# Smelly Washing Machine



## Saffymay (Feb 27, 2011)

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can stop my washing machine smelling like a drain. I have tried vinegar, disinfectant and bleach, but still the smell persists. Thank you


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## davexf (Jan 26, 2009)

Hi

Leave both the door and soap dish open 

Davexf


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## Saffymay (Feb 27, 2011)

Have tried that but the smell is over powering.


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## CapnBilly (Jun 7, 2011)

Saffymay said:


> Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can stop my washing machine smelling like a drain. I have tried vinegar, disinfectant and bleach, but still the smell persists. Thank you


Sounds like the pipes. You can buy clearners that you can put through, but an engineer once told me to use aerial powder at the highest temperature. I usually do this once every 6 months or so.


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## codex70 (Jun 24, 2012)

Sounds obvious, but just in case, do you have a U bend on the pipe your outflow goes into?


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

I had the same problem in the UK.....they advised a regular wash cycle- minus clothes !! - on a very high temperature.


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## CapnBilly (Jun 7, 2011)

Allie-P said:


> I had the same problem in the UK.....they advised a regular wash cycle- minus clothes !! - on a very high temperature.


Err, I just said that


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## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

CapnBilly said:


> Err, I just said that



Sorry - didn't see that ......Double reinforcement then !!

I always used to run it through, *every month*, with calgon....it worked.


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## owdoggy (Jul 23, 2008)

It's the waste pipe of the washing machine that's just pushed in to an ordinary drainpipe at the back of your machine ...... no u-bend technology here & that's why it's smelly.
You could get a u bend put on the drain (involves a bit of wall hacking) or be totally rock'n'roll (like me) and bung a load of gaffa tape around where the two pipes join to stop the smell.
I know it sounds a bit Heath Robinson but...... it works, well it did for us



Doggy







p.s. That's quite an assertive post for me ...... I'm going to look damn silly if that isn't the problem..... still...... hey ho


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## CapnBilly (Jun 7, 2011)

Allie-P said:


> Sorry - didn't see that ......Double reinforcement then !!
> 
> I always used to run it through, *every month*, with calgon....it worked.


I use calgon in every wash, and then the hot cycle to give it a good clean. I agree it works.


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## Saffymay (Feb 27, 2011)

Thanks very much for all your suggestions. Will give the hot wash treatment a few goes and will let you know if it works.


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## codex70 (Jun 24, 2012)

If you have your outflow pipe going into an open downpipe without a u bend it doesn't matter how hot you run your machine or what detergent and limescale removers you use, the smell will come back (if it ever goes in the first place).

The u bend holds water which stops the smells from leaking back up the pipe. If you already have a u bend then the other options will help, if you don't have one they're pointless.


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## GUAPACHICA (Jun 30, 2012)

Saffymay said:


> Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can stop my washing machine smelling like a drain. I have tried vinegar, disinfectant and bleach, but still the smell persists. Thank you


Hi - I don't wish be unhelpful, but having read this thread all through, I cannot see any link with expat life in Spain! Shouldn't this issue have been posted within 'La Tasca'….?

GC


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## CapnBilly (Jun 7, 2011)

codex70 said:


> If you have your outflow pipe going into an open downpipe without a u bend it doesn't matter how hot you run your machine or what detergent and limescale removers you use, the smell will come back (if it ever goes in the first place).
> 
> The u bend holds water which stops the smells from leaking back up the pipe. If you already have a u bend then the other options will help, if you don't have one they're pointless.


Good point that. I knew a chap who had that type of smell in the bathroom. They had an en-suite and the kids had left so they never used it. Took him ages to work out that the water in the ubend had evaporated. Solution was just to run the shower every month, or pour some water down.

Pretty poor plumbing though to vent down a straight down pipe.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

No detergent, just hot cycle and a lot of bleach.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

GUAPACHICA said:


> Hi - I don't wish be unhelpful, but having read this thread all through, I cannot see any link with expat life in Spain! Shouldn't this issue have been posted within 'La Tasca'….?
> 
> GC


This is VERY much to do with life in Spain as almost every house/flat will suffer from drain smells at some point.

Spanish plumbing leaves much to be desired - most older properties don't use traps at all so smells will always find their way back into the house.


Be aware that if you live in the campo and have a septic tank (fasa septica or fosa *****) then you really should not be putting bleach or biological powders down the drains as this will kill all the good bacteria.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

Saffymay said:


> Thanks very much for all your suggestions. Will give the hot wash treatment a few goes and will let you know if it works.


I agree with the other posts - it is much more likely to be the lack of a stink trap (U-bend). No amount of washing through will get rid of the smell if that is the case.


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Can you get this sort of thing locally 

Bacteria Treatment for Septic Tank Bad Odours Clean Hydra HS Neutraliser 1kg Remove Bad Smell Action: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors

if your using a tank that is.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

We have had it sometimes with our w/m. The pump doesn't always clear all the water from inside the machine so the residual water can start to smell after a few days. Just open the drain at the lowest point of the machine (make sure you have something under it to catch the water!) and drain it out. While you are at it clean the filter since this together with the water can be a major cause of w/m smells.


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## GallineraGirl (Aug 13, 2011)

codex70 said:


> If you have your outflow pipe going into an open downpipe without a u bend it doesn't matter how hot you run your machine or what detergent and limescale removers you use, the smell will come back (if it ever goes in the first place).
> 
> The u bend holds water which stops the smells from leaking back up the pipe. If you already have a u bend then the other options will help, if you don't have one they're pointless.


We had the same smelly problem. There was no u bend. Fitting one solved it.


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