear in its drum, which citric acid and vinegar can help to cope with.

A cardinal way to combat the smell of gasoline is an “empty” wash with chlorine-based bleach.

Important! You can only clean the machine with chlorine bleach after studying the instructions for the device. Read the document and find out if it allows the use of this model and brand of detergents with chlorine in a typewriter.

If substances with chlorine in the composition in your machine can be used, then pour bleach directly into the drum and then turn on the quick wash mode at low temperature - not higher than 40 degrees.

Tips for operating the washing machine. Odor Prevention

The best way to solve the problem is to prevent it from appearing. And therefore, if you do not want to find ways to eliminate the unpleasant amber from the machine and experiment with different folk recipes - operate the equipment correctly and regularly carry out preventive maintenance.

After each use of the equipment for its intended purpose, wipe the appliance from the inside with a dry, clean cloth, wash the containers under the powder and rubber elements, ventilate the machine, leaving the laundry loading hatch open for 3-4 hours.

Periodically clean the filter element and the heater. Do not store dirty clothes inside the machine and shake things before loading into the drum, check pockets for garbage, crumbs. Heavily soiled items with spots of gasoline, kerosene and other caustic substances are best rinsed thoroughly in clean water before washing in a machine.

Conclusion

A correctly carried out cleaning procedure is almost a 100% guarantee that the smells of damp, swamps, sewers from the machine will disappear. To prevent the occurrence of a problem in the future, it will be enough to observe preventive measures and use the device correctly.

Proper and regular care of the washing machine will prevent the occurrence of foul odors from the appliance and increase the useful life of the equipment as a whole.