Has she actually got any proof its your stuff causing it? I bet she puts all kinds of stuff in there, and why would mud smell?

I crashed my car and it’s a write off. I’m using the insurance payout to buy a new car AND a new bike. Silver lining and all that jazz.

The missus is none too impressed. ‘Maybe you should spend less time buying bikes and more time riding them.’

There are worse situations than smelly washing machines!

Mother-in-law’s washing machine smelled bad. She only used it on 30deg quick wash. It had black fur growing inside it.

IME it’s the softeners that cause those lovely aromas of some washing machines.

My washing machine still smells the same as the day it was delivered. I use that Dr. Otecker shit that someone else mentioned, about once every two months. I never use softener but I do use the liquid detergent (Sainsbury’s own brand). Nothing goes in the draw so the ribbed pipe isn’t exposed to anything but water. I dry the tray and the door seal and all its folds thoroughly every wash and leave the door open to air.

Again; it smells like new 3 years down the line, washing eveyday clothing as well as biking loads.

Softener doesn’t make any difference to the ‘softness’ of your clothes, it simply makes them anti-static.

Just my two-penneth.

Edit – And once you’ve used the stuff, that’s it. It just sits in the tank, collecting all of that dirt and muck. Festering. Growing. Becoming self-aware…

You should seriously think about getting your self a garage. I leave my stuff on the garage floor and then when come back its hanging up all clean.

As mentioned above softener is what causes the clogging and smells, not used it in the new machine and still smells new just using powder and an empty wash every now and again. Our machine is used for washing cloth nappies everyday, so if that doesn’t make a smell nothing will!

Yup, vinegar works…..been where you are!

What do you do with the vinegar?

Put it on chips mostly

When Mrs BigJohn came home unexpectedly and found these at the spin dry stage

I would have got off lighter if I’d been on Xhamster.

My wife’s washing machine broke down yesterday, but with 2 or 3 goes a day for 6 years I can live with that. I have ordered her a new one from John Lewis, and she asked me if I would like to take the old one into the garden, have a go at fixing it and then it can be kept outdoors for washing dog beds and muddy kit. She got stuck when I pointed out that it might be somewhat inefficient without any plumbing and electrics! I don’t know if this fascinating and hilarious anecdote helps the OP in any way but it’s the only contribution I have on this topic.

My wife’s washing machine

😆

1/4 of a bottle of Milton’s sterilising fluid. It’s basically sodium hydroxide. Put it on cotton cycle and if you have an option to select additional rinses, put a couple of extra on. I have done this and it works very well.

BigJohn – Member

When Mrs BigJohn came home unexpectedly and found these at the spin dry stage

I would have got off lighter if I’d been on Xhamster.

😆

@ the greatape…bit slow there. It could of been a great ” I’ll need a shed to put it in.. ” conversation..

Sneak into the attic, and pour five or six bottles of Ribena into your hot water tank. Show your wife the blood red water coming from the shower and taps, explain that the house is haunted, and that what she smells downstairs is just ghosts.

A serious answer, sounds like water is backing up/staying in the machine after use then getting stinky, it’s happened to me before. Check your waste pipe is not blocked. Check the non return valve where the waste hose fits into the waste pipe, it’s only a flap of rubber. Could also be caused by a dishwasher being run at the same time and the waste pipe not being able to cope with the extra water so it again backs up and stays in the machine. Just washing dirty bike clothes will not cause this problem.

tymbian – I’ve just had a new 20’x12′ garage built in December, so that might be pushing it a bit!

Try stove enameling some bike parts in the kitchen oven if you really want to bring an abrupt end to your relationship 🙂

My wife’s washing machine broke down yesterday, but with 2 or 3 goes a day for 6 years I can live with that

Seriously – what the hell are your family doing to generate that much washing? Your leccy bill must be horrendous.

Milton’s sterilising fluid. It’s basically sodium hydroxide

Hypochlorite, not Hydroxide. It’s a bleaching agent, not caustic soda.

Assorted sports, walking dogs, school, nursery, dribbling food down themselves, work uniforms, bedding and so on…

Chuck it out either in a skip, a canal, or just dump it at the end of the road and the council will take it away.

In time you’ll meet someone new who’ll look after your washing machine properly.

It sounds like your drainage pipe is clogged up with sh*t. And it is going back it the watching machine. I had the same problem and also if it is plumed in to the sink trap you might have to clean that as well.

I think I’ll investigate the waste pipe tomorrow, but not until I’ve been out on the bike for 2-3 hours ;o)

It sounds like your drainage pipe is clogged up with sh*t. And it is going back it the watching machine. I had the same problem and also if it is plumed in to the sink trap you might have to clean that as well.

Don’t know why i have posted the same thing twice

What do you do with the vinegar?

stick it where the liquid/powder goes then run a dummy wash cycle…hey presto!

Assorted sports, walking dogs, school, nursery, dribbling food down themselves, work uniforms, bedding and so on…

Even so, 14-21 loads a week seems an awful lot. What was the machine that managed that for 6 years, BTW? Interested for when my current machine needs replacing!

I just fell in a 2 foot deep puddle (fully submerged) so shoes and everything in the wash now, hopefully the missus won’t notice

As a biochemist I can reliably inform you that putting biological detergent on at 90 degrees denatures the enzymes (proteins) and effectively means that they don’t work!! They will not break down the fat, proteins and carbohydrates that make up your sweat etc. Washing powder is specifically designed to be used at much lower temperatures like 30-50 degrees. Mud and grass are not your problem – sweat and bacteria are!
If you want to clean the washing machine buy some strong bleach – and double check that the pipe isn’t blocked (with mud and grass) which seems likely because bacteria love the aerobic conditions in stagnant water in the back of the machine and make a smell when you open the door before you put the washing inside.
But then I’m just a woman………….
(Mrs TiRed)

It was a fairly basic Zanussi from John Lewis. It was recommended om ukwhitegoods.com in its price bracket, although obviously 6 yrs ago.