Stale odor in machine and on towels and clothes. I have used the affresh, Bleach, baking soda, use powder HE detergent, no liquid fab softner, I am at the end of my rope with this stinking machine ready to throw it in dumpster and buy a top load. Is there a way to clean the plastic tub that is under the metal tub? also is there a filter that can be cleaned? If you can help with my problem please email me. [email protected] Thank You Also my machine is about 6 years old and does not have a cleaning cycle

Towel mildew smell is being transferred from the washer. The washer must be cleaned first. The problem is not "brand specific" all clothes washers have mold growth to a certain degree. Bleach or vinegar will kill the mold inside your washer but won't remove it or the residue it grows on thereby making the situation worse because it leaves a "base" for more detergent to collect on and more mold will grow.

Washing machine mold / mildew odor 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.

I am sorry for your problem, front loader have a bad smell when it is not airing out properly, the rubber gasket starts growing mold and mildew, this have to be replaced.

if gasket is fine, run your washer with some vinegar....

Have you used the bleach by running a strong solution through a full wash cycle.