Use trisodium phosphate, otherwise known as TSP (1/4 cup per load). It will make your clothes cleaner, and remove the mildew from the seal area that smells.
Next time, don't buy a front loader.
Source: http://elcheapocooks.com
By El Cheapo from Chattanooga, TN
This page contains the following solutions.
If your front loading washing machine smells a bit musty or has black mould growing on the door seal, simply use oil of cloves to freshen it up. I make up a 500ml bottle of water in a spray bottle and add 1/4 teaspoon oil of cloves.
I've got a front loading LG washer and what I do is pour bleach in the liquid bleach hole, run your washer on the hottest setting, or if you have one, on the clean tub setting.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I just got a front loader from a friend, but they obviously used a lot of heavy fragrance detergents and probably used more in each wash than necessary. Anyway, after getting rid of the mildew smell, I still cannot rid this machine of the heavy fragrance. I have used, vinegar, vinegar w/baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen peroxide w/baking soda, and lemon juice all in as hot a load as this machine will run and still - the heavy fragrance persists. (I've run a total of 8 empty cycles up to this point). I manually cleaned the soap dispenser and the door seal so that they are spotless. I think that there is actually a buildup of detergent stuck to the outer tub which of course I cannot get to. What can I use to rid this machine of the fragrance? (Also this machine does not have a filter so there isn't one to change or clean.)
I use Affresh tablets for the top loader and it works great.
I was told that just running bleach through a wash cycle would work also.
Have you tried leaving the door open for a day or two to allow it to dry out? When I'm done for the day with the washing machine, I always leave the door cracked just so the machine can air dry all night long.
Sometimes if too much soap has been used in the washes, the soap residue will cause a build up which retains odors too.
If your machine has this odor then most likely anything you wash will also have this "smell". This odor problem is the most widely reason so many people dislike their HE washers.
Here is a site that kinda explains why a front load washer "smells".
I have an HE LG washer and dryer. About a year ago, my laundry started smelling like vomit. Only way I can describe. We have well water, a softener, and a conditioner that removes the sulphur odor, too.
I use various kinds of detergent, some with "oxy" power, and fabric softener, usually Gain. Sometimes, I use baking soda booster for my whites and towels. But now I've tried vinegar in the rinse, and lately Lysol or Clorox laundry bacteria killer because some friends suggested I've overused detergent and/or fabric softener and I may have buildup on my clothes from that, which in turn can cause bacteria growth.
I just can't get my laundry to smell clean anymore. and yes, sometimes still like vomit, only after they've been dried, not fresh out of the washer. They smell fine out of the washer when wet.
I had a similar problem when we first got our HE washer. The clothes would smell fine until I got them through the dryer. I tried many fixes but the solution for me was to switch to powdered laundry detergent. My understanding was that the excess liquid detergent gets trapped in the washer and causes mildew problems. The powdered detergent washes out better. It is also cheaper. I get the large tub at Costco and it will last me for months.
I believe there is a product that is used to clean out HE washing machines, like Affresh or Smelly Washer. I might try using that before switching over. And you could see if there is a reservoir somewhere in your washer that needs to be emptied. Look for the user's manual for your specific LG washer which should give you directions for emptying.
Good luck!
Normally when this happens there is a problem in the washing machine called Butyric Acid. This can stay in your clothes and when dried will give you the smell you are talking about. There are a few things you can try. If you can get to the back or the pump on the machine try cleaning this one out.
Now do a boil wash on the machine that only uses a bottle of vinegar and the hottest water you can to run through the washing machine.
If you are having an issue with the pump and to get this cleaned out a box of bicarb should do the trick on this one. You will give it a hot wash with the box of bicarb to flush out and clean out the machine.
My father was admitted to an aged care facility recently and I pick his washing up every other day, some of which is soiled. I soak the soiled things and then put everything in my front loader. I am worried about cross contamination/infection. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas about what I could do to prevent this as I use the machine for my own washing, it needs to be something simple and inexpensive. Thanks in advance.
run it through with hotest water and 1 cup clorox and just a bit of detergent with highest water level that will kill any germs inside the basin or in the drainage tubes. do this each time each time after you know you washed items prior that were soiled.
laundramats are the worst places for germs due to soiled clothing baby clothes diapers etc. This was on the cBS news some years ago and they told this same method for sanitizing any machine after soiled items were washed it in. Clorox kills any germs.
i can tell you first hand i NEVER ever would go to a lundry mat unless i was desperate my best friend and her family owned one and she confided in me that since they had a dry cleaning and laundromat they would get t eh funeral homes nearby with bags of sheets and things that were used for embalming and what not but she had to do this late at night after the laundromat closed i was shocked!1 i couldnt believe it i was like grossss!! shes like well someone washes it and they use these because they are bigger and more cost effective to do a bigger load after that when something happened to my washer/ dryer i used family members and i offered to help with the bill if need be!! buy detergent whatever ughhhh!!!!
I use a bucket of hot water with a cup of white vinegar and wash the entire washing machine by hand being sure to get in every crevice and then throw the wash cloth I used and run the wash on hot with clorox bleach. Once finished I take an addition bucket of bleach water and wash thoroughly again then do a load of towels like normal. I'm a bit anal. I'm sure that it wouldn't take that much effort to kill all the germs but I'm a bit fanatical. If you have an allergy to bleach the vinegar works great...you could also use hand sanitizer, rubbing alcohol or mr. clean or some other wash that kills 99.9% of germs. Most germs however do die in HOT water.
After washing your fathers clothing, run the machine with nothing in it except for a cup of bleach. That will kill anything harmful. You can even use cold water with bleach.
Also you don't have to run the washer on a heavy large load setting, just do normal wash. When the machine has no clothing in it, it will splash the water around very well.
Thanks to everyone for your input - The Bleach seems to be the way to go so I'll try that instead of the disinfectant which I was using and had doubts about.
Thanks again everyone
Clorox must be a 1:10 solution to kill all bacteria, according to the licensing agencies for surface disinfectants. It works well in cold water but gets evaporated into the air more with hot water. I just wish there was some way to collect and reuse the water, I'm on your page with the need to sanitize but I'm seeing also the amount of water and solutions being discussed here. Remember the cloth diaper days when there was a presoak pail? that of course after swishing them through the toilet.
I have heard hot water does not kill germs.
I have a front loading washer and after each cycle is finished, I can spin the tub and hear water sloshing.
I wash urine absorbing pads and I can never rid the washer of the smell. I can do twenty empty loads with various odor reducing chemicals and nothing helps. I've tried everything short of tossing it out the door? Do all front loaders retain water under the tub?
I don't have a front loader so I can't help you with that, but you may have luck soaking your pads in a bucket before laundering them. Start with 1/2 cup baking soda dissolved in the soaking water and see how that goes.
All washers retain a little water in the "boot". My advice would be to run a rinse cycle after your daqy's wash with a cup of vinegar added. Or you could run the pads through a rinse cycle before you actually run the wash and they would not have the urine still in them.
If you are using liquid detergent it leaves an odor. Follow the advice of the others and switch to powder. I use Tide HE powder and since I switched I have no odor.
I have a male cat who is occasionally incontenent so have lots of practice with urine. I use 1/3 cup borax (Borateem) in my front loader and never have a problem with odor in the bedding or the washer. I dont know what I would do without it. Good luck.
I have heard this is one of the complaints about front loaders and the musty moldy smells that retain as well. Never shut your door once you are done with laundry. That advice was from the laundromat owner. Air circulates. And with the smelly clothes that get brought into a professional place to be done, rather than their own machines is often.
I don't have a front load washer, but for smells I would try using ammonia in your wash load. If you do this only use half the amount of laundry detergent.
How do I remove and prevent the recurring of the mildew and smell that has formed in the fold of the rubber seal around my front load washing machine door? I am on a septic system and therefore cannot use bleach.
By Diana from Sequim, WA
Take a cloth and apply bleach to the cloth and wipe around the rubber seal. When mold is gone rinse with another cloth soaked with water then let dry. After each wash wipe all the water from the rubber seal. I wipe all the water from the seal after each wash. I do. I also have a septic system.
We have a front load machine. After we use it, we take a cloth and dry the gasket on the underneath side. It always holds water there. We leave the door ajar until it has time to dry. We also remove the detergent/softener drawer and empty the water out of it and let it dry. I know it sounds like a hassle but it just becomes a routine. We haven't ever had any odor or mildew or mold. So, I have to say it works.
Try wiping it out with vinegar, which also kills mold/mildew. Also use vinegar as fabric softener in your wash. It's cheaper, it works, it sanitizes, and you won't smell it when the clothes are dry. If you have to have perfume, then use the dryer sheets as sachets in your dressers and closets.
We have a sand mound system, and I do use bleach, just a couple tablespoons per load in the front-loaded washer, several loads a week. Also, I think dishwasher detergents have some bleach, too. When we had our tank pumped (for the first time in 10 years!) there was very little build-up.
I figure it's because I bake my own bread, and the yeast from washing bowls afterward, the rinsing from spoiled milk full of bacteria, etc., in the kitchen puts lots of bacteria back into the system. Never saw a need for the "Septic Helper" type of product. Yeast and Yogurt! You could even mix one container of each and flush it down once in a while.
Hi, I have a 10-yr old front-load washer and we're on a septic tank too. I was told that the "problem" with using bleach on a septic tank is overstated and I believe it: I've been using bleach (about 1 cup) in every 3rd or 4th wash load for the 20+ years that we've lived here (and I do at least 10 loads of laundry a week), we get our septic tank checked regularly, and it's always checked out fine. (Had it checked again just a few months back because some people would freak out when I told them I was using bleach so regularly with a septic tank and the septic tank guys said the tank is still in great condition.)
So I would try using bleach in the washer once in a while; but if you absolutely want to stay away from bleach, a washer repairman told me that there's a septic-tank-safe product called "Refresh" (find it near the laundry products) that you can use in the washer to help with odor/mold. And as suggested already, I always leave the door ajar when washer's not in use--if the door has a light bulb that comes on, do NOT unscrew the light bulb, just let the bulb burn out because unscrewing it could cause water to get in where it's loosened. Plus if your washer has the door on top where you add detergent/bleach, you can go ahead and leave it open too, a washer repairman told me; he said that'll help with any mold/odor problem.
Never mind Affresh, bleach, cleaning drains etc because nothing will change until you stop using liquid detergent, even worse is liquid fabric softener; in some of these machines the plastic parts get coated with petroleum products from these. As soon as you switch to powdered h.e. detergent and NO liquid fabric softener your smell will go away and stay away. I am speaking from experience, my 6 month old washer was stinking badly. I never leave the door open now, just wipe off the rubber a bit and the glass. No smell. I use cold water and only one tablespoon of powdered detergent in regular loads. My clothes are clean, and No smell.
I have a Sears Kenmore HE4T washing machine. How do I remove the gasket (for cleaning). Is there a filter, and if so, how do I remove it for cleaning?
By Greg
The gasket is almost impossible to remove and would be almost impossible to replace except by a repair technician, so don't worry about trying to do that. Just wipe around it and be sure to keep the door to your washer open (I leave mine open wide right after using it, then almost shut after things dry out) so mold doesn't grow.
I read that you can use up to 6 cups of bleach to clean your front loader washing machine on the sanitize cycle. Would any damage happen if you accidentally used ammonia?
Any suggestions as to what I can do to correct this problem. Would you recommend putting it on pure cycle? it is a Samsung.I have changed deodorants a couple of times thinking the musty smell was my body. Lo and behold! I bet anything it's the buildup from my LG front loader washer. Any suggestions? I've tried bleach on the "clean cycle" and also, vinegar on the "clean cycle". Nothing is helping. I have always left my door ajar per, the Home Depot salesman when we purchased the washer and dryer 5 yrs ago. This odor in our clothes has got to go.
By Glenda R.
I found that using powdered soap caused a build up in the washer creating this odor. Using the hd soap can sometimes stop this problem. They also make tablets you can purchase that will help resolve this problem. I solved mine by running an empty load(with detergent) on the hottest water setting with 1 cup white vinegar and a hand full of backing soda in the washer. I also leave the door open between loads. You can also combat some of this problem by adding white vinegar in your fabric softener spot for your load of laundry. I especially do this for towels. It doesn't make your clothes smell like vinegar.
My front loading washing machine has black mold. I have COPD and cannot use Clorox. Is white vinegar and baking soda a black mold cleaner?
By Mary
Is there a piece of cloth in the actual filter or is it just mesh on the holes?
By Mike
Front loading washers have had a lot of bad press about developing foul odors. There are many suggestions for how to prevent and/or remove them. This page suggests that cleaning the filter will help prevent a smelly front loading washer.
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How to clean mold from a front load washing machine?
I have a front load washing machine and on the rim when you open the door, it gets moldy. I never saw such a thing on the regular top load machines.
