How to Clean a Smelly Washer Safely and Thoroughly

Your washer smells bad. Maybe you notice a sour or musty odor when you open the door, or your clothes come out smelling worse than when they went in. A smelly washer is caused by mold, bacteria, and trapped moisture inside the machine. Here’s how to clean a smelly washer safely and thoroughly.

A smelly washer is caused by mold, bacteria, and trapped moisture growing inside the drum, rubber seal, and dispenser. Mold and bacteria feed on detergent residue, fabric softener buildup, and organic matter. Cleaning a smelly washer requires killing the mold and bacteria (affresh or vinegar), removing the buildup (baking soda), and wiping all surfaces where mold hides.

To clean a smelly washer, run an empty hot cycle with affresh or 2 cups of vinegar and half a cup of baking soda, clean the rubber seal, clean the dispenser drawer, wipe the drum, clean the filter, and leave the door open. Don’t use bleach, don’t use cold water, and don’t close the door between loads.

Step-by-Step: Cleaning a Smelly Washer

Step 1: Run an Empty Hot Cycle with affresh

Place one tablet of affresh Washing Machine Cleaner in the washer drum. Set the machine to the hottest water setting and the longest cycle. Start the machine. The tablet dissolves and kills mold, removes residue, and eliminates odors.

Step 2: Clean the Rubber Seal

After the cycle, wipe the rubber seal around the door with a cloth soaked in warm water and vinegar. Check the folds of the seal for mold. Use an old toothbrush to scrub any visible mold. The rubber seal is the most common hiding spot for mold.

Step 3: Clean the Dispenser Drawer

Remove the detergent dispenser drawer. Soak it in warm water with Dawn Ultra Dish Soap for 15 minutes. Scrub with an old toothbrush to remove buildup. Rinse and replace.

Step 4: Wipe the Drum

Wipe the inside of the drum with a clean cloth soaked in warm water and vinegar. Remove any residue or mold.

Step 5: Clean the Filter

Locate the filter (usually at the bottom front of the machine). Place a towel underneath. Remove the filter cap. Clean with an old toothbrush. Replace.

Step 6: Wipe the Exterior

Wipe the exterior of the machine with a damp cloth. Don’t use abrasive cleaners.

Step 7: Leave the Door Open

Leave the washer door or lid open between loads to allow the drum to dry. This prevents mold from returning.

Alternative Method: Vinegar and Baking Soda

Step 1: Add Vinegar

Add 2 cups of white vinegar to the detergent dispenser or directly to the drum.

Step 2: Add Baking Soda

Add half a cup of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda to the drum.

Step 3: Run an Empty Hot Cycle

Set the machine to the hottest water setting and the longest cycle. Start and let it run.

Step 4: Wipe and Clean

After the cycle, wipe the seal, dispenser, drum, and filter as described above.

For Severe Odors

Run Two Cycles

If the smell persists after one cleaning cycle, run a second cycle. Use affresh for the first cycle and vinegar and baking soda for the second.

Soak the Seal

For severe mold on the rubber seal, soak a cloth in vinegar and lay it on the seal for 30 minutes. Scrub with a toothbrush.

Use Lysol for Disinfecting

Add Lysol Laundry Sanitizer to an empty cycle for extra disinfecting.

Clean Twice Monthly

For severe odor problems, clean the machine twice monthly until the odor is gone, then switch to monthly cleaning.

Use the Right Products for Laundry

Detergent: Tide Free and Gentle

Stain removers: OxiClean Max Force Spray, Dawn Ultra Dish Soap, Shout Advanced Grease Busting Foam

Ink remover: Amodex Ink and Stain Remover

How to Prevent a Smelly Washer

Leave the Door Open

Leave the washer door or lid open between loads to allow the drum to dry.

Clean Monthly

Clean the machine monthly with affresh or vinegar and baking soda.

Use the Right Amount of Detergent

Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of Tide Free and Gentle per load. Too much detergent leaves residue.

Don’t Use Fabric Softener

Fabric softener leaves residue that feeds mold. Use vinegar instead.

Remove Clothes Promptly

Remove clothes from the washer as soon as the cycle ends. Don’t leave wet clothes sitting.

Use HE Detergent in HE Washers

Use HE detergent in HE washers. Regular detergent causes oversudsing and residue.

What Not to Do

Don’t use bleach. Bleach can damage rubber seals and gaskets. Use affresh or vinegar instead.

Don’t use cold water. Cold water doesn’t kill mold. Use hot water.

Don’t close the door between loads. Closing the door traps moisture and causes mold. Leave the door open.

Don’t use too much detergent. Excess detergent leaves residue. Use the recommended amount.

Don’t use fabric softener. Fabric softener leaves residue. Use vinegar instead.

Don’t skip monthly cleaning. Monthly cleaning prevents mold and odors.

Comparison: Cleaning Methods

Method	Cost	Best For	How Often	Ease of Use
affresh tablets	Medium	Deep cleaning	Monthly	Very easy
Vinegar and baking soda	Low	Monthly maintenance	Monthly	Easy
Bleach	Low	Disinfecting (use alone)	Every 3 to 6 months	Easy
Professional service	High	Severe problems	As needed	Not DIY

FAQ

How do you clean a smelly washer? Run an empty hot cycle with one affresh tablet, clean the rubber seal and dispenser, wipe the drum, clean the filter, and leave the door open. Repeat if needed.

Why does your washer smell? Your washer smells because of mold, bacteria, and trapped moisture inside the machine. Causes include leaving the door closed, using too much detergent, using fabric softener, and not cleaning monthly.

Does vinegar clean a smelly washer? Yes. Add 2 cups of white vinegar and half a cup of baking soda to the machine and run an empty hot cycle. Vinegar kills mold and removes odors.

How often should you clean your washer? Clean your washer monthly with affresh or vinegar and baking soda. Wipe the seal after each load and leave the door open between loads.

What is the best cleaner for a smelly washer? affresh Washing Machine Cleaner is the best cleaner. It kills mold, removes residue, and eliminates odors in one hot cycle. Use one tablet monthly.

References

1. Tide. “Smelly Washer Guide.” tide.com.
2. The Spruce. “How to Clean a Smelly Washer.” thespruce.com.
3. Good Housekeeping. “Washer Cleaning Guide.” goodhousekeeping.com.
4. affresh. “Cleaning Guide.” affresh.com.