There are 4 reasons for washing machine odor and stinky towels.
- The main cause of front load or top load stink is the overuse of detergents. Generally, we’re only removing sweat and perfume from our clothing so it’s necessary to use very minimal amounts. This is especially important if using liquid detergent or if there is a water softener in the home. With a water softener present use less than 1 tablespoon of detergent unless washing soiled dishrags, diapers,etc. Municipally supplied water may be treated before it gets to your home. The best way to know is to either have your water tested for hardness or test it yourself with test strips available at hardware or appliance parts stores. Even without soft water using much less detergent is necessary.
- Running a close second is fabric softener use. We recommend switching to dryer sheets. Keep in mind that dryer sheets can also be overused and cause towels to be less absorbent and to retain odor. The sheets can be cut into halves or thirds and can even be reused. Dryer balls are another option. There is another article on this blog page discussing the merits and demerits of them.
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The third not-so-common reason for clothes washer smells is using only cold water for washing. Using cold water is fine but makes preventive maintenance very important. A weekly hot soak will dissolve residue not dissolved by cold water. This is a perfect chance to soak soiled dishrags, etc. a. Ensure the water supply hoses to your washer are properly connected so you’re getting hot washes and cold rinses when desired.
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Another cause of washing machine odor is non-use of the appliance. If you are not going to use the washer for an extended period it’s a good idea to do a cleaning with a washing machine cleaner. If leaving for a vacation shut the supply hoses off in case of a hose break. Bleach or vinegar spilled on rubber water hoses will cause deterioration and eventually a ruptured hose to flood the laundry area.
The advantages of Smelly Washer Cleaner over our competitors are
- Smelly Washer Cleaner is all natural! We use no dyes or fragrances!
- it has 24 treatments compared to 1-3 per industry standards and
- Smelly Washer Cleaner also guaranteeds to safely and easily remove odor-causing mold from towels and clothing after it is used to remove mold and odor-causing bacteria from the washer.
Simple Solutions For Washing Machine Mildew Smell
It starts in your washer, spreads to the laundry room, and even makes your towel smell. The unmistakable smell of mildew is gross, frustrating and even embarrassing. If your towels smell, there’s a very good chance you have washer mildew, which can be hard to eliminate without the proper tools.
The first step is to use a washing machine cleaner, like Smelly Washer, to eliminate the washer mildew. Smelly Washer is derived from all natural citrus ingredients and is proven safe and effective at eliminating mildew and other odors in your washing machine.
Use a washer cleaner like Smelly Washer regularly in your washer’s hottest setting to prevent future towel mildew smell.
Washing machine odor is also caused by poor laundry habits. Overuse of detergent and fabric softener, and leaving residual water in the machine creates the perfect breeding ground for mildew. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use and maintenance and keep the machine as dry as possible between uses to inhibit the growth of mildew.
Posted under How to Get Rid of Foul Odor, How to Get Rid of Mildew Smell from Towels and Clothing, How to Remove Fungus Odor With Smellywasher Cleaner, How to Repair Your Appliances, Smelly Washer Cleaner
This post was written by smellywasher on November 30, 2008
I read your blog. My question is for colored clothes that would be washed in hot, would that fad the color?
Glenda/ Unless your colored clothing is new it won’t fade them. We’ve had many emails raving about how colors are enhanced after washing.
I just want to say that in 30 years of using FL, I never ever had problem w/mold, mildew or smell. I think people really don’t know how to do laundry. Where is the common sense? Hot water should be the number 1 ingredient. Always. Proper rinsing in enough water is necesary too. People using way too many chemicals these days. Between all the pretreatments and stain removals, ton of bleach and smelling like a walking FS dispenser,you shouldn’t be surprised their washers stink and have build up.
HM/ That being stated many people do use just cold water to conserve energy. That’s great but a hot soak should be done at least weekly to dissolve any buildup of deterget/softener/mold residue. This is a perfect chance to soak soiled dishrags, washclothes, etc!
Thanks guys - just did my first cleaning with your product… worked like a charm. We have a new baby, and everything just plain stunk from our front loading washer. I had fixed it once before, but it was very expensive. Yours did everything it said…
Looking forward to using smelly washer for a long time…
Dave C
As far as cold vs hot water goes… there are many things I wash in cold water. Despite the claim of many products, color will fade quickly from certain clothes in hot water and cold water also prevents shrinking or damaging delicate fabrics.
There are just as many items I wash in hot water, however, but to say hot water is common sense ingredient #1 is pretty harsh!
My question is, with what I’ve said PLUS the fact that my fiance works in recycling and his work clothes are GROSS, what is the best way to tackle everyday clothes washing without leaving my washer smelling funky?
After reading 125 comments on FL machine mold/odor problems, I am downright scared to go FL. I DID find “SmellyWasher” noted, and can hardly wait to get my order! I have a NASTY top loader that I hate - mostly because of the odor. None of the repairman’s suggestions worked, so here goes! (I still think I want a FL for all the other reasons!)
What I have been reading makes sense but I have just moved and in my other house i washed with cold water for 26 year, did no maintenance to my washer and it never smelled of mould or of anything. Clothes always smelled fresh and clean so there must be something different about this washing machine. The top loader in my new (to me) house stinks and the clothes stink. They are both top loaders. I use the same detergent and never use fabric softener. I have always used less detergent than recommended. Guess i will try smelly washer.
Trish
I tried Smelly Washer for my FL washer about 6+ months ago and it worked like a charm. I didn’t come directly back to using the product because I thought I could find something similar out there that was cheaper. I had no such luck, and have returned for another order.
My only complaint is that we have to buy Smelly Washer on-line. I would love to see it distributed to our local Wal-mart or Target Stores, etc…
Hi Leslie,
Thanks so much for your business and kind words. Please call your local retailer and ask them to stock Smelly Washer Cleaner. Retailers are able to buy at wholesale prices from our website and make a healthy profit.
I have used Front Load laundry for 20 years, and my current 3 year old LG washer has been great! I have never had to use any cleaner in my FL laundry to avoid odors as I follow the manufacture directions for washing my clothes and keeping the washer clean. We leave the front door of the washer open when finished washing til dry inside, just like we used to do years ago when we still had a top load washer. The LG washer saves money on water and detergent, and handles our wash load with care. We would never go back to top-load laundry again.
Hi Bill,
LG makes a great front load washer as does Whirlpool, Frigidaire, Samsung and others. Washing machine design is not the cause of washer smell. We can get rid of odor and keep it away by controlling our washing habits.