I Use an Upright Washer & Dryer and My Clothes Smell

Upright or frontload washer and dryers offer advantages, like less water and energy use. If your clothes come out of them smelling funny, you will not care about those advantages until you solve the problem.

Odor

If your clothes smell after you've run them through an upright washer and dryer, they could smell musty or earthy, like a basement full of mildew. They also could smell foul, like dirt and bacteria. The problem is not with your clothes; it is inside your washer and dryer, according to "Green Up Your Cleanup."

Causes

Both smell problems occur when you overload your upright washer. Because it is designed to use less water, sometimes it does not manage to wash away all detergent and debris left after a wash. Mildew can grow on debris left behind in the washer. Other times, bacteria feed on the debris. When you run a new load of wash, the smell of mildew or bacteria can get on your clothes.

Solutions

You can prevent the problem of strange smelling clothes by using detergent designed for upright washers and not washing loads that are too large. Clean mildew in your washer by removing all visible growth with a mixture of one cup bleach in one gallon of water, according to "Fungi and Molds." To clean away bacteria and mildew you cannot see, run an empty load with very hot water and add bleach to it.

References

• "Green Up Your Cleanup"; Jill Schoff; 2008
• "Fungi and Molds"; Jennifer Viegas; 2004