A clean washer provides a healthier conditions that ensure that your garments are well washed in the washing cycle. Due to the accumulation of dirt, bacteria, soap suds and residue without proper cleaning, your laundry may end up smelling of musty.
Mold and mildew are developed in warm and dark areas with abundant oxygen and moisture. The following common issues could be causing your washing machine to smell musty.
Detergent and Fabric Softener Buildup Inside the Washing Machine
Letting dirty laundry sit in your washing machine can promote the growth of mould and mildew, and result in a musty smell. The cycle produces the heat, humidity and moisture that forms the ideal environment of breeding these odor-causing organisms.
You may also find these smelly substances clogging the drain and detergent dispenser and this will not allow your washer to work as efficiently.
Excess fabric softener may result in a build-up of residue in the inside of the washing machine, as well as in other places such as the detergent dispenser drawer, and the door seal. This could also contribute to the foul smells when your fabric softener has a strong smell.
When applying liquid fabric softener, make sure to check what the product recommends you put in and how much. There are those washers that have an inbuilt fabrics softener dispenser as a convenient, hands-free solution.
Lacking a dispenser, you can place dryer sheets or fabric softener balls in your washer prior to the final rinse cycle.
It is necessary to mention that detergent is aimed at cleaning your clothes and to loosen the dirt and stains, fabric softener is supposed to soften and scent your clothes.
When laundry detergent is used, take care when applying fabric softeners particularly on flame-resistant fabrics which are so as to extinguish their self-incriminating qualities. For this reason, it’s best to skip them on towels and other fabrics that are made with fire-retardant materials.
Mold and Mildew Growing Around the Door Seal
When you open your washer to put something in a load and are kicked in the face with a nasty odor, you should know something is wrong. It’s also a surefire indicator that there is mold and mildew growing inside your machine. Mold grows in warm and humid locations and can propagate rapidly.
The airborne spores are not normally dangerous to health, however, some individuals can experience some itching or rashes. People who have a weak immune system, who have chronic lung diseases (emphysema, tuberculosis and advanced sarcoidosis) are more susceptible to mold-related illnesses.
The fungi which cause mildew and mould thrive on wet surfaces, including the wall and floor. Most frequently, they are located in wet basements, washrooms, bathrooms and kitchens. When they sprout indoors they put out spores in the air and anyone in the vicinity can inhale the spores.
The nature and the intensity of the illness is determined by the kind of mold, the amount inhaled and the length of time of being in contact with the mold.
Mold and mildew can also build up in the rubber folds in the gasket and detergent dispenser in case you have a front-loading washer. To ensure that this does not occur, always clean the inside of your machine, detergent dispenser and gasket using bleach mixed with distilled water.
Ensure you give all the surfaces a good scrub, in corners and crevices too, and then wash it under a powerful nozzle of clean water.
Leaving Wet Clothes in the Washer Too long
When your clean laundry still smells musty, then you may have an issue with a mold or mildew in your washer. These offensive odors grow in the presence of body oils, dirt, hair, detergent remnants and bacteria in the gasket seal, water pump and dispenser, and laundry basket.
They also have the potential of being released onto clothing, towels and other linens when they are stored or folded in a wet atmosphere.
Stopping your washer and clothes to become wet is the best way of keeping them smell fresh. This involves the appropriate washing procedure and cleaning up your machine on a regular basis.
Washing machine should not be overloaded as it will spin less effectively and harm the textile. Ensure that the right quantity of detergent is used and also wash in the warmest temperature as indicated by the label on the care.
It is always best to turn dark clothes inside out before washing so that the stains can be unearthed and to pretreat areas that always have odours. Do not use fabric softener on performance fabrics because it may result in a waxy coating, which traps odor.
You can invest in non-toxic detergent and use plant-powered fabric softeners to minimize the gunky accumulation, smelly odours and chemical substances in laundry. It is also important that you wipe down the filter, lint tab and gasket with baking soda and white vinegar mixture.
And, a deep cleaning run in Truly Free Home Laundry Machine Cleaner once a month could also keep your machine clean and odour-free.
A Dirty Drain Filter Capturing Lint and Debris
The most neglected unit of any washing machine is the lint filter that is important in ensuring that your clothes smell clean and the machine is running without any hitches.
A majority of front loading washers have an inbuilt filter that is self-cleaning, and does not require cleaning by hand, but older models require manual cleaning to remove coins, hair, little remnants, and other debris that cannot be removed by the system.
Cleaning the lint tap and the washing should be done on average 2-3 times in a year. This frequency could be increased in the event that you have children or pets, wash many blankets and sheets or stay in a sandy place.
Dirty lint trap is a habitat of mildew and bacteria which in turn transfer to your clean laundry during the spin cycle. It may also result in long drain times, and water trapped in the drum which contributes to bad smells and damage of water.
To prevent this place your lint trap in at least one hot rinse of soapy water monthly. Always switch off and unplug when opening and cleaning your lint trap, and follow your manufacturers directions of how to properly dismantle and wash your lint trap (they vary a little based on the manufacturer).
Assuming that the symptoms will not go away after washing, then there is a good chance that the issue does not lie in the filter, and you have a more serious problem at hand, say, a clogged draining hose or pump.
Incorrectly Adding Detergent or Type of detergent
Excessive detergent use can be listed among the largest contributors to smelly washers. Excessive detergent may lead to the accumulation of suds and residue in the machine, and on your clothes. This accumulates with time and may result in smells and make your clothes stiff and scratchy.
To prevent this, always take guideline of the detergent manufacturer and use measuring tool before loading detergent so that you can have right amount of detergent depending on the load.
Excessive detergent use may also result into overflow of your washer, a situation that can damage your washer and also leave your clothes with unclean residues. It is best to start with a conservative amount of detergent and then adjust as needed for your particular load size and dirtiness level.
It is important to remember that most laundry detergents are not soap, but rather, industrial chemicals in which there is a blend of chemical degreasers, fix cocktails of synthetic fragrances and ethoxylated alcohol surfactants (that are meant to strip away oil).
They not only do not fit in your washing machine and dryer, but they are also not healthy to you and your family since they leave unsightly residues on your skin throughout the day.
Laundry detergents such as the Dip can also be used in order to eliminate such residues and ensure that your washing machine, dryer as well as clothes are not exposed to harsh chemicals. Today, we have our entire range of green detergents and fabric softeners!
Poor Drainage or Standing Water inside Washer
The water pump and drain hose in your washer work to both circulate water during a cycle as well as rid the tub of dirty water after the wash is complete.
Nevertheless, when they become blocked, or are filled by traces of soap and fabric softener, or by particles or rubbish produced in the washing process, they are unable to do their job. This may result in stagnant water, mould, mildew and odours.
The most effective method to prevent the reoccurrence of musty odours is to wash the whole washer, as well as, detergent dispenser every time.
This involves wiping the rubber seal, washing the detergent drawer (which is usually a major source of odors) and cleaning it with non-toxic cleaner such as Truly Free Home Laundry Machine Cleaner to eliminate trapped odors.
It is also important to ensure that you leave the door open and detergent dispenser open after using so that the machine can air out between loads.
Also, replace non-toxic laundry items, and non-toxic fabric softener, in particular, with a plant-powered one. The conventional fabric softeners stick a wicky-like residue all over the fabrics and your washer that nourishes bacteria and causes gunky build-up and stinky smells.
Washing clothes in Try Truly Free Home Laundry Wash is a non-toxic, chemical-free laundry item, but leaves your clothes feeling and smelling soft.
And you should make sure you do a self-clean wash with Truly Free Home Laundry Machine Cleaner at least once a month to keep your washing machine clean, fresh and without any smell!