My Kenmore 2600 TOP LOADER smells like mildew. I've done the bleach cycle a couple of times and the mildew smells returns in a couple of days. I leave the lid open after each load to let the drum dry our. When the drum is empty, I can move it around and I hear water sloshing around underneath it. Is the water sloshing around normal? I've read that other brands have a liquid filled tank to help balance the drum. Does Kenmore? What could be causing the mildew smell? I've read that this Kenmore probably doesn't have a lint trap, but should I still clean out the drain? If so, How do I access the drain?
The drain on all washers have this issue. Unless the drain hose runs down hill, when the pump stops, water runs back into the machine that was in the hose but was not drained.
Thank you for your help. Do you think that the leftover water is causing the mildew smell? Or should I check out the drain pipe? I've had it for 2 years and the mildew smell just started recently.
What is the whole model number?
Kenmore Model Number 110.2600.2011
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdir... WASHER&blt=11&shdMod=&keyId=
Thank you, I will check that out.
I just read that there is a class action lawsuit over this very thing. Your washer is listed in that. The comsumers are suing because of the issue. It went all the way to the US supreme court to deny class action status. The supreme court said no to disallowing it as a class action.
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SOURCE: smells of mildew and so do clothes
There is another product out there that seems to work real well.... it is called "AFFRESH" and it is for He front load washers... Its available at Lowes for about $6.50
SOURCE: mouldy mildew smell
I had the same problem and I fixed it fairly easily in about 45 minutes:
The root-cause is the incredibly stupid design of the plastic ring that snaps over the plastic wash tub. It is filled with many nooks and crannies that rarely contact the wash water, thus getting scummed up and moldy. See a picture of the gross mess here: http://www.falselaborblog.com/2008/08/moldy-maytag.html
The fix involves opening the top (easy) and removing the ring (fairly easy) and can be done yourself if you are the least bit handy.
Unplug the unit.
***If you are mold-sensitive, wear gloves and breathing apparatus or have someone do this for you.***
Tape the lid shut so it doesn't flop open when you raise the lid.
Use a putty knife to push into the front seam about 1 1/2 inch from each corner. This unlocks the top and it will open just like the hood on a car. Carefully secure this in the open position and don't let it fall on your head or your hands.
You will see plastic fasteners holding the top ring around the outer plastic wash tub. These will unsnap (you may need a flat-head screwdriver for some of them).
Carefully lift this out and try not to puke when you look at the underside (see photo http://www.falselaborblog.com/2008/08/moldy-maytag.html). Take it to a laundry tub or bathtub and thoroughly clean it by scrubbing with hot water, detergent and bleach.
Before replacing the ring, use a thin brush to clean between the upper part of the wash tub and drum---the scum and mold will be in here also.
Replace the ring in the reverse of the above steps.
Prevention: There is none. You will have to do this every 4 to 6 months to prevent mold from infesting all of your clothing, etc.
I'm experimenting with limiting wash load size to "large" and never using "super", reserving the "super" setting for running periodic (hot water + Clorox) to see if it reaches the idiotic upper ring and keeps it clean. I am not hopeful that this will eliminate the need for these overhauls.
P.S.: The person that designed this washer should have all of his/her underwear and bed linens washed in an uncleaned Maytag Atlantis for life.
SOURCE: Clothes smell like mildew
HI thanks for your question. My solution is 1 cup of vinegar, per wash load. In time, will solve your problem.thanks the appliance doc. please rate my answer. thanks.
SOURCE: mildew smell in front loader
Yup! I have the same issue with a WE206BNW (Canadian model). Did the same thing - dried the water off the door and leave the door open when not using it. Sort of helped, but then I ran an empty light load with bleach through it - no clothes, just water. Helped a lot.
Henkfish
SOURCE: Our towels and clothes have a mildew/musty smell.
Towel mildew odor is transferred from the washer to towels and clothes. The washer must be cleaned first. After cleaning the washer and towels washing habits must change to stop mold smell from returning.
Washing machine mold / mildew is caused by:
#1 cause is overuse of detergents. Detergent companies are notorious for instructing to use too much detergent. Especially with soft water or when using liquid detergent no more than 1 tbsp of any detergent should be used.
#2 most common cause is using fabric softener because it's dispensed in the rinse cycle and will coat the inside of the outer tub with residue that is a food source for mold to grow.
#3 using only cold water for washing is fine but makes preventative maintenance very important. A weekly hot soak will dissolve odor-causing residue from inside your washer.
#4 not using the washer. If the clothes washer isn't used very often maintenance is especially important. If leaving for a vacation it's a good idea to clean your washer. Do a search to "remove washer odor" to read just how big the problem is. There are all natural washer cleaners that will also remove mildew odor from towels and clothing after the washer has been cleaned.
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