Smelly washing machine!

I always use powder or powder tablets and never a 30 degree wash. Last wash of the day is the towels and tea towels on the hottest wash, then drawer is removed and cleaned with an old toothbrush and dried off before being replaced, washer door is left open until drum and seals are thoroughly dry. In 50 years of marriage I have never had a smelly washer.

Next time you're doing especially dirty clothes add two cups of vinegar which cleans clothes and dissolves soap scum in hoses ( the usual smelly cause) happy washing day to you.

Every so often you have to change the filter. Take out the washing powder drawer and rinse it regularly. Take it out completely, do not just pull it out. You will be surprised how much 'gunk' collects at the back of the drawer and this sets up bacteria that can end up in your clothes making you ill. It also smells bad. A bit like sweaty socks if you leave it and do not clean regularly. A sure sign this needs doing is water on the floor as if the drawer is leaking. You might also find that washing powder that has not dissolved has collected there as well blocking the filter.

We keep the smelly bacteria at bay with a cap full of Dettol in the drawer every other wash.

Gosh....so many helpful suggestions! I shall work my way through them starting with the washing soda. I think part of the problem is I use 30 degree washes a lot. Seems trying to be environmentally aware leads to other issues!

I have never had a problem with Fairy powder and Fairy softener and it gets the wash nice and soft. Only use the recommended amount though, and leave the door open after each wash so it can dry out.

White wine vinegar & bicarb works a treat for a good clean but I've also successfully used a really cheap product designed for the purpose from Home Bargains & it's pretty good too

I used to be in the business... after the 90 degree maintenance wash using powder, continue using powder for normal washing. Liquids and tabs cause a build up of smelly sticky grey goo inside the machine. Leave the door open when not in use and remove the soap dispenser regularly to clean under the tap.

Always leave the door open after each wash and also the detergent drawer as well..slightly. I alternate between powder for hot washes and liquid for colours.NEVER pods.I also put the powder directly into the drum with a small scoop of soda crystals and likewise when I use liquid . Inside the detergent drawer before starting the wash I add white vinegar and the fabric softener is always the pure non fragrant one. A washing machine engineer told me many years ago that it's using the dispenser drawers for the washing powders that cause the most problems. You can still buy washing powder in tablet form for hot washing but I,ve got use to just measuring out the powder now. Also always clean the rubber seal after each use as it can get a build up of gunk.

I've been using capsules and I think mine is going smelly again. I think bio powder for my next wash may flush out gunge collecting in the tube between the powder dispenser and the drum, which has been bypassed by using capsules in the drum itself

Katek, the other problem with using cool washes is I read that the water needs to be 60 degrees to actually kill germs on clothes. After I read that I selfishly started washing hotter (on those clothes that allow it)

Katek, I think it is wise to wash most clothes at a cooler temperature, but towels and bedding will begin to show bacterial stains at some point unless they get a really HOT wash at least every other time. So I opt for being environmentally aware most, but not all, the time.
As many have said above, I always use measured detergent + soda crystals directly into the drum, and leave the door and the tray open when not in use. But the tray still needs a good scrubbing out every six months or so.

Make sure you use the 'drain' function (if it has one) after you have finished washing and empty the sump. Water left in the sump rapidly becomes stagnant and is a breeding ground for nasty, smelly, bacteria.

I use Aldi or Lidl powder and softener in the drawer, a cool wash and leave the door open afterwards to help it dry out between washes. I rarely wash anything at 60 unless someone's been ill and never above that temperature.
My machine doesn't smell and the detergent drawer is completely clean and not remotely gunky like it used to be in my old washer after using liquid detergent.

Clean out the filter at the bottom front of machine usually.
This is often the problem.
I use HG Service Engineer on dishwasher & washing machine every 6-8 weeks. You can get it from Lakeland or Robert Dyas. It works a treat & leaves machines shiny & smelling lovely & fresh.

tesco lavender fabric conditioner also their lavender gel washing stuff.
i always wash on a 40 degree wash - never lower - but bedding gets a 60 degree wash and towels a 90 degree wash.
the dispenser drawer gets a wash every now and again too and a scrub with an old toothbrush.
our problem is hair - all four of us [daughter, two grandaughters and me] all have long hair. recently our new washer/dryer [bought in august last year] decided not to work. my daughter cleaned the filter out and got out quite a lot of hair but when it stopped working again i called out the engineer. he replaced the pump but apparently it wasn't clogged up with hair. now, fingers crossed, it works well.

I'm sure it's the fabric softener which causes the problems. But during the winter I was using the laundry disinfectant as DH likes "proper" hankies and since I have been using that about once a week have had no further problems.

I pop a dishwasher tablet in the drum and run it on a 60c wash and never have any problems with smells!

I use the Dettol washing machine cleaner and always rids the smell. Says to use whole bottle but I never do and has lasted 3 or 4 times

I was once told to use a cup of white vinegar on a normal wash. It certainly worked and I now do it as and when, but I also use white vinegar for windows etc, I swear by it.

I had a bad smelling washing machine last year and tried soda crystals, special washing machine cleaners and bleach all with no effect. I was using soap capsules at the time.
I have now switched to old fashioned powder that you measure out and put directly in the drum and the problem has gone.

Fabric softener coats the fibres of your cloths with a chemical that makes it less able to absorb water. So your towel may feel nice and fluffy, but it won't dry you so well. Your cotton shirt won't absorb, so it will feel like you're wearing a cheap, sweaty synthetic. And don't get me started on the cheap perfume. (I dislike expensive perfume as well, except very occasionally, very sparingly, on a very beautiful person. And remember, if YOU can smell it, others are blasted with the pong.)

Soda crystals, hot water wash in machine, do mine once a month, sink is given the same treatment, soda crystals and left for 30 mins. Then kettle boiling water poured down plug hole. Do this once a month, same with bath and shower.

Try putting white vinegar in the drawer and a few drops of lavender oil in the conditioner drawer

Clean the detergent/conditioner dispenser drawer by taking it out and soaking/spraying it with distilled vinegar, then brushing off mould with an old toothbrush.

Soak a soft cloth in distilled vinegar and clean the rubber door seal, paying attention to any gunge that may be trapped right inside itl.

Run the machine empty on a 90 degree wash to which you have added two tablespoons of citric acid crystals.

Repeat this every month.