Question to those with front load washing machines....

[sourland]

Asked the "Princess." She said use a second rinse cycle, and leave the door cracked slightly open after using. We've had no problem with ours.

 

[BeaglesAPlenty]

We have had the problem of the stinky front end loader. The major problem was that it made the clothes smell of mildew.

Cause: Using liquid detergent.

My Solution: I completely disassembled the machine and put it back together after cleaning it.

Of Note:
- Front end loaders have a trap in the pump chamber used to catch bigger items from the pump. Find instructions to empty this. Warning, there is water that sits here continuously, so it will stink.
- Behind the drum was the location of the major problem. Liquid detergent had left residue there for a couple of years. It looks like the manufacturer had put some kind of filler putty there, but it had washed away. This residue had collected mold and mildew. No running of the machine with bleach or vinegar would have corrected this problem. Once I had cleaned it out, I refilled it with a plumbing paste used for sealing threaded pipe joints. This stuff does not wash away and stays pliable. nothing can grow in it either. I doubt the manufacturer would recommend this solution. I ran the machine a couple of times empty to remove any residue outside the area behind the drum.
- The outer gasket connecting the drum to the door was also a source of mold. My wife thinks I am nuts for what I will use a dishwasher for, but... I put this in the lower tray of the dishwasher, setting it up where it did not allow water to pool. It did not remove the stains, but this did a fantastic job of killing the mold.

To remove the mildew smeel from colored clothes I had to use a gallon milk jug. I placed 1/8 to 1/4 cup of clorine, and filled the rest with water. I make sure I have the machine filling for a couple of minutes before introducing the diluted bleach. I also used a pre-soak cycle. This removed the mildew smell. This is what was recommended by clorox site, if there is mildew in clothes, and your willing to take the risk to lightening them. My clothers were worthless to me smelling strongly of mildew.

Hope this helps

 

[Southernbelle]

I have an LG front loader and have never had a problem with smelly clothes.

I never leave the washer door open between loads because I ALWAYS have loads to wash and I do laundry daily. On the very, very rare occasions when I don't have laundry to do, I will let it stand open.

I use dry powder detergent, so I was glad to see someone mentioned it was a good idea.

I always use a prewash and second rinse and I use bleach on towels, light clothes and bedding, so I would think that would take care of stinky smells.