It had a bad odor

Front loaders are known for bad odors. Run an empty cycle with double bleach and let the machine totally dry out, with the door OPEN. The bleach will kill the mold spores and letting it dry out will prevent more from forming.

If you have a smelly front loading clothes washing machine, toss in a Finish Geltabs (the ones that are all liquid) and run the machine on a hot wash cycle, medium to heavy load (to get more water in the tub) with no clothes in the machine. You don't need to use much of a spin cycle so set it on low. The washing machine will come clean and even the moldy spots on the rubber gaskets will disappear. A second treatment may be needed if the smell is not completely gone. We tried everything from vineger to bleach to baking soda to borax to commercially available odor removers from Whirlpool and Tide. Nothing worked until I hit on this idea. It's cheap, easy and can be done anytime your machine needs a refreshing. I used the orange Geltabs but any fragrance would be fine. Keep the door on your washer open a bit when possible to air out to help preclude those nasty smells.

bleach and bleach and bleach and bleach!!!!! also i notice more of a smell in washers when people only use liquid detergent and too much of it.
Tip: leave door open after every wash
clean with bleach and hot water regularly once a month
with no clothes on a normal cycle
alternate liquid detergent and powder (yes powder comes HE)
only use HE detergent
try these things and you will find your washer smelling like new again. but tthe trick is BLEACH and a lot of it. once you get a smell it takes a long time to get rid of it.
good luck and let me know if this helps

My daughter's front loader did the same thing, and she cleaned it with a bleach and water solution, then rinsed with water. we were told that you have to keep the door open to keep it from molding and mildewing.

I have a front loader and hated the machine for the very same reasons. A one shot fix does not exist but rather requires ongoing treatment (they don't tell you that when you buy the washer though).

Star by getting rid of the existing smell. There are products designed specifically for this problem. One such is "Affresh" but there are others. Most are available at stores that sell the machines and like everything else, on the internet too. Use as directed and once the smell is gone, maintain by using the steps below.

Firstly - discard all non-HE detergents. I know the "regular" detergents are cheaper than the HE counterparts, but these machines are designed for the low-suds types; the regular types leave a soapy residue because the machine doesn't use nearly as much water as your old top loader. So give them to your friends with top loaders instead of using them in your front loader.

Next, run a small load, with bleach and hot water only - no clothes as the last load for the day.

Thirdly, leave the door(s) open on the days not used. This includes any top door for detergents / softeners along with the main front door of the machine between washes. It need not be left wide open - but open enough to allow air in to help dry the interior.

Fourth, wipe down the interior after the last load of the day. Pay particular attention to the rubber seal between the drum and the door jamb of the machine.

Fifth, stop using fabric softener in the washer. Use a fabric softener dryer sheet instead. Limiting the products added to the washer to just bleach & HE detergents is best.

Sixth, use the washer cleaning product (Affresh etc.) as needed as a preventative step or to head off problems if / when they just begin to become noticeable.

If you follow all of these steps - the offending odors can be eliminated and prevented.

I hope this was very helpful and good luck!

in order to get the odor out of the clothes, you first have to fix the washer. it is likely a build up of soap scum which is smelling. are you using the correct soap for you front loader? HE soap. there is a product on the market called Afresh, a package of 3 tablets. buy some and use all 3 in the machine and run it empty. then follow the directions on the pack for monthly maintenance.

www.affresh.com this product has been devoeloped to lessen front loader odors. you NEED to be using an HE detergent. low sudsing ans specifically design for use with front loading washers.

Interesting article explaining the problem associated with Front Loader Washing Machines and new products to combat the mold/fungus build up inside them.. Check it out....------------------------------------------------------------
Consumers who own front-loading washing machines should use only about one-quarter of the recommended amount of high-efficiency, or HE, low-sudsing detergent. Standard, non-HE detergents in front-loaders are too sudsy.

Why don't top-loading machines have this problem? Less efficient top-loaders that use more water typically flush out excess suds, soil, detergent and fabric softener.

Class-action lawsuits against manufacturers such as LG, Whirlpool and Maytag have been filed, alleging mold and mildew problems in front-loading washers.

Some suits have been settled while others are pending, affecting hundreds of thousands of consumers, said Rob Shelquist, a partner at the Lockridge Grindal Nauen firm in Minneapolis.

According to Whirlpool, the low water use and airtight seals on HE front-loaders create the potential for odor-causing mold and mildew. Whirlpool has its own anti-odor product, Affresh, which sells for $7 for three treatments. SmellyWasher is more expensive than Affresh initially ($16 for 24 treatments), but Flynn's product lasts a year.

SmellyWasher can be used as a preventive monthly or less often if smaller amounts of detergent are used. Affresh is also used monthly, but a $7 packet of three tablets lasts only three months. Flynn's product will remove musty odors from towels or clothing, which Affresh does not claim to do.
Getting rid of problem
To eliminate odors, Smellywasher users should put a capful of Flynn's product in the detergent dispenser, select the hottest water temperature and the extra-large load to fill the empty washer with the largest amount of water. Let the water agitation start and then stop the washer and allow the solution to soak for two to four hours. Repeat as necessary and allow to soak overnight if needed.

Flynn said that the product works best in hot water. Consumers might want to run the faucet closest to the washing machine until the water is hot before starting the process or turn up their water heater temperature until the load is finished. (Remember to turn the temp back down to avoid scalding.) Flynn offers a money-back guarantee. Stubborn cases of mold and mildew might require five to seven treatments.

Susie Thymian is such a believer that she now sells SmellyWasher in her own store, McGinnis Appliance in Morris, Minn. Thymian had blamed the musty smell from her towels on her teenagers, who often leave wet towels in a pile in their bedrooms. Her kids' solution to the stink was to use more towels. Thymian's answer was to use more bleach in the laundry, but nothing got rid of the mystery mold odor until she found Flynn's product.

Only a few of Flynn's customers are from Minnesota so far. Most come from regions with higher humidity. Sharon Turner, who lives in steamy San Antonio, said SmellyWasher worked after several cycles. "I was ready to throw out my plush towels and my front washer. It saved my sanity."

Link to this article..http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-smelly-washer_chomes_0912sep12,0,7369054.story

I don't know how frequently it is used but if it is not draining completely, the residual water may be going bad. This is much more likely if using well-water than with municipal water. The former does not have any chlorine in it.
You might try (once) to 'wash' nothing first; let the machine cycle with no load and then with load to see it if makes any difference. If it does, then either have the machine checked by a tech or dump a 1/4 cup (or less) of bleach in the machine after emptying. If it is simply water going sour, the bleach will prevent it turning skunk-like. 

Hi! I have Kenmore Elite 4t and had this same problem: Musty, Moldy smell in washer and on clothes. The Sears Technician suggested that I use a half a cup of Clorox Liquid Bleach and put it in the tub (not the dispenser). NO CLOTHES! Use the longest hottest setting and when it's done clean the inside (underneath rubber tire thingie) and the undernath part of the door with a papertowel. And to always leave the door open. I did what he said with the bleach and it worked. I didn't want to leave the door open because I have 2 cats & was afraid that they would want to go in it, but ended up repeating the bleach thing again because a few days later the horrible smell was back. I leave the door open all the time now and the cats never go in it. They've watched laundry spin around, so I guess they're smart enough to not want to go in it. I have not had this problem again since I always leave the door open and I did this over a month ago. I hope this helps!