Smell washing machine

LushiousLips

I have a Whirlpool 6th sense washing machine, 11 years old now and has always worked brilliantly. I keep the washing machine outside in my shed.
About every 6 weeks there is a rotten smell coming out of the (sorry don't know correct name) little opening down at the bottom where the filter is. I take out the filter and its always clean but the water in there is rotten. I tilt the washing machine to drain out the water and smell is gone then for 6 weeks or so and I go through the process again.
It doesn't effect the clothes as they are smelling perfectly.
Any ideas why this happens?

coylemj

There is normally a flexible tube with a stopper in that compartment, do you pull out the stopper and drain that pipe when you open the filter?

LushiousLips

Yeah I pulled out the tube like cylinder (filter I think) and drained the water. Smell of stagnant water always returns after a few weeks.

byte

Maybe try a maintenence wash, which are supposed to be done periodically.

westyIrl

byte wrote: »

Maybe try a maintenence wash, which are supposed to be done periodically.

^^This or two cups of vinegar or lemon juice into the tub and run a cycle on max temperature.

Jim

BPH

Hi, I've similar problem, smell appeared about 2-3 weeks ago, since that happened I've put vinegar in the drum & baking soda in the drawer (twice), put on wash at the max temperature, smell came back. I've put milton in the wash (twice), put on wash at the max temperature, smell went and back again, bought calgon and used that in last few washes, smell keeps coming back, no smell where it drains, I've empties the bottom drain. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Don't know what else to do apart from buy a new machine. Smell keeps coming back. I'd appreciate any ideas, maybe recommend industrial cleaner that someone has used. Thanks.

NickNickleby

Last time I got a smell of 'rotten fish' from the washing machine area, it turned out to be an electrical problem. The plug had overheated. It was caused by the wiring in the back of the socket being too loose (ie the screw wasn't tightened down enough on the 'live' wire) and loose connections cause heat, with the more powerful the device, the greater the heat. By the time I'd discovered the cause, I had done numerous drain cleanings, pipe flushings etc etc...

In my own case, the plug disintegrated as I unplugged it, which I took to be a clue:pac::pac:

Also, the socket had burn marks round the holes for the plug, sort of light brown discolouration, which is probably a real tell-tale sign. If you see that and if you think that's where the smell originates, get an electrician in.

(also experienced this in a bedroom, and after replacing the carpet, discovered that putting a 100w bulb in a 40w fitting gives off a terrible smell because the fitting is overheating. Expensive lesson, but probably a bit lucky as well).

BPH

The plug on the machine is factory manufactured, I think it can't be opened but still worth a check even for burn marks. It's definitely an eggy smell so I'm think it's coming from the insides somewhere.

JustAThought

BPH wrote: »

Hi, I've similar problem, smell appeared about 2-3 weeks ago, since that happened I've put vinegar in the drum & baking soda in the drawer (twice), put on wash at the max temperature, smell came back. I've put milton in the wash (twice), put on wash at the max temperature, smell went and back again, bought calgon and used that in last few washes, smell keeps coming back, no smell where it drains, I've empties the bottom drain. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Don't know what else to do apart from buy a new machine. Smell keeps coming back. I'd appreciate any ideas, maybe recommend industrial cleaner that someone has used. Thanks.

Do your clothes smell or just the machine?
(Serious question)

BPH

To be honest, we didn't wash the clothes when the machine smelled, we used all the above first then put down a wash or two. Clothes came out smelling good every time no matter if the machine had a little smell or no smell at all.

com1

I would second checking out potential electrical issues. Came across it with a table lamp. The smell was a mixture of decomposing rat and a stink bomb (I have come across the real thing once or twice and its a smell you do not easily forget). Took the room apart and eventually narrowed it down to the lamp after too long (days)...


I have come across a capacitor burning out on a circuit board in my washing machine. It did cause a smell but the machine couldn't run through its full cycle so the smell never got too bad. You might need to have the circuit boards checked out too.

BPH

com1 wrote: »

I would second checking out potential electrical issues. Came across it with a table lamp. The smell was a mixture of decomposing rat and a stink bomb (I have come across the real thing once or twice and its a smell you do not easily forget). Took the room apart and eventually narrowed it down to the lamp after too long (days)...


I have come across a capacitor burning out on a circuit board in my washing machine. It did cause a smell but the machine couldn't run through its full cycle so the smell never got too bad. You might need to have the circuit boards checked out too.

That's sounds like big enough operation. Of I did came across something burnt on the circuit board, I suppose new machine. If I leave it and do nothing it's new machine also. Wouldn't mind getting to the bottom just to find a reason.

NickNickleby

BPH wrote: »

The plug on the machine is factory manufactured, I think it can't be opened but still worth a check even for burn marks. It's definitely an eggy smell so I'm think it's coming from the insides somewhere.

Just to clarify, my plug would have been fine if the socket hadn't overheated. The fault was in the back of the socket - so invisible until it finally overheated too much. Danger there of course that a hidden problem like that could cause a fire. You wouldn't think I was exaggerating if you'd seen the damage.

Still could be electrical within the machine.

Or, you might be just dealing with , odours.

I just mentioned my own case because unchecked it might have developed into something worse.

Good luck with it.

as an afterthought, is there anything else nearby that might be causing it?

Want to know why I ask.....

my most recent experience was the rotten fish smell in the corner of the kitchen. Pulled out everything electrical and checked for signs of overheating. Nothing, so decided to remove some fitted cupboards to check out concealed wiring behind. Was emptying the sliding larder unit, and found a burst tin of sardines!!! Felt like a right oul' eejit. hehe.

BPH

Never thought of the socket, I'll take look when I go home, might be just the machine is getting old and left out to pasture. Nothing nearby it, only started with the last month, in utility so nothing new in the room etc. I'll try a few things at the weekend and hope I'll narrow it down to something. I'll post something here if it might solve other people's similar problems.

NickNickleby

NickNickleby wrote: »

my most recent experience was the rotten fish smell in the corner of the kitchen. Pulled out everything electrical and checked for signs of overheating. Nothing, so decided to remove some fitted cupboards to check out concealed wiring behind. Was emptying the sliding larder unit, and found a burst tin of sardines!!! Felt like a right oul' eejit. hehe.

Well at least you found the source of the stink!
I assume the OH was happy.

NickNickleby

Deleted User wrote: »

Well at least you found the source of the stink!
I assume the OH was happy.

Oh she was! Happy that I'd emptied, cleaned and restocked the cupboard, discarding anything more than eight years old from the back of the shelf.

com1

BPH wrote: »

That's sounds like big enough operation. Of I did came across something burnt on the circuit board, I suppose new machine. If I leave it and do nothing it's new machine also. Wouldn't mind getting to the bottom just to find a reason.

It kind of was and wasn't. Had to essentially take the machine apart. Once I found the capacitor I used a soldering iron to remove it and just soldered in a replacement. All in all about 30 minutes work and 40cent for the new capacitor. That being said I would be fairly comfortable working on circuit boards.


I am sure a repair person would do the job (albeit by replacing the entire circuit board) but there would be parts and callout costs involved - may be cheaper to buy a new machine, depending on how old the current one is and whether it owes you anything.