We had almost given up on finding a solution to the moldy smell that emanated from our high-end washing machine. My wife and I tried everything from replacing the hoses to disinfecting the outflow drain and nothing seemed to work. And, as you probably know, the smell doesn’t just stay in the washing machine, it attaches itself to your clothes so you get the privilege of smelling that muddy, moldy smell all day long. In fact, it had gotten to the point where we started sending all our work clothes to the dry cleaners, and that wasn’t cheap.
We had just about given up when my wife stumbled across a product that claimed to solve our washing machine odor problem. Guess what? It worked as advertised! No more smelly clothes and no more smelly washing machine.
The product is Smelly Washer Cleaner (you can find it at www.smellywasher.com). The product is very easy to use and, best of all, it only costs about $22.00 dollars ($16.99 + $5.00 for shipping). Believe me, that is much less than a weekly visit to the dry cleaners.
We followed these simple directions to clean our front loading washing machine:
- Add 1 level cap of SmellyWasher in the dispenser and agitate in its hottest setting for 2 minutes.
- Stop the washer and allow to soak overnight (yes, overnight – you must follow these instructions)
- In the morning, complete the cycle. More extreme cases may need several cleanings.
To keep the washing machine fresh, simply add one teaspoon of Smellywasher through the soak cycle every month.
Here are the detailed directions from the SmellyWasher.com Website:
- Almost all users of Smelly Washer Cleaner are able to remove odor from their top or front load washing machine by adding a level cap (1 tablespoon) into the detergent dispenser with no clothing in the washer and allowing the washer to complete a hot wash cycle. If the odor isn’t initially removed follow the instructions below. For more difficult cases extended soakings make a world of difference! Also – the hotter the water is – the better Smelly Washer works.
More extreme cases need to put the washer into a hot soak and allow Smelly Washer to soak for a long period (even overnight) in order to give it time to dissolve the odor-causing mold buildup inside the outer tub. After soaking allow the cycle to complete.
- Very extreme cases will need to add extra water (1-3 gallons) of hot water after the washer has filled by adding hot water either directly through the door/lid or by pouring slowly into the detergent dispenser. This is done because the heaviest concentration of detergent/softener residue buildup and mold growth is invariably just above the normal waterline where suds and soiled water splash up against the outer tub and don’t get rinsed out. NEVER manually fill a front load washer with more than 5 gallons of water as it may force the door open.
- To get rid of mildew odor from towels and/or clothing: The washing machine MUST be cleaned before attempting to get rid of the odor-causing mold spores from towels and clothing because the odor is being transferred from the washer to them. After the washer is free from odor add a tablespoon of Smelly Washer to a full load and allow to agitate in a hot setting. Stop the washer and soak for two hours. Complete the cycle and the towels should smell like new. More extreme cases will need to do another wash with detergent to rinse out the dead mold spores. Do not soak brand new dark towels in Smelly Washer because they will fade. Wait until they’ve been washed a few times.
Enjoy your great smelling, washing machine and clothes!!