It's no secret that a washing machine, no matter how modern and "smart" it may be, is able to work flawlessly for a long time only if it is used correctly. But even following all the instructions for your assistant, you may encounter such a problem as a sharp and unpleasant smell in the washing machine. How to get rid of unwanted amber and, most importantly, is there a remedy to avoid this side effect when using an automatic washer?
Foul smell spots
The first thing that needs to be clarified right away is where exactly, from what elements or parts of the washing machine does the amber come from. The most common foci of unpleasant persistent odorthe following:
• Rubber cuff (ring) that serves as a seal for the washing machine door.
• A tray (aka a container or container) for loading laundry detergent and / or a channel through which the powder enters the washing machine.
• Drain hose filter and/or drain hose itself.
• Heating elements (heating elements) and internal parts.
Causes of the smell of mold and dampness, rotten smell in the washing machine
Before you can get rid of the smell in the washing machine, the "patient" will have to determine the "diagnosis". That is, to establish the cause of the stink. This will help not only to quickly fix the problem, but also to avoid this in the future. So, the rating of the causes of a musty pungent smell:
• Incorrect detergent and/or improper use.
• Persistent pollution and, as a result, multiplied microorganisms and bacteria in the above sources of pollution.
• Water not completely drained after washing.
• Wear of washing machine parts.
• Sewerage and/or incorrect connection of the washing machine to communications.
Do Not Do It: The Most Common Mistakes That Can Cause Odor in Your Washing Machine
In addition to various kinds of pollution, the following regular operating errors can cause unpleasant odors in the washing machine:
• Insufficient drying and ventilation of the machine after washing. Moisture that remains after washing and unloadinglaundry, may cause a damp smell in the washing machine. How to get rid? It is enough just to wipe the drum and rubber cuff dry, and then leave the door open for a while. In two to three hours, the washing machine will dry completely.
• Storing dirty laundry in the drum. Moisture, dust, sweat and dirt particles create all the conditions for microorganisms, so it is better to store dirty laundry in a special basket, and leave the machine drum free.
The rules, as you can see, are quite simple. But unfortunately, a reminder of this may not be in every manual for a washing machine.
Detergents for washing
The first question that will probably arise is: how can powders and other modern detergents, which always contain active substances and fragrances, cause unpleasant odors? Firstly, the use of low-quality products from cheap components leads to the fact that the particles of the laundry detergent are not washed off, but settle on the walls and parts of the device. Over time, these residues will rot, and a characteristic smell will appear from the washing machine.
But even using the best powders, gels and rinses for laundry will not save you from a rotten smell if you do not follow the dosage. To load the detergent, you need to focus on the dispenser that comes with the detergent and other products. If you regularly pour too much, the effect will be the same as from a low-quality detergent: laundry detergent particles, without being washed out without residue, will create pollution and an ideal environment formicroorganisms.
All of this results in a rotten smell from the washing machine drum. How to get rid of the pungent smell that arose from this reason?
In addition to observing the dosage of detergent to clean the walls and parts of the washing machine from dirt, it is recommended to regularly, about once a month, carry out an empty wash, that is, start the automatic machine without loading the laundry into the drum. This is done as follows: instead of washing powder, a special agent is added to the tray, designed to clean the washing machine. You can replace the special car cleaner with regular food grade citric acid (2 tablespoons) or a combination of citric acid and baking soda for the same effect.
After that, the unit starts at the highest possible water temperature (usually 90 or 95 degrees). The washing machine is then wiped dry and dried with the drum open.
How to clean the rubber cuff (ring)
One of the most common places for the smell of dampness and mold is the rubber ring, the cuff on the loading hatch. Here, after washing, a little water remains, which can fade, and dirt accumulates under the rubber cuff. The consequences of this are the smell of dampness in the washing machine. How to get rid of it? The cuff will need to be carefully treated with a disinfectant detergent and cleaned with a sponge. In the future, the rubber surface is recommended to be wiped dry after each wash. A cuff that has become unusable is betterreplace in workshop.
Tray for loading washing powder
The drawer where laundry detergents are loaded, and the channel through which they are fed into the drum of the machine, are also at risk. Excess detergents cover the surface in these parts with a film, which subsequently causes mold and mildew smell in the washing machine. How to get rid of such an unpleasant phenomenon? Carefully remove the tray, soak it briefly in a disinfectant. Then the container must be thoroughly rinsed with a brush (an old toothbrush will do) and rinsed.
The hole where the detergent tray is installed also needs to be processed. To do this, using a spray gun, a disinfectant detergent is applied to the surface inside the hole, after which everything is cleaned with a brush and washed.
It happens that the mold has spread beyond the loading tray, into the detergent channel. You can check this by shining a flashlight into the hole for the tray - mold, if any, will be visible. If this happened, how to get rid of the smell? In the washing machine, you just need to clean the channel with a thin brush, on your own or by contacting the master.
Drain hose and filter
An unpleasant smell inside the washing machine can often appear if you wash at low temperatures all the time. Absenceboiling leads to the fact that the bacteria that cause mold and musty odors do not die, but accumulate. Not the last role in this is played by small debris from clothes, which remains in the filter, hoses, on the walls of the washing machine.
How to get rid of a musty smell from a washing machine if the problem is a dirty drain filter or drain hose? The drain filter must be cleaned regularly - at least once every 6 months. Otherwise, a blockage in the filter will not only be a source of a rotten smell, but will also make it much more difficult to remove water. In order to clean, the filter must be pulled out and rinsed well with running water.
The water drain hose may become silted up if it collects rotting detergent residues and debris. In addition to an unpleasant smell, this will lead to the fact that some water will remain inside the machine, also rotten. The hose is cleaned with an empty wash at the highest possible water temperature. In especially neglected cases, it is better to simply replace the drain hose.
heater and internal parts
On the heating elements of a modern washing machine, the source of a rotten smell is likely to be what is commonly called "plaque". These are contaminants that tightly cover heating elements, formed from particles of small debris, water impurities and residues of laundry detergents. This whole hat sours and exudes an unpleasant musty smell, and when washed at a high temperature, it can emit a burning smell. How to get rid of the smell in the washing machine? It will help to start the unit without loading laundry at a temperature of 90-95 degrees Cusing chlorine (if not prohibited for this model), citric acid or a special agent.
The smell of mold and dampness can also appear after cleaning the washing machine. In this case, the cleaning agent is most often blamed, but the reason is completely different: scale particles fell off the heating elements, which became an excellent environment for fungi or bacteria. If after repeated cleaning with an empty wash with citric acid or vinegar the smell remains, you will have to contact the workshop.
Sewerage: when the reason is not in the car
It happens that due to improper connection to the sewer or blockages and malfunctions in the sewer pipes, an odor can also appear in the washing machine. How to get rid? A washing machine cleaner and disinfectant will not help here. You will need to connect the machine so that the smell does not go directly, and clean the clogged pipe, which can be identified by a similar smell from the bath and all sinks.
Fabric smell
Perhaps it is worth touching on cases when an unpleasant rotten smell from the washing machine appeared due to the washing of a thing with a strong smell.
Most often, the owners of automatic washing machines manage to leave the smell of solvent or gasoline in the car, which they try to remove greasy stains or corrosive traces of paint. After such a wash, the pungent smell not only remains in the drum for a long time, but also permeates all the clothes that are inside. But if this happens, get rid of the smell of gasoline in the washing machine, as well as the smell ofsolvent, only a few steps:
• Having set the water temperature to 30 degrees, instead of detergent, pour baking soda into the tray, about 100 grams, and then start washing without laundry.
• Immediately after the end of the washing process, you need to carefully pour table vinegar - one glass will be enough. At the same temperature of 30 degrees, washing without laundry starts again.
• The third wash is done not only without a load of laundry, but also without any detergent in the detergent container - just water at the lowest possible temperature.
• The washing machine is wiped, dried and ventilated for at least a day. To determine if the smell of solvent (gasoline) has been removed, any unnecessary fabric can be washed in the machine.
• Even at the slightest sign that there is still a smell of gasoline or thinner, the entire cleaning process must be repeated.
But you should remember so that you do not have to decide how to get rid of the smell: you cannot wash things in the washing machine after treatment with these chemicals.
Prevention: odor-free washing
It is always better to prevent dirt and stink in the washing machine than to fight it later. What needs to be done so that you do not have to suffer from the question of how to get rid of the smell in the washing machine:
• At least once a month, clean the walls, parts and heating elements using the empty wash method already described using a special chemical agent, citric acidor vinegar. It's also a good idea to run the longest washing cycle with chlorine-containing products at a temperature of 90-95 degrees at least once a month.
• Strictly dose the use of detergents for washing and, if possible, do not use cheap or dubious products.
• And most importantly, after washing the laundry, wipe the hatch and the rubber cuff of the washing machine dry, dry it thoroughly through the open door.
