How to Get Rid of Odor in Washing Machine Water

Washing machine odor can be eliminated.

Odor can infiltrate your washing machine if wet clothes have been left in the machine for a long period of time. This odor also can originate inside of the hoses of your washing machine. Running the washing machine with detergent or fabric softener may cover up the odor inside of the machine, but the odor will not be fully eliminated. Adding a common household item inside the washing machine, however, will eliminate the odor.

Things You'll Need

• White distilled vinegar

Instructions

1. Empty the washing machine.

2. Run the washing machine on a normal cycle with nothing added to the machine (no clothes or detergent). This will rinse out the machine and its hoses.

3. Lift the lid of the washing machine after the cycle completes to let the machine air out for two to three hours.

4. Pour 1 cup of white distilled vinegar into the washing machine. Nothing else needs to be added to the machine.

5. Run the washing machine on a normal cycle with cool/cold water.

6. Lift the washing machine lid after the cycles complete to air out the machine again.

7. Check the machine for odor. If odor remains, run the machine with only 1 cup of vinegar again.

References

• 1001 Uses for White Distilled Vinegar: Laundry