How can a machine that is regularly filled with soap and hot water and bleach get so stinky?

Here are a few tips to keep your washer odor-free.

We’ve all been there.

Laundry in Washing Machine

Credit: Witthaya Prasongsin / EyeEm/Getty Images

You go to do a load of laundry, pop pop the lid, and there’s a smell.

It’s a bit musty and moldy and a whole lot of frustrating.

How Often to Clean Your Washing Machine

Pros recommend a deep clean every few months.

Considerations Before Getting Started

Mixing cleaning products can produce toxic fumes.

This deep-clean method is safe because it’s a two-part process and the cleaning products are never combined.

Pause the cycle for 30 minutes, and then let it complete.

That will give any moisture left in the washer or the door gasket time to dry.

Use water-softening tablets made for washing machines.

And a sewage smell might mean a clogged drain standpipe.

Call in an expert for either of these bigger fixes.