Why Does My Washing Machine Smell?

It happens to all of us. It's a glorious day, perfect weather to dry the laundry on the line, but then you notice it, no sooner are you pegging up the pillow cases before you realise that the wash seems to have caused the load to smell worse than it did before it went in. So what are the causes for a bad smelling washing machine? And how can this problem be stopped?

Put simply, the cause of a bad smelling washing machine is dirt. Mould, grease, and slime can all build up over time and have become more common in recent years with trends for users to wash only at 40 degrees in order to conserve energy and money. Not only does washing at a consistently low temperatures reduce the machine's efficiency at killing bed-bugs and the affects of non-bio powder, but the inevitable build-up of grease can have serious consequences for the machine itself - not just your laundry.

Washing machine repairmen warn that the worst effect this can have is the corrosion of the drum aluminium - this can lead to a broken drum arm and the need for a whole new machine. Other problems include rotting hoses and gaskets, as well as blockages that can lead to overfilling.

Manufacturers have begun to recommend maintenance washes. It is advised that as often as once a month it is a good idea to put a very hot wash on without any laundry, but with the addition of a detergent that contains bleaching agents that may not be found in the powder or liquid you usually use. Alternatively, it is also possible to use soda crystals which are available at most supermarkets.

Other reasons for washing machine smells can include a lack of u-bend in the plumbing and can even be caused by what exactly is being washed out of the clothes, such as chemicals or stubborn strong-smelling substances. If maintenance washes still don't rid your machine of those darned smells, distilled white wine vinegar in the soap dispenser has also been known to have good effects.

A more extreme case of dirt can also be recognized in the form of black mould, and of course this isn't good for your machine. Warm moist places are a haven for black mould and can be hazardous to your general health, so it is good to have a good inspection of your machine once in a while to check if there is any lurking. Black mould can be removed with a scourer or an old toothbrush, and to be extra safe goggles and a face mask should be worn. A frequent maintenance wash should stop black mould build-up in the future.

For repair tips check out Washer Help, for a new machine check out cheap washing machines at dealtime.co.uk

By Sarah Maple