Clothes smelling musty after a 40° wash

[mogs]

For some reason, not sure why, I've noticed our freshly washed clothes seem to smell musty.

Our machine has a cleaning cycle which I've used but next wash still smelt of musty old dishcloth.

I'm putting white vinegar and household soda in the machine tonight on a boil wash.

Does anyone else have/had the same problem and if so how to cure it/did you cure it.

[minnie]

It may be irrelevant but do you use anti-calcaire tablets in your washing machine. If not, could it be that there is a build up as a result of hard water?

[YCCMB]

Have had this in the past. It's worth cleaning all the filters and checking the outlet pipe isn't bunged up with gunk or obstructed. Sometimes you can get the residual "old" water sloshing about, which doesn't help.

[woolybanana]

Also, clean thoroughly round the rubber door and drum seal; it can get pretty cruddy in those cracks.

As others have said, if water in your area is hard, use the tablets to stop furring up of the pipes and heating element which could kill your machine. If you are not sure, look in the kettle or on the shelves of the local supermarket where they will sell the tabs if water hard. Round here it is as hard as 3000 year old elephant dung so there are lots of tabs to choose from.

[andyh4]

Wooly wrote:

If you are not sure, look ........ on the shelves of the local supermarket where they will sell the tabs if water hard.

I wish it were so WB. Our supermarkets are full of the stuff and the nearest Chalk/Limestone is 3 valleys to the South or 75km and a huge river valley to the East.

Your kettle suggestion is however spot on. Never had a kettle so pristine bright before.

[Alan Zoff]

It was a simple filter problem when we experienced something similar with our Miele machine. I had checked the inlet hose filter but it took me a while to realise that there is one at each end of the hose! The top one at the machine end I had examined was clear, no doubt because the bottom one was clogged. Cleaned it out and problem went away immediately. Also improved the rinsing.

[mogs]

I have checked the filter which was ok but I do this on a regular basis.

Haven't checked the outlet hoses, but how would water draining out or a gunkish outlet pipe cause a smell to the washing?

Will check the inlet pipe and try using Calvin or something. Thanks for suggestions

[YCCMB]

If the water isn't draining OUT of your washing machine totally/properly, then some residual water may be left in the drum, and is likely to be dirty (from the washing) and stagnant (from lying around). Water coming IN should be fine as it is fresh and clean. That's how. If the pipe is gunked up and the dirty water can't leave, it will potentially cause your washing to smell. Of course, it may be fine, but worth checking if the problem persists.

[nomoss]

I agree with Betty on stagnant, dirty water left in the machine.

In fact, no pump of the type used in washing machines can remove all the water, and the higher the outlet pipe, the more dirty water runs back when the pump stops.

We have a top-loading machine, which is not under a worktop - it's much too high anyway - and noticed that it started to smell a bit if left with the lid closed for too long between washes.

Now it is left with the lid open after every wash, and occasionally it is run for a full short cycle with just a half cupfull of bleach added to the water to kill off any nasties inside.