When you think of a washing machine, you think about the fresh scent of clean clothes but there may be a time when a clean odor is not what’s coming out of the machine.
You open the door to the laundry room and the word fresh isn’t exactly the word that comes to mind.
There’s a washing machine stink that stays in your nose all day.
Washing clothes is the last thing you want to do in the laundry room.
It’s time to clean the machine that cleans your clothes!
What we wear needs a refresh on a regular basis. Dust, dirt, and sweat gather and need to be removed but where do they go? Often they gather in the drum of the washer.
When left alone for too long, standing water combined with dirty particles causes a growth of mildew, bacteria, and mold. That’s the stink caught in your nose.
DIY Solutions for Washing Machine Stink
There are a few tried and true methods of making the laundry room smell fresh again.
Let’s try the old science experiment called the volcano.
Yep, baking soda and vinegar aren’t just for your kid’s science experiment.
Add ½ cup of white vinegar into the laundry detergent container. Then add ½ cup of baking soda and run a cycle on hot water. Then run a cycle of just hot water. If you’ve got a clog or stuff stuck, the volcano may remove it. The hot water cycle helps the residue drain from the washer. Leave the lid open and take a sniff a few hours later.
Still smelling not-so-fresh in the laundry room?
Locate the washer’s floor drain. It’s a circular grate near the machine.
The water in the drain may be evaporated causing a buildup and release of sewer gas. Then slowly pour a few ounces of mineral oil. This will slow water evaporation, keeping the drain smelling fresh.
We like to help you save money and have probably told you to use cold water to save on energy bills. While that is true, we also recommend using a warmer temperature water every once in a while. Laundry detergent dissolves better in warmer water so the drain doesn’t get as clogged.
And try to keep the lid of the washer open to dry excess water which will help prevent the growth of mold and mildew.
It’s worth mentioning that if you use natural gas for heating your water and you smell rotten eggs, call the gas company to make sure there isn’t a leak. If no, call a professional to check your hot water heater.
If you’re still experiencing washing machine stink, it’s time to call to check for a more serious problem.
Contact Forrest Anderson Today!