washing machine odor

[joedirt63]

maybe some one out there has a clue, i get a foul odor from my washer. smells like stagnet sewer water. it's come from inside the washer tub not the drain. i replaced my old washer because of this odor thinking that the pump was bad and not pumping all the water out,plus it wash as old as the house,1994. i have a newer washer ,about 2yrs old and been useing it 3 times a week. for the past 3or 4 months.now i noticed the same odor comeing out of this one too. is it a drain prob, the hose has no loopy bends or kinks, and i don't have this odor atany other drain in the house, and again it's not comeing from the drain. any ideas? thanks. p.s. we have a septic system here in the park, and i use rid x 2 times a month .

[JD]

If this the newer style front load washer, odors have been a common problem with many units. Seems to be a situation where water does not fully drain and water gets left in the rubber door seal. Don't know if this is what is happening to you but thought I would throw that out there.

[joedirt63]

i've heard about that issue but i'm not rich enough to own one of those high falootin new fangled thangs. just have a plain ole top loader. don't think that the pumps in both washers would be bad. was wondering about the drain it's self,is there a min or recomended hight for the washer drain?

[flcruising]

Sewer water and not mildew? The drain hose should discharge into the wall at a height about the top of the washer (must be above the FULL level). You said it's coming from the washer and not the drain, but replaced the washer because of an odor? If you listen to the machine during the spin cycle, that would tell you whether it's pumping most of the water out. If you wiggle the drum, you can hear the standing water sloshing about. At 3x per week, I doubt your problem is from old water.

Do you ever use bleach? That will kill any mildew that may be causing your washer to stink. Bleach (in normal use quantity) is not bad for septics, but Rid-X twice per month? WOW! We've yet to pump out our tank after 4 years and I've never used any additive. (Except buttermilk that my father-in-law left)

You should have an access panel below the water connections where you can do some inspecting. I would start there. You should have a p-trap (like under a sink) that holds water to keep out sewer gases. There may also be a vent check valve there that is not sealing properly and allowing gases to flow out. Your drain hose may somehow be siphoning the gases through the washer and that's why it's smelling from there.

Just trying to throw out some ideas, but unless someone is copping a squat in the thing, I don't see how it can smell so bad without the drain being the culprit.

[Greg]

I agree with Aaron, take a close look at the drain plumbing and vent. That's a lot cheaper and easier than messing with a washing machine. Greg

[joedirt63]

thanks guys, bleach was always a stand by cleaner for us, got the white spoted jeans to prove it. it smells like stagnet water like water sitting in a hose for along time,and also mildew. i guess the bleach alternative soaps just don't cut it. will chech ppluming that's the only part of the house i didn't have my hands on yet.

[boatwreck]

If your washer has a liquid fabric softener dispenser your odor could be coming from there. I recently had a problem with "stinky clothes" & discovered fabric softener was the culprit. Not only does it seal fabric trapping bacteria inside but breeds bacteria inside the dispenser as well. If you can't remove the dispenser to clean, flush it with regular white household vinegar. BTW - vinegar will clean almost anything especially when heated!