Washing machine smells bad: causes and how to get rid of the smell

Likely causes

• washing mostly at 30–40 °C: dirt and detergent residue are not flushed out;
• the wrong detergent dose — Bosch advises dosing by the manufacturer's instructions and the size of the load;
• moisture, lint and hair in the folds of the rubber door seal;
• the door and the detergent drawer are closed after the wash, so the machine never dries out;
• a dirty drain pump filter holding stale water and debris;
• detergent residue and mould in the detergent drawer;
• if it smells of sewage, the drain may be at fault: a badly connected drain hose or a blocked sink trap.

Safe steps you can try

1. Run the drum cleaning programme with no laundry (Eco Drum Clean on Samsung). If there is none, run an empty wash at the highest temperature: Samsung suggests adding half a cup of vinegar, Bosch suggests a dedicated washing machine cleaner.
2. Wash regularly at 60 °C or higher — as Bosch advises.
3. Wipe the rubber door seal and the door glass, remove lint and hair, and look into the folds of the seal.
4. Take out the detergent drawer and rinse it.
5. Clean the drain pump filter with a container underneath: water will run out.
6. After every wash, wipe the seal dry and leave the door and the drawer ajar — as Samsung advises.
7. Dose detergent as the pack says.

When to call a technician

Call a technician if the smell stays after cleaning the drum, the filter and the drawer, there is black mould on the seal that will not wash off, or it smells of sewage. The technician will check the drain, the internal hoses and the seal and replace the seal or clean the internal hoses if needed.

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