When i opened my washer it smells like mildew. How do I get the smell gone? i noticed that my towels smell mildewy also. Will this go away if i leave the door open all the time?
With the washer empty, put in a cup or two of bleach and then run a complete cycle with HOT water and the HIGHEST water level setting. When the agitation first starts, wait a couple minutes, then turn off the machine and let it soak with the bleachy water for about 20 minutes - then turn it back on and let it finish the cycle. If it's REALLY a strong smell, add some Simple Green, or some other NON-AMMONIA detergent to the bleaching process. (Mixing ammonia and bleach together is a MAJOR no-no. It gives off nerve toxins. Very bad.) If you can't find Simple Green, then add some dishwasher detergent. Not dish soap, like Dawn or Joy, dishWASHER detergent like Cascade or Electrasol.
That should help.
If it doesn't help, then unplug the machine, turn off the water supply, disconnect the hoses, and pull the machine away from the wall. Check UNDER the machine for the problem... If the machine, or the hoses, or the drain have been leaking, the mildew smell may be coming from your floor or walls as they rot... If that's the case, you'll have to find and fix the leak, and then repair your floor and/or walls.
Also, check your dryer vent connection... When your dryer is running, do you get hot, damp air coming out from behind it? If so, the vent pipe connecton may be loose, in which case you probably have a build up of dryer lint behind and under both macines.. This can be a fire hazard (especially if you have a gas dryer) and if combined with a little water from the washer, can start to mildew and smell. Reconnecting the dryer vent correctly and cleaning under both machines may solve the issue.
Hope that helps!
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