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From the washing machine, we traditionally expect clean laundry and the smell of freshness. We choose fragrant powders and rinse powders pleasing to our sense of smell… but sometimes it turns out all in vain: the washing machine suddenly begins to emit an unpleasant smell. Sometimes it can be felt only from the machine, but in especially bad cases, the freshly washed clothes start to smell musty. What happened to your faithful assistant, and now what to do?
With laundry, if the smell moved to him, alas, will have to work manually: rinse in the bathroom with conditioner. But with the machine that put you in such an unpleasant situation – to deal with. The reasons for the appearance of bad smell in the washing machine can be quite a lot.
Errors of operation, in which there is a bad smell in the washing machine
The most common cause is the most trivial. The machine “suffocates” due to the fact that you immediately after washing tightly close the hatch.
Remember: the washing machine needs time for the moisture to evaporate. So always leave the door ajar for at least a couple of hours after washing.
Also do not forget to wipe the rubber cuff after washing: water and often small debris are left in its folds. This can lead not only to an unpleasant odor but also to the appearance of mold – usually black. If the mold grows too deep into the rubber, you’ll need to replace the cuff. But surface mold can easily be removed by washing the cuff with dishwashing detergent.
Do not use the drum of a washing machine to store dirty laundry. Imagine: there’s high humidity in the machine (especially if you haven’t tried it out properly after washing), and you’re putting dirty clothes in it. It’s a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, mold, and other unpleasant critters. Get a hamper for dirty things: it won’t take up much space in your apartment, but it will save you the trouble of smelly laundry!
The following reasons for a musty smell are not as common as errors in operation, but they still occur.
Unsuccessful change of powder or conditioner. Sometimes – the cause of an unpleasant odor lies in a new detergent, especially if it turned out not to be of the best quality. “Sticking” to the walls of the washing machine, over time, the detergent begins to smell not at all of the perfume, but of something rotten.
An excess of powder and conditioner. The cause of the smell here is almost the same as in the case of low-quality detergent. The surplus adheres to the walls of the machine and after a while begins to emit an unpleasant odor.
Contamination of the detergent tray. Even good products, poured in the right amount, leave a small film on the walls of the tray. Over time, the layer becomes thinner, often showing signs of mold. Avoiding this trouble is not difficult: once a month, take out the tray and rinse it under warm water.
Contamination of the detergent channel. As on the tray, a layer of detergent with flecks of mold can appear further downstream – that is, in the powder and conditioner flushing channel. Take out the tray and shine a flashlight: if you can see traces of mold – then you need mechanical cleaning. You can arm yourself with a small scrubber and do it yourself, or entrust this procedure to a master.
Pay attention: most often the problems with the channel for the supply of detergents occur when the tray is heavily soiled. So to prevent this ailment, just make sure that the tray itself is clean, and then you will never encounter such a problem.
Contamination of the drain filter. Normally, the drain filter catches debris so that the sewer is not clogged: the largest lint, threads, buttons, and even coins – all can end up in it. Clean the drain filter once every six months! Otherwise, all that “richness” that it has caught, can begin to “sour” and rot, emitting a corresponding smell. In addition, a clogged filter can make it difficult or completely “block” the drain of the washing machine.
There is water left in the machine. A little – so that it is not visible to you, but over time it begins to “fade” – especially if the machine is tightly closed during downtime. Most often the reason lies in the wrong connection of the machine to the sewer or if before a similar problem did not arise, the drain pump began to fail. We recommend that you ask for help from a master.
The old drain hose can be the cause of odor: the walls, especially low-quality products, often adhere to debris and detergent residues, which begin to rot and become a source of the stench. The stale hose can be tried to clean: to do this, “run” the machine without laundry at maximum temperature. If the smell remains – the old hose should be replaced with a new one.
“Limescale” on the heating element can also give the smell of rot and rottenness. We do not accidentally write scum in quotes – in fact, it is a buildup of detergents, lint, trash, and, perhaps, impurities from the water. Most strongly all this “cocktail” is stuck to the heating element. In some cases, especially if you rarely use the machine or more often wash the laundry at low temperatures, the “limescale” begins to smell. However, it may “smell” at high temperatures – in this case, you may smell burning. To get rid of the smell, periodically use a special cleaner for the machine or citric acid. This will clean the heating element from the “scale” (citric acid should be used, running the wash without laundry at 90 degrees). If the instructions for your machine say that it is allowed to use chlorine bleach, you can “run” the machine at 90-95 degrees with a chloride substance.
If the “flushing” does not help, unfortunately, you need to call a master and mechanically clean the machine from the “scale”.
Problems with communal communications. Sometimes, the reason lies not in the machine, but in the sewer system: the smell comes from the pipes, and the washer only lets the stench through. However, in this case, it will smell not only from the machine but also from all the sinks in the house.
If you have a problem, give us a call, Chula Vista Appliance Repair Company can help you solve your problem.
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