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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: scarps on June 22, 2014, 10:40:43 AM

Title: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: scarps on June 22, 2014, 10:40:43 AM
OK, a bit off camping topic, but SWMBO very very frustrated as our LG Front Load Washing Machine has developed a rank stillwater smell that she's tried everything to get rid off, but it's permeating the clothes in every wash now.  Somewhat they come out smelling worse after a wash. (bring on the comments:-)

After researching on the net, it seems like it's a common problem with no real solution.  I'm thinking the old water isn't all clearing itself out of the drain post wash and then sitting inside somewhere and creating a swamp.  Do I need to throw an alligator into the wash to stir the bottom up a bit.  (and no, I'm not going to nor have I washed my winch rope in there)

Calling on the collective intelligence and ingenuity of the Myswag collective - HELP!

Unhappy Wife Unhappy Life - no rank comments please:-)
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Scruffnz on June 22, 2014, 10:59:06 AM
is there some kinda restriction on the outlet/hose preventing the water all getting away? an uphill bit of hose thats  not draining away and flowing back in  after machine has stopped?
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Hoyks on June 22, 2014, 11:00:55 AM
Start with the easy things;
I had a front loader for several years and it never went smelly, we even lived in Townsville where everything else got a nice layer of mold on it, but the machine was fine.
When not in use we would leave the door unlatched and the hose was at a good height so there was minimal water washing back into the machine after the pump stopped. Instead of having it dump down the side of the laundry tub, you could try hooking it up to one of those barbed fittings on the 'S' bend, that way the pump has less head to push the water against.

Have you pulled the lint filter out and cleaned any hair/lint/gunk out of that?

Run it through a hot wash with a triple dose of nappy sanitiser?

The Bendix machine we had you could take the back cover off the box, remove the drive belt and then undo the clamp on the drum to get right into the space between the drum and the water proof outer bit. You might have a small piece of cloth stuck in there that is moldy.

I had to strip the machine after the concrete weight on top of the drum broke lose and it flogged it's self to death and split the drum >:(, not due to smells.



Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Mace on June 22, 2014, 11:06:02 AM
is there some kinda restriction on the outlet/hose preventing the water all getting away? an uphill bit of hose thats  not draining away and flowing back in  after machine has stopped?

Trying to find our Samsung manual!

In it there are specific directions as to how the drain hose should be placed and how high it should be.

Hoyks  has some good ideas.
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: fuji on June 22, 2014, 11:07:34 AM
If I can find LG manual i will ring you
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: baldheadedgit on June 22, 2014, 11:21:24 AM
Yes there is a fix Scarps... we had same problem here.. i'll check with the boss when she gets out of the shower... it does involve leaving the door open once it is fixed... give me 10 mins and i'll ask her..
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: baldheadedgit on June 22, 2014, 11:22:50 AM
PS.... a hint from what i do remember... Door Seal..  ;)
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: baldheadedgit on June 22, 2014, 11:31:48 AM
Ok... here we go.. ;D 
Simple fix according  to you know who..  :-[

 1 Run a Hot wash machine empty... !

2 Clean door seal, every last little bit of it.. that is what is creating the problem..
Seal will need to be wiped clean after every day's use..
Then when not in use leave the door ajar so it dry's and air's properly
May have to run hot wash a couple of times to get smell out of machine as its now rite thru the drum..

hope it works for you guys

BHG
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: speewa158 on June 22, 2014, 11:53:00 AM
Dose it do any other party trix  our stands in the corner till its time to wash the cloths  :cheers:
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: scarps on June 22, 2014, 12:09:31 PM
Thnx All and BHG. There's several things I like about you guys. 1 - pmsl most days on here. 2 - there is actually a lot of intelligence in the group once we get past the great jokes and humour:-)
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: baldheadedgit on June 22, 2014, 12:21:10 PM
Dose it do any other party trix  our stands in the corner till its time to wash the cloths  :cheers:
OOOH... are we refering to washing machine or "you know who" ???  cos if it's the later i'm gunna dob you rite in it..  ;D
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: noel_w on June 22, 2014, 12:27:59 PM
You need to sit in front of the machine to make sure the door is dry.  Do you have a "chair" to sit on.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Rumpig on June 22, 2014, 01:47:12 PM
My brother who fixes washing machines for a living said it could be Detergent/fabric softner build up in machine or staying wet from not draining properly, so check for a blocked drain filter like someone has already mentioned above aswell as give it a good clean
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: scarps on June 22, 2014, 01:49:48 PM

You need to sit in front of the machine to make sure the door is dry.  Do you have a "chair" to sit on.  :laugh:
got stacks of camp chairs:-) Want one?
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: scarps on June 22, 2014, 01:52:39 PM

My brother who fixes washing machines for a living said it could be Detergent/fabric softner build up in machine or staying wet from not draining properly, so check for a blocked drain filter like someone has already mentioned above aswell as give it a good clean
thnx, yep that's what we were thinking but pulled the back off this morning, took one look and said "yeah no" aint got no time for that:-) call the man in the white van.

We're currently running napisan through with several hot washes to see what that achieves as well as cleaned the seal as BHG suggested.  Will let you know.  Just can't handle having a smelly winch rope:-)
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Rumpig on June 22, 2014, 01:58:04 PM
thnx, yep that's what we were thinking but pulled the back off this morning, took one look and said "yeah no" aint got no time for that:-) call the man in the white van.

We're currently running napisan through with several hot washes to see what that achieves as well as cleaned the seal as BHG suggested.  Will let you know.  Just can't handle having a smelly winch rope:-)
maybe do a couple of runs with just the hot water and no napisan aswell, the no detergent of any kind may help dilute any build up that may be there?
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: grafy82 on June 22, 2014, 02:00:25 PM
Another tip is to run vinegar instead of fabric softener as this eliminates a lot of smells. The reason clothes feel hard/stiff is due to small amounts of detergent/ fabric softener left in the clothes. The vinegar helps remove it all, leaving your towels/clothes feeling soft and fluffy ;D
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: westvic on June 22, 2014, 02:28:29 PM
Another tip is to run vinegar instead of fabric softener as this eliminates a lot of smells. The reason clothes feel hard/stiff is due to small amounts of detergent/ fabric softener left in the clothes. The vinegar helps remove it all, leaving your towels/clothes feeling soft and fluffy ;D

and use a mix of vinegar and water to clean the door seal

also, as others have said, leave door open between washes

these two things fixed the same problem in ours a couple of years ago

cheers,
Steve
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: IanC on June 22, 2014, 02:38:53 PM
Another tip is to run vinegar instead of fabric softener as this eliminates a lot of smells. The reason clothes feel hard/stiff is due to small amounts of detergent/ fabric softener left in the clothes. The vinegar helps remove it all, leaving your towels/clothes feeling soft and fluffy ;D

x2.  Wife never uses fabric softener.  Always puts white vinegar in the conditioner (?)  thingy.  Never smelly.  Apparently very good for cleaning out the left over powder that builds up in the fabric????  Also rinses the dog in diluted white vinegar stops doggy smell.

And also very good on fish and chips!!! :cheers:
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: lino6 on June 22, 2014, 05:19:33 PM
Did you try laying the drain hose on the ground to let any of the water still inside the machine drain out? Usually the pump won't get all of the water out after a cycle, but if you lay the hose down gravity will drain the rest out.

Other than that try running some petrol through it (but can you video that and post it up for is when you do)  :D
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Mace on June 22, 2014, 05:41:28 PM
Newer models have a drain hole in the lower door seal to prevent water lying there. If you don't have a drain hole you need to get rid of excess water after every use. Leaving door open helps.
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Bad Scott on June 22, 2014, 06:26:19 PM
Other than that try running some petrol through it (but can you video that and post it up for is when you do)  :D
Diesel is better. Lubricates the seals :D



Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: scarps on June 22, 2014, 06:28:03 PM
Thnx Mace for keeping up with the intelligent replies.

As for you other two, expect nothing, then not disappointed:-)
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: haywas on June 22, 2014, 06:35:21 PM
Hi, according to a man in a white van that looked at ours, a cup of epsom salts with a hot (empty wash) may assist.
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Bad Scott on June 22, 2014, 06:46:27 PM
Scarps you can put it on cycle and hop inside to see where the problem lies :cheers:
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Ozsnowman on June 22, 2014, 06:54:26 PM
Throw a bit of eucalyptus oil in an empty wash might help
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: lino6 on June 22, 2014, 07:07:22 PM
Have you tried this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq6T5BojXc8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq6T5BojXc8)
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Bad Scott on June 22, 2014, 07:20:32 PM
Scarps try Lino6 suggestion, and take pics cause  :worthles:
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Nay-DMAX on June 22, 2014, 10:54:46 PM
I would use the vinegar option too, I always leave the door open on ours and the detergent drawer as water sits in there otherwise. When I researched for ours some people said they had trouble with their LG's with mould and/or rust. That thread is on here somewhere. Good luck
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: scarps on June 23, 2014, 07:44:55 AM

Hi, according to a man in a white van that looked at ours, a cup of epsom salts with a hot (empty wash) may assist.
thnx haywas, swmbo read that somewhere else too, so now we've got got salt and vinegar in our machine........
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: lino6 on June 23, 2014, 07:48:32 AM
thnx haywas, swmbo read that somewhere else too, so now we've got got salt and vinegar in our machine........
Time to chuck the fish and chips in too then

tappa tappa tappa

Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Garfish on June 23, 2014, 10:53:52 AM
Time to chuck the fish and chips in too then

tappa tappa tappa
I know you can cook in your dishwasher, didn't know you could also use your washing machine, I've only used ours for a tossed salad. 
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Cruiser 105Tvan on June 23, 2014, 11:49:17 AM
Who turned this thread into a cooking segment, It's s'posed to be about cleaning.
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: lino6 on June 23, 2014, 11:51:38 AM
Who turned this thread into a cooking segment, It's s'posed to be about cleaning.

The OP did when he was talking about vinegar and salt!!!

But seriously scarps, have you got it fixed? Since you chickened out of cutting firewood in case you hair went frizzy I thought you would have had this sorted by now!!  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Bunyip on June 23, 2014, 01:15:17 PM
We moved house on the weekend and as I pulled the drain pipe out of the laundry sink I noticed the drain pipe had quite a build up of horrible smelling stuff in it. Clothes never smelled but perhaps cleaning the drainage pipe as well?

Bunyip
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: scarps on June 23, 2014, 04:55:54 PM
Thanks all, we've scrubbed and run cycles with Hot Water, Vinegar and Epsom Salts and there's a marked improvement.
Stopped using fabric conditioner and add vinegar to washes and seems to be getting back to normal.

Thanks everyone for your great suggestions (except for lino6 and SJindustries:-)
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: Bad Scott on June 23, 2014, 05:25:53 PM
Thanks all, we've scrubbed and run cycles with Hot Water, Vinegar and Epsom Salts and there's a marked improvement.
Stopped using fabric conditioner and add vinegar to washes and seems to be getting back to normal.

Thanks everyone for your great suggestions (except for lino6 and SJindustries:-)

 ;D were here to help  :cheers:
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: scarps on June 23, 2014, 05:30:08 PM

;D were here to help  :cheers:
and we love ya for it:-)
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: lino6 on June 23, 2014, 05:37:34 PM
;D were here to help  :cheers:

Only do it in the name of entertainment!

If it weren't for blokes like us, who would encourage people to do stuff that gets put on youtube....  ;D
Title: Re: Our Front Load Washing Machine Smells?
Post by: scarps on June 23, 2014, 05:48:07 PM

Only do it in the name of entertainment!

If it weren't for blokes like us, who would encourage people to do stuff that gets put on youtube....  ;D
speewa