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Why does the laundry smell bad after washing in the washing machine and how to deal with it?

Many housewives are perplexed how the laundry, after washing with the use of conditioners, fragrances and softeners, can produce an unpleasant odor. Practice has shown that if the entire volume of processed things smells bad, then the problem is in the washing machine. If only a specific product stinks, then you need to deal with it separately. It is not necessary to change or send a damaged device for repair, first you should try to solve the problem yourself. To do this, you will have to establish the source of the smell and carry out a number of simple manipulations.

clothes in a washing machine

Why does the laundry smell bad after washing in the washing machine?

To establish why the clothes processed in the washing machine smell unpleasantly, it is necessary to evaluate the correct operation of the functional device. Most often, this factor is affected by the following points:

  • Irregular or poor ventilation of the tank. After each use of the washing machine, even a completely new one, a small amount of moisture remains in the drum. If the door is immediately closed, the increased humidity of the medium will remain, which will become an impetus for the active reproduction of bacteria and the appearance of mold. This is the first reason that linen smells bad even after washing in a new machine. Experts recommend constantly keeping the tank door ajar.
  • Use of unsuitable powder. The stench is not always a consequence of the use of low-quality composition. An unpleasant odor may occur if the expensive product is not used properly. Do not use dry mixtures when washing at low temperatures, they may not dissolve completely and stick to the walls of the tray, hoses and tank of the washing machine, activating the growth of bacterial colonies.
  • Abuse of detergents. Here will be about the same result as in the previous case. The mass will not be completely washed out of the fabric, settling on the walls of the elements in the form of a bad-smelling mucus.
  • Lack of proper maintenance of equipment. Accessible components must be inspected and cleaned regularly. Particular attention should be paid to trays, drain hose, filter.
  • Incorrect connection of the outlet hose of the washing machine to the sewer. If the device is not connected to the bend of the outlet pipe, then the entire technology for removing liquid will be violated. In this case, the laundry usually smells like sewage.

Tip: In the absence of appropriate skills, do not try to install a household appliance yourself. Trying to save money at this point can lead to a quick damage to the fixture or work items.

  • Prolonged presence of dirty laundry in the drum. The washing machine drum is not designed to store dirty items before processing. Dirt and high humidity very persistently produce an unpleasant odor. Better get a special basket.

use of an air conditioner for a washing machine

After it becomes clear why the unpleasant smell is attached to the laundry, you can begin to carry out the corresponding manipulations. First, the source of the problem is eliminated, then household appliances are cleaned.

How to deal with bad smell

Cleaning the washing machine is a prerequisite for debugging it. If you refuse it, the quality of the wash will be restored to the desired level very slowly. To eliminate all the signs of a problem, you need to use one of the following approaches:

  1. The cuff inside the device is treated with a 50% solution of copper sulfate. We abundantly wet the material and leave for a day, after which I wash it with water with the addition of powder or gel. Nothing will happen to the rubber part, this manipulation is recommended to be carried out regularly, and not only if the laundry smells bad.
  2. Next, run the standard washing program, but do not load the laundry. It is necessary to set the mode at maximum temperature, and citric acid should not be put in the tray, not detergents. After the end of this cycle, you need to run another one, but this time with soda. Be sure to install an additional rinse.
  3. No less effective is the approach using acetic acid and chlorine bleach. Mix per liter of the mentioned funds and pour into the tray. We start the longest wash cycle at a very high temperature.

washing machine operation mode adjustment

Next, we clean the filter and all trays of the device. If even after such manipulations the clothes do not smell fresh, it is worth thinking about replacing the drain hose in the washing machine. It is this element that is most often covered with persistent mold and gives consequences in the form of an unpleasant odor.

Ways to prevent bad smell

Such a problem as putrefactive aroma will not return if you follow the basic rules of operation of the washing machine, which many forget:

  1. After each cycle, accessible parts of the device must be wiped with a soft cloth until dry. This applies not only to the drum, but also to the trays, the o-ring around the hole in the hatch. If possible, keep the drum slightly ajar.
  2. Do not store dirty clothes in the tank, even if there is very little time left before washing. We load the drum immediately before the water supply.
  3. We use washing powders and gels for their intended purpose, we observe the dosage and temperature conditions. You should not actively use air conditioners if the linen smells unpleasant, it only temporarily disguises the problem, leading in the future to more serious consequences.
  4. We regularly carry out preventive cleaning of the machine, using approaches with vinegar or citric acid for this.
  5. At least once every two months we run the unit on a full washing cycle with the highest possible temperature. We do not load the drum.
  6. We do not keep the laundry in the machine longer than necessary, immediately after the end of the cycle we start drying them.

clean linen

In addition, experts do not recommend installing specialized household appliances in a bathroom or other dark room without good air circulation. A dry and regularly ventilated kitchen is more suitable for the appliance.

What if a specific thing smells bad?

Before carrying out the above measures, you need to make sure that the problem is in the machine, and not in a separate product. Terry bathrobes or towels often cause an unpleasant odor that spreads to all objects in the drum. This may be the result of improper washing of the item (non-compliance with the regime, temperature or improper means) or the appearance of mold on it.

The second scenario is characteristic for items that are not properly dried. Mahra needs an influx of fresh air, so towels and bathrobes made of thick, fleecy fabric should not be hung out in the bathroom, but at least on a ventilated balcony.

bad smell

To eliminate the unpleasant consequences, you need to try one of the following options:

  • Soiled product is soaked briefly in a cool vinegar solution (no more than two tablespoons in a bowl of water), rinsed and dried according to the rules. If necessary, you can slightly increase the concentration of the composition.
  • We erase the terry things in the machine according to the traditional pattern, but set an additional rinse. After that, you can even rinse the products again manually.
  • We wash the makhra separately from all other products at the recommended mode, but instead of flavoring, pour a little vinegar into the tray for the air conditioner.Set an additional rinse without drying.

The listed approaches should help, usually a full cycle of recovery measures is enough. The absence of a positive effect indicates serious problems in the operation of the device. In this case, you will have to contact the repair department for help.

material author changes from
How do you use the drum privately as a storage for dirty laundry?
  1. Alexey
    01/15/2017 at 20:22 Reply

    How is it “if the attachment is not connected to the bend of the outlet pipe”, how can this be understood, what kind of bend ??

  2. Ivan
    02/18/2018 at 22:31 Reply

    Useful info

  3. Azat
    08/13/2019 at 21:08 Reply

    I decided to try chlorine bleach with acetic acid .. YOU'RE LIKE ??? I poured a bottle of acetic acid (168ml) in a liter of chlorine. Bleach. and almost died! The whole apartment is in a caustic stink! The cat climbs the wall! And you offer liter per liter! Or not acetic acid, but table vinegar! Or the dosage is wrong!

    • Catherine
      11/02/2019 at 00:19

      If you do not like vinegar, it is better to use a different method. And if you pour a little vinegar, then the machine is poorly cleaned.

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