Washing machine stinks - so you eliminate the smells

If your washing machine stinks, there are various reasons for this. We have summarized most of them for you in this article and provide suitable solutions.

Why the washing machine stinks

There are many reasons for a bad smelling washing machine. Bacteria and other heat-resistant organisms often collect in the washing machine.

• The reason is the milieu that offers them a good place to live. Moisture and warmth is almost like a vacation in the small hiding places of your washing machine for the invisible creatures.
• In addition, a slimy layer can form on the rubber seals, for example - a biotope for the bacteria. Various molds also find an island here to live.
• If wash cycles in the rapid wash mode are in the majority, the risk of germ colonization of these places is all the higher. So often a machine should run empty in cooking mode.
• The annoying smell of mildew is related to the popular quick wash cycle and the low temperatures. What saves energy on the one hand often does not clean completely or does not kill the bacteria properly. Sweat, dirt and grease residues form the biotope for the unpleasant smell.

Washing machine stinks - these measures help

The Federal Office for the Environment also recommends empty wash cycles from time to time. However, the information given there is 60 degrees idle. It is only advisable to use the boil-washing mode if there is mucus formation.

• Heavy duty detergents and bleach should be used. In combination, these two agents work very reliably in removing the annoying mold and bacteria.
• In order to prevent bacteria prophylactically, you should run a machine empty at least once a month - in cooking mode at 95 degrees.
• Add a little citric acid to the wash. It is best to put them directly into the drum.
• Even a small portion of vinegar can't hurt. It is important that you then ventilate and dry the machine well. This applies particularly to vinegar.

Thoroughly clean the washing machine regularly

• Water residues remain on the rubber seals. This evaporates very slowly due to the lack of heat and the amount of moisture. The breeding ground for bacterial colonization is given. So wipe the seals dry after each wash. So you absorb bacteria and milieu in one from the rubber.
• Let the washing machine dry out well. This means that the door should be open when the machine is not running. You should also only load the washing machine when you switch it on. If dirty laundry lies in the drum for days, this promotes the formation of odors.
• The best way to clean the nozzles for the detergent and the water inside the washing machine is to use a small brush and remove any residues. A dry cloth to wipe off removes the moisture.
• If the detergent drawer is removable, place it in very hot water every now and then, as it is one of the problem areas when bacteria accumulate in the residual detergent. In any case, you should always leave the compartment open a little and rub as dry as possible after the wash. You should always remove residues of the detergent. Tip: Processing the compartment with a brush helps you with stubborn detergent residues.
• Not only items from trouser or jacket pockets remain in the fluff filter. Bacteria also like this place. Cleaning the strainer, preferably boiling twice a year, works little miracles here. Instructions for this can be found in the video below.
• The drain pump is a bigger problem. Unpleasant smells can develop here due to long, not properly drained and therefore "standing" water. The reason is usually a leak or a non-functioning drain pump. A good cleaning of the pump can help here, but in the event of a defect, a change by the specialist is inevitable.

If your washing machine is defective, you will find tips and tricks on how to do laundry without a washing machine in the next post. How to bridge the time until the device is repaired or a new one is connected.