Washing machine horror - a single bloke's voyage of discovery

As I’m on my own in the house now, I’ve taken on a lot more chores than I used to including washing clothes in a washing machine, formerly a black art that us blokes don’t usually get involved with unless the pump goes belly-up.

I’ve been getting the hang of it, but started to find that the clothes came out of the machine smellier than they went in. I was using the usual green tablets and fabric softener as we always used, so I couldn’t work out what was going wrong…until I looked closer at the drawer you put the soap and stuff into.

It was disgusting!!! :puke:

There was this black coating like a slime mould all over the inside and outside of the drawer and when I took the drawer out completely, there was a half centimeter thick layer of old soap and more black gunk there as well as some on the roof of the drawer slot.

I got some stuff from Asda and cleaned out the front door seal, the drawer and it’s holder and I am now running a 60C cycle with nothing in the machine to clear out the pipes. :xfinger: that this will get rid of the smell, but if you’re having the same trouble, have a look inside, it will probably scare the pants off you. :smiley:

Been there done that mate :smiley:

While you’re playing it’s worth checking the filter too - if you can get at it. Amazing how much cat hair they can collect … same as computers :lol:

Aha! one for er indoors. She’s a washaholic. You know the thing. She sits watching it go around and round. She’s getting help from Washaholics anonymouse.

Yknow how they get together - “every day, in every way, we’re getting wetter and wetter”

:slight_smile:

Wolly’s right. Furry bits mate :slight_smile:

Will do if I can find it. Certainly smells much fresher. Proof of the pudding is going to be the first wash tomorrow :slight_smile:

Running a hot wash with some bicarb of soda is good for cleaning out the inside too :slight_smile:

Soap drawers don’t work any more when everyone’s using 20C wash temperatures and machines are cold fill only. Put the soap in the drum :wink:

Run a couple of kettles of boiling water through the soap drawer paying special attention to the fabric softener section.
It is probably removable and can be washed in the sink as well.

There is often a fluff and debris filter just before the pump, if its been a while since this was cleaned you may want to do it with an empty stomach, it will stink.

Lastly check the drain hose isnt squashed anywhere just to make sure the machine is draining.
If the drain hose shares any pipework with a kitchen sink and the waste pipe is partially blocked kitchen sink water may be trying to run into the washing machine. Neat bleach down the sink overnight, fill sink with hot water and pull out the plug if thats suspected.

I spent a whole school summer holiday working for cash in hand helping a washing machine repair man I knew, I learnt a lot about fixing washing machines and bored housewives :devil:

On the plus side I got eighteen years out of my last washing machine and only scrapped it as there was a nearly new one sitting idle next to it when the bearings went.

Thanks guys. :thumbsup: Some good things to ty there :nod:

Washed the clothes and no horrid smells this time :smiley:

How far can you travel to make a house call? :slight_smile:

Its also worth it to check the doorseal, some nasty stuff can hide there :wink:

Did the door seal with some of the stuff before cleaning out the tray. Most of the cr@p was hiding in the folds of the seal at the top of the door suprisingly! :eek:

@ Tom - not that far :smiley: