How to clean your washing machine so clothes smell fresh again

How to clean your washing machine so clothes smell fresh again: the simple routine that works

If your laundry smells sour even straight out of the drum, you’re not imagining it. Modern machines, efficient though they are, can harbour a film of detergent residue, body oils and lint that turns into a breeding ground for odour-causing bacteria and mildew.

The good news is you can reset that smell in under an hour, then keep it at bay with small, easy habits. This is the method I teach when a client’s towels start to smell “wet dog” even when they’ve been washed twice.

Why clean a washing machine that “cleans”?

Many people don’t realise their machine needs cleaning because it’s constantly filled with soap and hot water. But today’s popular low-temperature cycles and liquid detergents leave behind a clingy film. Fabric softener, used generously in the hope of extra fragrance, compounds the gunk.

That residue sticks to the drum, the rubber door seal and the hidden pathways that carry detergent and water. Given moisture and time, microbes move in and the smell transfers to your clothes. Hard water adds limescale, which traps odours even more effectively.

The fast fix: one deep-clean that resets odours

You’ll get the quickest turnaround if you think like a service technician. Clear the places where grime hides, run one genuinely hot cycle with the right cleaner, and dry the cavity thoroughly.

Avoid mixing products and always follow your machine’s manual. If your model has a “tub clean” or “self-clean” setting, use it—but prepare the parts the cycle can’t reach.

Step 1: Unblock the drain pump filter

Start by turning off the power and opening the small access door at the front base of most front-loaders. Place a tray or towel under the drain, then open the little hose or twist out the cap slowly. Expect a rush of water and a surprising amount of lint, coins, hair ties and grit.

Check the impeller for threads wrapped around it and make sure it spins freely. Reseal the cap firmly. Clearing this filter alone can banish bad smells and prevent poor drainage and musty residues.

Step 2: Detergent drawer and rubber door seal

Remove the detergent drawer fully, pressing the tab to slide it out. Soak it in hot, soapy water and scrub the corners with a small brush or an old toothbrush. Pay attention to the underside and the softener compartment where slime collects.

Look into the drawer cavity and clean the channel and jets with a damp cloth and a toothbrush. Around the door, gently pull back the rubber seal to wipe away trapped lint, hair and black mould. A cloth dipped in diluted bleach or white vinegar helps here; just never use both on the same cleaning session.

Step 3: Choose a cleaning cycle that actually works

Run the hottest cycle your machine allows, ideally between 60°C and 90°C (140–194°F). Hot water dissolves residues that cold water leaves behind. For light odours, add two cups of distilled white vinegar directly to the drum and a quarter cup of baking soda into the detergent drawer to help lift mineral film.

For visible mould or a persistent sour smell, use chlorine bleach instead—half a cup in the dispenser or as your manufacturer recommends—and no vinegar. Alternatively, a commercial washing machine cleaner tablet does a solid job without fragrance overload. In very hard-water areas, a dedicated descaler prevents that chalky layer that traps smells.

Step 4: De‑gunk the drum and door glass

When the cycle finishes, open the door while the interior is still warm. Wipe the drum, door glass and the inner face of the seal with a clean microfibre cloth. You’ll often pick up loosened residue you don’t want to leave behind to dry.

If you see spots of black mould that survived, dab them with a cloth moistened in diluted bleach, leave for a few minutes and wipe again. Rinse your cloth and go over the surfaces once more with plain water.

Step 5: Let it dry like you mean it

Leave the door ajar and the detergent drawer open to let the cabinet air out. If you have a desk fan, aim it at the opening for ten minutes to speed up drying. The point is simple: biofilm loves dark, wet crevices; airflow breaks that cycle.

Wipe any drops from the bottom of the seal and around the filter door. Empty and dry the little collection tray under the pump access if your model has one.

Keep it fresh: small habits that prevent the return of musty smells

Use the right amount of detergent, especially in high-efficiency machines. Too much soap leaves a film; too little can’t hold soils in suspension. If you’re routinely overdosing, halving your dose for a week often makes towels feel cleaner and smell better.

If your laundry is frequently sour, try switching from liquid to powder for everyday loads. Powders often rinse cleaner and contain oxygen bleach that helps keep the drum bright. Fabric softener, while appealingly fragrant, leaves waxy residue; save it for occasional use or dilute it more than you think you need.

Make one hot maintenance wash part of your routine, especially if you usually wash in cold. Run an empty hot cycle with a machine cleaner or a cup of white vinegar once a month, and wash sheets or towels at 60°C/140°F weekly if the care labels allow. That short burst of heat goes a long way.

Always remove wet laundry promptly. Leaving a finished load in the drum overnight invites that damp, locker-room smell to creep back. Get into the habit of wiping the seal quickly after the last wash of the day and leaving the door ajar.

If you live in a hard-water area, use a descaler monthly or choose a detergent that contains water softeners. Limescale is odour’s best ally; prevent it and the rest is easier. Cleaning the drain pump filter every month keeps everything flowing and stops stagnant water from sitting in the sump.

Front‑loaders vs top‑loaders: what changes

Front-loaders are more prone to odour because of the tight door seal and the way water sits at the bottom of the gasket. Cleaning that rubber ring and the pump filter is non-negotiable. Using a hot cycle with the right cleaner and airing the door is usually enough to keep things sweet.

Top-loaders often hide residue under the agitator or around the rim. If your model allows, remove the agitator to clean underneath, and wipe the underside of the lid where condensation drips back into the tub. Run the manufacturer’s “clean washer” cycle with a tablet or two cups of white vinegar, then follow with a rinse.

When a smell persists: three places people forget

First, the drain hose and standpipe can harbour stagnant water. If you catch a sulphurous, drain-like smell, run a cup of enzyme drain cleaner down the standpipe and flush with hot water, or ask a plumber to check the trap. The machine can be spotless yet still pull odour in from the drain.

Second, the cold-water inlet filter screens can clog with fine grit, slowing fill times and leaving detergent residue. Turn off the water, unscrew the hose, and gently brush the mesh filters on the valve and hose ends. Faster fills help detergents dissolve properly and rinse away more cleanly.

Third, think beyond the machine. A mildewed laundry basket, a damp cupboard or a musty dryer vent can re-contaminate clean fabrics. If towels smell when they come out of the dryer, clean the lint screen with hot water and soap, vacuum the vent path and wash or replace the hamper liner.

Safety and product notes you should not skip

Never mix chlorine bleach with vinegar, citric acid, or ammonia; the fumes are hazardous. Choose one approach per deep-clean and rinse well before switching in the future. Wear gloves if you’re handling bleach or scrubbing slimy seal folds.

Check your manual for the hottest safe cycle and any manufacturer warnings about descalers or chlorine. Some enamelled drums and rubber seals have specific care notes. If you’re on a septic system, opt for oxygen-based cleaners rather than heavy doses of bleach.

If the machine leaks, struggles to drain, or grows mould back within days, that’s a sign of a deeper issue such as a blocked internal hose or a failing pump. A technician can dismantle and clean parts you can’t reach without tools, and it’s often less costly than replacing a machine that’s otherwise in good condition.

A clean washer won’t make every detergent smell stronger—it makes clean smell like nothing at all. Get the gunk out, keep air flowing, and use heat strategically. Your clothes will tell you you’ve got it right: they’ll come out of the drum smelling of very little, and that’s the freshest fragrance there is.