My washing machine is making my clothes smell like stale old water, what can i do to fix that or is it time just to invest in a new washer?

It may not be draining very well.

I have a front load washer and run a cycle of a few cups of bleach through mine every couple months.

I also add vinegar to most washes but that's due to my teenage son's athletic wear.

Both those things do the trick.

You shoudl probably check the mechanics as well but the above is a stop gap.

There is a very simple way to get rid of unwanted smells. I would suggest use a cup of white vinegar every wash to clean from stale muck and smells inside the machine.

usually this is as simple as overloading the washer,, Its not able to drain out all of the dirty water so it smells foul,, try a smaller load,

You should put one half cup of bleach in the washer and let it fill. After it sets for an hour run it thru a cycle refil and do it again. All washers have water left in them even when they empty so it sounds like you had stale water in it and possibly mold bleach will take care of it and a few cycles.

YOU NEED TO RUN A (CLEAN CYCLE) ON THE WASHER.THIS CAN BE DONE WITH A 1/2 CUP OF AUTOMATIC DISHWASHER SOAP AND HOT WASH CYCLE. YOU SHOULD BE ONLY USE 2 TABLESPOONS OF H.E. SOAP IF THE WASHER TO PREVENT THIS

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if leaking come from break panel, its beater buy a new one. if leaking come from water leak seal you can replace that one.

Run a very hot wash on your machine with no load

Fill a bucket with a strong solution of soda crystals and pour it into the machine first

Add some more crystals to the soap dispenser

Use an old fashioned soap powder for a couple of washes as well and reduce the load slightly

Modern soap powders do not contain certain bleaches and soda and the 40 degree wash leaves body fats and oils inside which cause odours

washer is under warrenty so called a repair man

Buy whirlpool affresh washer tablets. They kill the smell in front load washers. But they work great for top loaders too!!! They are only about 10 bucks and all you have to do is read the instructions on the package and run your washer through its cycle. Then your smell should go away.

Most commonly, this relates to sulfides or other impurities in the water itself, but may also be caused by a buildup of food soil within the washer. Smell a clean glass of water. Does it smell stale also? If no, clean the screens and wash water sump/tank within the machine.
You can also clean the inside of the machine by using a commercial grade dish machine detergent and increasing water temp if possible.
If the water smells stale, consult a local water expert for guidance in resolving