Why Does My Washing Machine Smell?

Mouldy or damp smells that come from your machine can lead you to believe that your unit is faulty and needs replacing. However, the foul smell could be a result of factors such as water temperature and clogged filters; issues which can be easily repaired by yourself at home!

If you’re noticing that a musky or generally foul smell is coming from your washing machine, here are three simple reasons why the smell is occurring and how to treat it:

Wrong Detergents

As surprising as it may sound, the detergent that you’re using within your washing machine could be to blame for the bad smell.

Wherever possible, you should always use washing detergents that contain bleach. This is because bleach is one of the only chemicals that can be used on clothing to fully remove all bacteria.

Without the bleach, bacteria will not be removed from your linen and the inside of your machine may soon become home to a whole host of smelly bacteria.

To ensure that you’re using the correct detergent, check that your cleaning products contain bleach.

Filters Are Clogged

Another factor that could be to blame for a smelly washing machine could be related to the filters within your appliance. This is the area of your unit that protects the pump from clogging with items accidentally put into the machine such as coins and hairbands.

A considerable amount of lint will build up in your machine and because the filter area is dark, warm and wet, this again could provide bacteria with an environment to multiply and lead to a foul smell.

To avoid the chances of this happening within your own appliance, you should clean the filters regularly and remove any excess build-up.

Heating Element Faults

If you’re confident that you’re using the correct detergent and are regularly cleaning the filters of your washing machine, a musky smell could signal a fault with the water temperature.

Bacteria needs to be heated at a high temperature to be killed. Therefore, washing your clothes with lukewarm or cold water may lead to them smelling, and the same issue could happen with your appliance.

This can be tested by ensuring that the water temperature of your machine is set properly per the manufacturer’s guidelines. If this has been checked and the water temperature is still not hot enough to kill water inside the unit, there is likely to be a fault within the heating element.

In Summary

As you can see, many of the most common reasons for a smelly washing machine can easily be fixed by yourself. However, if you’ve tried all three solutions and are still yet to see the odour disappear, it may need the attention of a washing machine repairer specialist such as Glotech repairs.

Useful Links

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