Deal with washing machine pongs the easy way!

Press profile homify Press profile homify
PROJEKT WNĘTRZA W WARSZAWIE / 3, PASS architekci PASS architekci Bathroom
Loading admin actions …

Have you ever noticed a weird, musty smell coming from your washing machine? You have? Well you're not alone, as we have too! Any experienced professional cleaner will be able to give you a heap of handy hints that will have your laundry room smelling fresher in an instant, but not all of us have the available budget for such support, which is why we've found some helpful hints of our own. It doesn't matter if you have your washing machine in a family bathroom, conservatory or specific utility space, as all of these tips will help you identify a problem smell, so let's follow our noses and deal with it!

1. Complete at least on high temperature wash a month.

Even if you try to use eco-friendly cycles, washing at 40°c or less, always try to run one cycle a month at your highest setting. This will normally be around 95°c and it does your machine the world of good, as the higher temperature will kill any lingering bacteria. Adding a little detergent and some soda crystals will really help too!

2. Always wipe the door rubber.

You know the rubber strip on the door, around the porthole? Well that is a breeding ground for slimy goop to collect and develop into something seriously smelly. A great habit to get into is giving the rubber a wipe with an antibacterial cloth every time you unload the machine. It'll take seconds.

3. Leave the door open after a wash.

So many people make the mistake of emptying their washing machine and then closing the door, but that will trap residual heat and moisture inside, which can then start to smell really bad, really quickly. By leaving the door ajar, you will be ventilating the interior naturally and keeping things super fresh.

4. Clean the lint filter out every month.

The lint trap isn't something to ignore and hope for the best, as once it's clogged, it's going have a knock-on effect! Plus, anything that has fallen out of your pockets will get caught in there, so if you have any old food wrappers or equally nasty things, there will be gunge!

5. Use a de-scaler regularly.

If you've been ignoring all the adverts for de-scalers and thinking they seem unnecessary, think again! Hard water creates limescale and given time, that not only stops your machine from working, it also smells pretty nasty too. Think of it as plaque, for your washing machine and you'll see why it needs to be dealt with!

6. Replace hose.

Finally, if you have tried all of our other tips, it might be time to think about replacing the water inlet hose. This is something that can quickly start to smell very foisty and disgusting and there's no cleaning those hoses out. The good news is that replacements are very affordable and will extend the life of your machine, while keeping the utility area smelling great.

For more laundry room tips, take a look at this Ideabook: Get your laundry room shipshape in 6 easy steps.

Need help with your home project?
Get in touch!

Highlights from our magazine