Stinky washing machine

[Bex80]

How do I clean my washer?? It smells musty and a little moldy/funky. Maybe I let too many loads of laundry mildew or maybe it's from washing poopy dipes?

What do I use to clean it and how? Will cleaner hurt dipes/laundry?

Tia!

[1babysmom]

I clean mine because it keeps my CD's cleaner. I do it about every few months (wouldn't do it as often, but we have EXTREMELY hard water, and DH brings in some naaaasty stuff on his clothes). Anyway, I just fill it on an oversize load with HOT water and put in some borax (not sure how much exactly...I just kinda wing it). I let it aggitate and soak it overnight, then let it aggitate again in the morning, the run a full cycle. Seems to work for us.

[SleepyMamaBear]

ok i can only give what i know for a TL not a FL. so take that in mind..
Run a HOT (turn up your hot water heater for this specifically) wash with 2 cups of white vinegar and 1.5 cups of baking soda. it will fizz and be smelly.
while its swishing around take a washcloth and dip it in the water, wipe down everything in your machine that the water isnt touching, the top of the aggitator, the inside and outside of the lid, the lip of the tub, everything, then feel free to toss that rag in too.
you might want to also see if you can take your fabric softener/bleach compartments out and handwash them too.
after thats done. run an empty cold rinse.
this should clean the machine and the hoses.

[daniedb]

I have a FL and do the same as with my TL - I run a hot, empty cycle with about 1/2 c of borax or washing soda (not baking soda!) in the detergent cup. Works great!

I also make sure I leave the front door open often to let it air out and not get mildewy.

[MomToKandE]

Don't know how you feel about bleach but I ran my FL on the "sanitize" cycle with bleach and that took care of the stink.

[mommacanary]

:

[Bex80]

Many, many thanks!! Can't wait to clean it--the smell is just gross.

It is a top loader, but good to see that so many remedies/cleaning proceses are interchangeable. I'll be sure to update with the results.

[griffin2004]

I have a TL and always leave the lid up/open when it's not in use. That helps tremendously in keeping mold/mildew and stinkiness away.