Get Rid of Front Loader Washer Stink! 

These companies should supply this info in the manual, or a separate leaflet when you make the purchase. I found this extremely valuable. Thank you.

I'll keep my 1980 plain jane top loader.

Jay, here is another good tip. When you pull the Landry detergent tray out, look at the inside with a flash light at the ceiling of the tray slot reservoir and you will find tons of mold and mildew in there. Took me about 2 hours to clean it when I first discovered it. Nobody ever bothers to look at the reservoir ceiling and they normally just look down the detergent reservoir. I used a Clorox mold and mildew shower cleaner with a long firm bristle brush due to my hand and forearm being too big to fit in the reservoir opening. Any strong household cleanser will do as well. I prefer a cleaner with bleach to help kill the stuck on mold and mildew. After cleaning my washer reservoir I ran my HE washer in a clean cycle to get rid of any cleaning chemicals that went down the reservoir.

I used to have a top loading Maytag and my clothes never smelled over the 30+ years I used it. I never had to go through the hassles described in this video. Now I have a front loader and the clothes always stink. Funny that our labour saving conveniences just give us extra work.

I don’t know why RU-vid recommended this video to me, but it might’ve been the best recommendation of the month! Thank you!

Thanks, you just talked me into keeping my old top loader washer going for another 20 years. Much easier than all this daily nonsense maintenance.

I'm so happy to hear someone that DOESN'T suggest mixing vinegar and baking soda. My faith in humanity is restored

OMG. This is so helpful. I hate the front loader in my house and the fact that is makes out clothes smell yucky is one of the biggest reasons. I've used the washing machine cleaner and it didn't help much. I think it is crazy I have to do all these things to a front loader. Never had this issue with a top loader. But I appreciate your video. Now I know how to get rid of the smell.

Our apartment has all the latest and greatest stuff. The front load washer that’s smelly. The toilets that have to be flushed 3 times. The low flow shower head that takes 28 minutes to rinse my hair. The “Nest” thermostat that turns off the heat or a/c for the entire apartment except when someone walks past the thermostat, then it turns on. The fire alarm that goes off when there is no fire, cooking or smoke. The burglar alarm that runs down “10-year” batteries every six months. Luckily we have many good maintenance men who work here! Because it takes a village to keep an apartment in good working order!

I just watched this and then went and cleaned my FL with carb soda and white vinegar at midnight. Although I always leave the door open between washes, there was definitely sludge in the door seals etc. Thank goodness I watched this - I had no clue!

Jay hi there, I watched your video last night and promptly took your advice (I have a Zanussi Lindo 100, about 6 years old) for cleaning my utterly, rotten egg stinky washing machine. It worked! Thank you so much. I will do this monthly and wipe the inside of the machine and the door following every wash

Thank you sir for this video. I cleaned the filter and that was the source of the odor. I had been cleaning the other areas you mentioned and the moldy odor still lingered. I couldn't believe how much grime the filter had when I pulled it out. My only struggle was my washer wasn't high off of the ground as yours so it was a bit challenging when I got to working on it (that's where I saw the notice about changing the filter every two months lol). I managed to find a fairly flat tray that I found around the house to catch the water. It was quite a spill initially so there a lot of wiping up water. But I'm so thankful that I came across your video!

LG says not to use vinegar! Use bleach in the bleach dispenser and use the "tub clean" monthly. I do that monthly, along with draining the water from the reservoir and filter. And, your correct that LG recommends wiping the door glass after every wash. It also has a magnetic on the door so it stays slightly open. Good video.

Excellent, quick, straightforward video. I performed all the tasks-and yes, the lower left secret door area is skanky!! But now I’ll do it more frequently! Our washer was so bad the laundry room smelled and the clothes nearly smelled worse than when I put them in there! Thanks for the quick DIY video!

The first 55 seconds are you talking about the odor, showing your logo, and what someone else told you about them, then you finally start tell us how to get rid of it. I almost turned off the video, but found some great info!!!!

I have that same washer. The installation guy went over all of this with me. It is really easy to do and never had a problem. Love, love, love our washer!

Oh, my, goodness, I’ve never cleaned that little drawer - in 4 years! Now I’m scared to open it! My washer is getting CLEANED today! So much appreciate your video.

I watched a bunch of videos on how to clean a front loader, and this was the best one. Thank you! Super helpful!

Great video Jay. Thank you. I also had a terrible smell coming from my front-loading LG washer that I couldn't make go away. When I finally inspected the folds inside the rubber gasket I was surprised to see a lot of mold. This prompted me to go through the ordeal of removing the gasket entirely for a better look. I'm glad I did because there was an enormous amount of mold and mildew in the folds and crevices on both sides of the gasket. For those of you out there who, like me, failed to properly maintain your washing machine, you might want to think about thoroughly cleaning or replacing your gasket. There are thorough videos on RU-vid that show you how to do so. (Pro-tip: you'll need to buy a spring expander tool if you value your sanity.)

I am so happy - SOMEBODY actually did a video with the same washer I have!!! YAY!!!❤

We had a top loader Maytag for over 35 years that never had a single problem. Raised two kids and you know how much cloths went thru that machine . . . TONS ! All we ever did was put clothes in, put detergent in . . . . and turn it on. This top loader never ever stunk up the laundry room or the house with funky moldy rotten smells. A few months ago we made the mistake of buying a new Maytag front loader and donated the old reliable top loader to the good will store. Our new front loader starts to smell like an open sewer after a few days of not being used. We tried running it empty with a quart of bleach as a disinfectant. That worked until we ran the next load thru it and then after a few days the stink comes back. We tried leaving the door open, but then the inside light and control panel stay on continuously. Plus the open door gets in the way of people walking thru the laundry room. Don't know what to do with this machine. Maybe we will try powdered detergent. We are very disappointed with this new Maytag

Oh my goodness!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Knowledge is power indeed! I had done everything I knew to do but for some reason I never even acknowledged the little door on the front at the bottom of the washer. I cleaned it out today for the first time in three years and the smell about knocked me over. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am so glad I saw this video. God Bless you!!!!

Finally! Someone fixed my problem! Your demo machine is my machine so now I know EXACTLY what to do! Thank you!

You did a great job explaining how to stink proof your LG washer. I just did the drain cleaning yesterday before I saw your video. One important tip, be sure to tighten the filter very tightly!! Once I did not do it tight enough. The first time I did a load my 4 year old grandson was visiting and was in our basement. He came up the stairs and asked me why it was raining in the basement. Needless to say we had a huge mess on our hands!!

If you push down on the blue tab in the soap dispenser, you can pull the entire drawer out. This allows complete cleaning of the dispenser and the “cave” in which it resides.

This is good advice. I do EXACTLY the same thing with our Electrolux washer, and have NEVER had a problem. If you're in a hurry, at least, leave the door ajar. I always dry out the door gasket as well. My 'lux doesn't have a removable filter. it back flushes automatically, so it's self cleaning. We've had ours for a year, and have had no problems.

I can't tell you how much this helped. Thanks so much. I love my fron loader!

I’ve had my front loader about 3 years, pretty happy with it, never looked under that rubber gasket until today, it was a horror show! Cleaned it out best I could.

We’ve owned ours for 11 years. I leave the door open 24/7. Pretty soon our clothes and towels were starting to smell NASTY. I ended up replacing the door boot seal. Better now! I will try these tips to hopefully keep it from getting so nasty again.

I followed your advice today. I have the same machine! I didn’t even know I had that tube to drain the filter. I always put towels under the machine to catch the water. Thank you. I’ll let you know if our washing smells any different.

I am glad that I found this video! My sister-in law's washer had an awful smell that made me gag! Thanks to this it is all cleaned out now. I did have to take the drain tube completely off of the filter because it was 100% plugged with sediment. Took forever to unclog it but it was worth it being fixed. Thank you!!

Thank you -- had this washer 7 years and never cleaned or even knew about that filter! LOL. Big difference!

Buying refurbished washer and dryer! The old machines out perform the new models out today. Price is soooo reasonable and they come warranted!

Thank you! lots of good tips I didn't know about... especially the filter!

New sub! So glad YT recommended you. I had no idea my washer had a filter to clean!!!

Love it Jay. Great job, my wife enjoyed how simple it is.

Thankyou for the video and Education. I just drained what smelled like lowtide water,cleaned the filter and ran the machine with white vinegar as suggested .

Thank you I have that exact machine and was wondering what that door was😳 I will clean it today. Thanks again

Did all of the suggestions for keeping the washer clean and wiped down, using a small amount of detergent, and also removing all the excess moisture.... didn’t change a thing!!! Washer still stunk! BUT... the ONE thing that finally made my washer not stink AT ALL was switching to powder laundry detergent. I think that will work for everyone still struggling with a stinky washer. Give it a try!😊

Awesome! I just got one of these LG washers yesterday, and I have been wiping down the door and the gasket, and now you have taught me how to clean the rest of the machine! Thanks SO MUCH - I really appreciate it. BTW, the LG WM3400WC is a really nice washer!

As others have said, leaving the door open will prevent the odor problem in the drum from occurring. I've had a Miele W4842 front-loader since 2010 and zero issues because I've always left the door ajar. Also shown in the video was a good tip on leaving the detergent dispenser at least partially out.

Bought my first front loader 15 years ago...salesman taught me these tricks at the time of purchase....never had a stinky problem....

I always leave the front door open, but these tips will be super helpful as well. Thank you!

So helpful!!! Going to clean my washer right now lol! Much needed video. I was so worried about that stink!

Front loaders use much less water, so they don't rinse well. This is why they require "HE" soap to rinse out easier, but even with HE detergent it still doesn't rinse out all of the soap. The residue of soap and dirt that's left behind feeds fungus and causes the stink. The residue is not just in the machine, it's in the clothes too. They stink when they get damp. Pollution laws took the phosphorus out of the consumer laundry detergents and made it much harder to rinse, even though commercial laundries still use phosphate detergent. Add the "power of phosphates" back into the detergent by adding 1 teaspoon of trisodium phosphate (TSP) to the wash tub before each load. Clothes are cleaner because all the soap and dirt rinses out completely. The washing machine doesn't stink because the phosphorus kills fungus and rinses away all the residue that acts as food for germs. For those who have tried everything else, like leaving the washer door open, special cleaning cycle with cleaning tablets, bleach, vinegar, borax, none of it really stops the smell. TSP works! Just make sure you use the real, plain old TSP in the red box, not the "phosphate-free TSP" in the green box.

I always leave the door open after a load. Never had a problem. Easy peasy.

I am just finding this video in Feb 2020. I have had my front loader for 10 years and never knew about that filter! My washer had a smell even with keeping the door open. I paused the video and went to check my filter. Ewww! It was all gunked up! I found a dime though! Thanks for this video!

I have the same front loading washer in your video. Thank you for the tips.

Thanks for the real! I may just send my laundry out! Thanks for letting me know about this!

Best video for explaining the routine maintenance/cleaning that should be done on a monthly basis of a front-loading washing machine. I had no clue(embarrassing to say) that the little door on the bottom front panel was a filter and drain for the gasket/bellows of the washing machine. Cleaning the gasket/bellows with a mild bleach solution and making sure that the small drain holes are not clogged with hair and sludgy debris definitely removed the mildew odor that we were experiencing. Next, I ran an empty load with just vinegar as recommended. Drying the door and gasket after each use is a good practice to do. Also, thoroughly cleaning the detergent and fabric softener dispenser helps to keep the soap buildup and scum from occurring. Ours was definitely in need of cleaning. Keeping the door open when not in use will help to dry out the drum, gasket/billows, and door. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! FYI DON"T USE OR MIX VINEGAR AND BLEACH AT THE SAME TIME AS THE COMBINATION WILL FORM A TOXIC CHLORINE GAS.

Thank you so much I was using my mother in law washer it stank so badly .you have saved us a lot of money. Again thank you!

This video was great! There was a repulsive smell coming from the machine and sure enough it was from the filter. The filter has never been cleaned… over 3 years. With two dogs and two kids in the family. Thank you!

Thank you for all this information! I just watched another video which showed another interesting item to clean on the front loader gasket. I always had 2 inches of standing water at the bottom of the rubber gasket and I thought what a bad design flaw that was! I would diligently paper-towel all the water out of the base of the rubber gasket to dry it all out and leave the door open, but my machine still smelled like 15 sewer rats lived in there. My machine is 9 years old and It came with the duplex when we purchased it 3 years ago. This other video showed that there is a little hole at the base of the gasket that must be cleaned out to allow drainage. Lol! I went to check mine and couldn’t even see the small hole until I started digging! We’ll see what happens when I do all these maintenance checks.

This was so informative, I recently found the rubber seal grime...

What an incredibly useful video! I have this exact same unit at home and experiencing odours and even mould growth. Now I know how to fix it. Thank you very much!

Thank you so much Jay! You are my life savor during dog shedding season! LoL!

Awesome tips.....trying them out today after I wash loads of vacation laundry. I never even knew what that little drawer down there was for!! Thanks for sharing 👌🏽

Thank you so much! Cant wait to go home after work and get it unsmelly!!!

Hey I have watched so many tutorials and diy videos, yours by far simple to the point, short and sweet. Thank you. you've given me info that will probably save me from having to purchase a washing machine much sooner than needed.

I took peroxide and dumped it inside the gasket, right in the front, where the small drain hole is, to soften up the gunk accumulated there. It puddles badly in that spot because the drain hole gets thick with slime prohibiting water flowing down the hole. I took a brush to try and break up the mildew and gunk in that area, and then took canned air inserting the tube down the hole to blow any clogs loose. I blew air all over in the front gasket area to further eliminate slimy mold and mildew that was sitting there. Then, wiped it well with water and bleach and ran hot water in that area. Ran a cleaning cycle too. Took Farmers advice and wipe down the door and gasket with a cloth and will do so after the final laundry load of each day. I keep the door wide open whenever I can.

What a terrific ad for top-loaders designed in the 1950's!

Thank you so much. This video was incredibly helpful.

Thanks so much!! I bought a used set and truly love it, but that mildew odor was concerning! I appreciate your tips!

Thank you Robert what a wonderful deal I'll be doing all of those things when I get home cir and I'll let you know have a great day sir God bless you

I have had a high efficiency front loading washer for 25 years (an Asko) and it has never ever had a smell problem. When I got the machine I read the manual, which told me "Never leave the washer door closed when it is not in use." I followed the directions. I have cleaned the drain filter about 4 times in 25 years, and I run some vinegar through the machine (with my laundry) every once in awhile. No mold, no smell, ever. My washer has one feature that seems to be unique to the brand, and is different from any other front loaders I know about-the door seals directly to the drum and does not have a giant rubber gasket to collect moisture, hair, bacteria, and slime. Flawless operation for 25 years. #Ifeelblessed.

I fix appliances for a living. On these, I also take a Turkey baster with hot water in it and make sure the drain is open at the bottom of the boot by squirting the hot water into it several times.

I solved the odor problem on my front loader in 2 minutes.......I called Lowe’s and they sent out a new top loader the same day! I found that no matter how diligent you are in cleaning....you’re still going to get mold, mildewing and stinking. Nice video though!

The stink is gone! Thanks for the great tips. That bottom drain was the biggest culprit...

You are the unsung hero that I aspire to be. thank you so much for the info

Egad! I thought I already had that nailed ... but didn't know about the filter *doh!* Thanks for the tip!

Nice to have a washer you don't have to take apart entirely to get to that drain filter.

I use Odoban in my top loader and they helps w mold, mildew, antibacterial, etc. I bought a house that includes front loaders. In process of cleaning them and seeing how well they work.

Thanks for the info. I'll be doing this to ours. About 1 month old now.

Leaving the door open is the key but I forgot all about the filter at the bottom. I just cleaned it. Thanks for the reminder!

I'd take it as a complement that the follow up video only got 50k views (means this one covered most people's question well enough!)

I have a Bosch HE washing machine, front load. The stench coming from it was horrible! We tried everything...cleaning, air drying, vinegar, bleach...😡 nothing would last...the smell kept coming back. FINALLY!! A fellow blogger friend of mine, Dad...owned a repair shop in Canada. She saw my post about my washer stinking so asked her Dad what could be done...it was simple!! STOP USING LIQUID DETERGENTS! So, I did, and it Worked! Within a week, after using powder detergent, no...more...stink! I still leave my door cracked open after washing, also the detergent tray, but, no more smell! But, trust me...the next machine I get will be a top loader!! Old fashioned but never any stench! ♥️♥️♥️

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP SIR - YOU ARE A GOOD MAN! MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

Dirt Farmer Jay is correct! I also always leave the door open after a load but odor still occurs unless the places he described are cleaned on a regular basis.

Wow thank u! For a while I refused to buy these kind of washers because they make the clothes stink!!!!! Thank you for the tips

When he said the reservoir needs to be cleaned each month, I gulped... My family hasn't cleaned that out in at least a year. Ew!!

Thank you so much for this easy to follow & simple to implement information. I just subscribed! You came up in my feed because my washer just flooded the garage. I found out why & reconnected the particular dislodged hose. Now I know to double the amount of vinegar to run through the system & will follow your other tips.

You should always run a clean cycle on your washer as well, because the gunk you see in the filter and in the seal is all on the tub on the inside of your machine. Run once a month with a couple cups of vinegar and it will surely help with any odour issues you have.

My machine really pongs! I’ve cleaned the drawer, the filter, I dry the seals after every wash and run a 90 degree cycle with bio powder, keep the door open and it still smells. My old machine was 14 years old and I never had a problem. Just glad it’s in the utility and not in the main house. I’ll have to give the vinegar a try. Thanks for the tip!

This is why I like top loaders.

I had this problem years ago and called someone out to renew the back drainage pipe because I thought that was the smell. I used to clean out the drawer and it's surprising how much washing powder and fabric softener stays in the drawer. The technician suggested putting any cleaning powder or gel directly into the machine. I have been doing this ever since ,plus I wipe the rubber seal every time I take washing out and the machines I have had since doing this, never smell. I never leave clothes stay in the machine, they are taken out immediately the cycle ends. I don't use fabric softener any more, only when hand washing. Although the machine or pipes used to smell, this never affected my clothes, they always smelled clean and fresh.

I only do one and occasionally two loads a week. Leaving the door open when the machine is not being used will solve most odor problems, the key is for the water to evaporate before anything starts to grow in it..

Great tips. Front loaders are a little more work but they clean comforters and quilts so much better. The four years I had a cheap top loader was hell for me.

Thank you. I learned a lot. This will save me a service call.

just cleaned the filter at the bottom,it really smelled bad but all good to go now,thankyou x

Thanks, I've a front loader in a house I'm selling that had the characteristic musty odor. After watching your video I ran 2 cups of vinegar through a short cycle and was surprised to see little grains of goo come out of the drain pipe into the laundry tub (the house has a pump out grinder in the drain). Then I ran the recommended clean cycle with bleach. All three drain cycles produced more of the gooey granules. During a final wipe down after the end of the cycle I noticed 8 to 10 quarter sized gobs of the goo on the drum! The smell seems to be gone. Unfortunately, this one doesn't seem to have the filter. Now it's time to tackle my own!

Brilliant. Just what I was looking for. Going to follow all your tips now. Thank you. X

Thank you that was so helpful I had no idea about the filter

Ok, now that was very informative. I always thought that the filter area was just an emergency drain. Just checked the filter and it was full of stuff. This video encouraged me to clean the whole thing. Great work! Next?

Yes I leave the door open too!

Good to know. I especially like knowing how often to clean the filters. Thank you for posting! Appreciate it very much!

Thanks for sharing, Jay. I have the exact same model and was able to clean my machine easily.

Thank you for this! I NEVER knew I was suppose to do this. Smh

I have had the same front loading washer for 19 years now. Never had an issue with stink. I always do a white load with beach as my last load, and have always left the door open when done. Never had an issue...

Holy crap! I had no idea what that little door on the bottom left was (& that there were areas for me to clean in there). Thank you!!!

This is the best advise so far,thank you