I bought my LG washer & dryer set in July of 2006 and have taken great care of these machines. Just 5 months ago the washer started smelling like mildew even though I dry inside the rubber seal on the door and leave the door open to air dry inside after I'm finished with the laundry. I've been in contact with LG & Home Depot where I bought them and they've advised me to run bleach through it, empty the drain located on the front, rund Whirl Out through it, etc... I've done all of these things and still have this horrible smell coming from inside the drum itself. The water that I emptied from the drain had no odor. When I clean under and in between the rubber seal on the door there is no sign of mildew or the odor on the towel that I use. I stick my head inside the washer and it's obvious that's where it's coming from. I was told the tub has a 5 year warranty on it. I don't know what else to do. I've wasted so much time of course trying to do everything possible (without taking this stupid thing apart) to make this smell go away or find the actual cause and no such luck. In researching the internet I've found where I'm not the only person having this problem, knor is LG the only washer that has the mildew smell, but they're all front loaders with the same problem. I've reported it to consumer affairs, but I don't know what else I can do! I spent so much money on this machine and it makes me sick to think that I'm stuck with a mildew smelling washing machine!!! HELP>>>>>>>PLEASE!!!!!!!!! We have been dealing with the same mildew/odor smell since our washing machine was 7 or 8 months old. We are going on almost 5 years. When I first complained to Sears, where we purchased it, they said they had never heard of such a problem....criminal. We have an old septic system on a waterfront property which means we can not use anythin caustic, like bleach and chlorine. With 8 people in our family, we need to use a water efficient machine. I have tried EVERYTHING! We have taken the front panels off and cleaned out the filter...it had some build up, but it was not the culprit of the odor. WHile the front rubber gasket gets grimy and demands a ridiculous amount of maintenance in the form of scrubing and wiping continuously, it is not the problem. The mold is obviously growing between the two drums....and there is no way to access it. From all my exhaustive research, it appears that this is a design flaw consistent with almost all front loading washers, and none of the manufacturers will admit to it. I will be purchasing a new washer as soon as I am convinced that I won't be going through this again. I find myself washing loads repeatedly...this is not energy efficient and defeats the purpose. Our clothes and towels always smell bad and I cringe when I think that the mold is mixed with all that we launder. This has to be a health hazard. I am leaning toward the Bosche as it has the fewest complaints and most praise. Can anyone advise me differently?
LG model WM2688H front load washer Once you follow this, the smell will go & you only need to run the tub clean mode with oxiclean once a month. This has worked for my client. Her washer made the entire house smell & your eyes tear when you got near it...not any more. 1) Leave the door open! Detergent door too when not in use. 2) Clean the filter (bottom left below door on front) You need a container to catch about a cup of water, or a towel to clean up the cup of water that will spill. Remove the rubber hose...twist off the cap...drain water out of tube. replace cap, replace tube. Next to tube is a twist cap. Turn counter clockwise, remove and clean filter, put back in. 3) I boil water (2 gallons) mix in some bleach 1/2 cup, and put the solution inside the washer. I let it sit for 10 minutes. With my hand I rotate the drum 1/5 of a turn and let soak for 10 minutes. rotate 1/5, sit, rotate, sit until entire tub has sat in the boiling water for 10 minutes. Boiling =212 degrees. Kill Mold= 108 degrees. Water Heater= 120 typically 4) If there is a sink nearby, run the hot water prior to starting a cleaning cycle!!! Screw the environmentalists. (sorry, but you want to get rid of your mold) Because of the minimal quantities of water used in a wash cycle, the water in your pipes does not remain hot all night long, and the washer does not have a built in heater to raise the temp. So you're using cold water to wash everything...including the clean cycles &/or bleaching. 5) I leave the boiling water in, add a scoop of Oxiclean. There is a "Tub Clean" mode on the LG. It's a 1 1/2 hour hot wash made especially to clean the inner tub. Check your owners manual!!! It's in there, for some reason they think people read these things...or if you don't like reading on this model it's the 3rd button on the right side options. The button says EXTRA RINSE in BIG BOLD Letters and in smaller letters...tub clean. Hold the button down for 3-5 seconds, the door will lock & it will ask you to add bleach. Fill the bleach compartment. Use liquid bleach Clorox, NOT the HE gel bleach. 6) Don't use AFFRESH!!! Oxiclean 1,000 times better. 7) HE Powder over HE liquids definately. You should be mold free. Do this once a month.
YES RUN THE TUB CLEAN CYCLE run it twice on the same day then every week for three weeks then run it every month to maintain a clean bacteria free washing machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJpzQPDcO...
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WARNING - do not buy an LG front loader washing machine. Horrible mildew/mold odors in our cloths, after only three months of use. I have only had machine since March 2008 and continually battling odors. Have had LG service over 4 times already.
I also do not recommend the matching dryer. It does NOT dry your cloths.
I have seen no decrease in electricity bill, in fact I believe I am spending more money trying to continually battle the machine against odors (running bleach through machine); also it is very hard on the cloths and now that I have to use bleach (which I never used before) our cloths are wearing out faster. As a working mother, I am held hostage by this machine: I can’t do cloths at night; I can’t do a load in the morning before heading out the door to work --- (as the door needs to be kept open and wiped down after each use)
Stick to the traditional machines
I TOTALLY REGRET BUYING A FRONT END LOADER.
YES RUN THE TUB CLEAN CYCLE run it twice on the same day then every week for three weeks then run it every month to maintain a clean bacteria free washing machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJpzQPDcO...
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There is nothing in a washer to cause the smell - they are constructed in usually stainless steel, plastics and rubber for the hoses..
the fault is not with the washer.
causes of smell are usually:
using liquid detergent. this over a period causes a smell like drains.
to cure, put on a boil wash and use powder detergent. if a machine is stripped down where liquid detergent has been used, there is a horrid slimy sludge present.
also, if drain hose from washer is plumbed in under sink and a waste disposal unit is present, then this can also cause a smell
also make sure there is a water trap or air break present in the drain line before it enters the sewer
changing your washer will not solve the problem
you may not like this answer but what ive said is true and ive met this problem often
Wrong, the old top load sears washer worked for years and clothes NEVER smelled same drain swim sink LG front loader sucks I will buy an old style and thow away the LG
Sorry same sink
YES RUN THE TUB CLEAN CYCLE run it twice on the same day then every week for three weeks then run it every month to maintain a clean bacteria free washing machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJpzQPDcO...
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If your problem is this bad, I think you have a hidden culprit.
Something that happened to me... small socks. I was a little clueless. I would put these items in my wash not worrying. Apparently, one of these items would occasionally find its way out of the drum. Big problems.
I now use a mesh bag to wash small socks. Every once in a while something bigger will get caught under the rubber near the door (I check that after every wash).
We also have taken off the bottom front panel and found a sock in the drain down there.
Since checking the rubber and using the mesh bag (after cleaning washer), I have no problem with mold and I don't leave the door open. I have had my Kenmore Elite HE3 for 10 years.
I do have to check for errant clothes that went somewhere they shouldn't. It is annoying, but I don't have $2000 dollars to spend on a new washer and dryer.
I also had problems with the dryer. Occasionally the vent would detach a tiny bit from the back. This would cause the dryer not work. Pain in the neck but fixable.
I would always get the service plan on a washer and dryer (even though it sucks to spend the money).
Unfortunately, I don't think there is a solution to this problem. We bought an LG front loading washing machine a few years back. Within months, we were having that horrible, sulfur smell and all of our towels and clothes smelled awful. Home Depot, where we purchased it, told us it was a problem that needed to be dealt with directly through LG. Nobody would help us. LG kept insisting we try the vinegar rinse and all of these other remedies, but nothing worked. When my husband would call LG and they would answer, "Lifes Good, can I help you?" My husband would respond, "NO, life is NOT good." It was a nightmare to deal with these people. We finally demanded our full money back on this horrible product or we would talk to our legal counsel. It took some time and many transferred phone calls, but we finally got our money back. Don't settle for anything less. It is a defective product and nobody should have horrible smelling laundry from a fairly new machine. We will NEVER buy another LG product. It was a horrible experience and we now have a Kenmore machine, but not a front loader. We will never purchase another one of those even if it is made by another company. Good luck to all of you.
I had same problem. Found a washer cleaner at home improvement store called Affresh...is a hard tablet you drop in and run a cycle with. you need to do it the first time 3 separates consecutive times, It worked for me after 2 consecutive washes. I have not had to do it since... I bought a bunch ! product recommends once a month cleaning. There are 2 or 3 tablets in a package.
You should not have to add a freshener to your washer!! Especially a high-end washer!! LG should have recalled this product. How many other high end washers are making you add a freshener to "improve" their expensive product? Hello LG, your washer STINKS!!!
What would happen if something was wrong with their water pump, would you be okay with hand pumping it?!!!
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Special Thanks to Mr Mattew
I bought the Washer and Dryer set last year as a gift for my wife (not that its her job to do laundry, but it renovated the laundry room while she was on vacation, so the new units were a suprise)
anyway, about 6 months into owning them, the towels started to smell musty. We have tried keeping the rubber seal clean,but have not been able to locate or rid the machine of the smell. Now, about 75% of our cloths stink if they get damp or sweaty. Its really frustrating.
I'm gonna try the tips listed above and see if I have any success. I'll report back later.
Thanks
Try smellywasher.com. $16 a bottle and you only have to use 1 tablespoon at a time.
There is also Affresh tablets, but at $8 per 3 tablets, they are also more expensive.
My friend has a top loader that had a smell, cuz her tenants used to leave the wash in the washer for days at a time. After spending $100 for a repair technician to take apart the washer and clean out the gunk, which helped a little bit, she heard about this smellywasher stuff and it worked.
p.s. The repair man also recommended that she only use powdered, low sudsing detergent (ie the HE kind that you use for front loaders). And AVOID fabric softener.
It seems that liquid detergents and fabric softener especially when used together leave a lot of gunk and buildup behind on your washer drum, which overtime gives the algae somewhere to grow.
If you really can't live without fab softner. Try 1/2 cup vinegar in your dispenser and use Dryer Balls in the dryer. It works just as well.
Hope all this helped. I've had a lg front loader for 3 years with no problems, but now i'm a little worried, so i'll keep my fingers crossed and a bottle that smellywasher stuff in the cupboard just in case.
SOURCE: LG washing machine has AWFUL mildew smell
have you tryed a boil wash with nothing in the washer to soften and expel any caked powder in the drum?i know this does help
SOURCE: LG washing machine has AWFUL mildew smell
Same here. We bought ours January 2005. Love the machines and take great care of them, too. Then the smell in the washer which seemed to affect certain clothes, like thick sweat pants and t-shirts (they smelled really "sour"). After doing some searches I found on this site where someone had recommended using a product called Affresh. I figured I might as well try it since my other attempts failed. This really worked for me. I bought it at Home Depot for $7 for a pkg of 3. I used 3 tablets per their directions, as this was my first time using it (afterwards they recommend using only 1 tablet per month). I was totally amazed as the smell was gone. I hope it works for you, too!
SOURCE: LG washing machine has AWFUL mildew smell
I'm contacting LG's service department and I'll see what they intend to do.
SOURCE: LG washing machine has AWFUL mildew smell
Causes of grease, slime and black mould inside washing machine Your problem has nothing to do with the washing machine, any washing machine - even the best can be affected. I suspect your problem is mostly related to using liquid detergents that contain no bleaching agents
SOURCE: LG washing machine has AWFUL mildew smell
Don't know if this is the same as your problem, but I had a Kenmore washer, (made by Whirlpool) that did the same thing. It was a high efficiency model without an agitator. I finally found out that this type of washer never drains completely but always has some water left in it. This water is somewhere internal that cannot be seen unless the machine is taken apart. That water goes bad and stinks. Everything smelled like mildew and for some while my husband thought I was was washing clothes and leaving them in until they dried. I ended up having to just buy a new machine and when the stinky washer was taken away, just tilting it caused all this foul water to come out everywhere. Also I found this on the internet http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/lg_washing_machine.html
scroll down and see how other people feel about this machine. I decided that instead of buying the newest, latest, greatest, with all the bells and whistles appliances, from now on I will buy the time tested, plain jane models.
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I also have a LG front loader washer and dryer and we are having the same problem. Our laundry when it drys smells like Mildew. It just started to happen last month. We bought the set from Home Depot in March 08
Dan
I have had the exact same problem. I am actually about to toss a good set of eight bath towels away because the odor from the LG washing machine has transferred to my towels thus making us smell mildewy after drying off. It is ridiculous the amount of time I've wasted and the money on "odorizing" the washer. If I could I would return it in a minute but it's just too expensive to do that in this economy!!!
Since January 2008, I've had an awful sulfur odor from the Kenmore Elite H3 Frontloader washer machine while it is in the wash cycle. Â Surprisingly, the clothes do not smell after the wash is done. Â I've have so many neighbors smelling the odor while it is in cycle and sniffing the clothes afterwards. Â (In July of 2006, we replaced our Maytag Neptune machine with the Kenmore H3 because of an awful mildew smell while it ran and the clothes smelled afterwards.) Â Initially, I didn't believe it was the machine. Â I had the toilet ring on the toilet in the bathroom where the washer is located replaced to see if that was the cause. Â We had our septic system "smoke tested" to see if the smell was originating from a cracked pipe inside the house or to the septic system - no issues. Â Finally, we decided to chlorinate our well to see if that would stop the smell. Â The well water has been tested twice this year and is fine and doesn't smell when it's running in the kitchen or other bathroom/tub/showers. Â I'm familiar with "refreshening" processes (from Maytag and my own) that involve copious amounts of bleach and dishwashing crystals, constant wiping of standing water. Â We're on a private well and septic system and I really think we're doing long term damage if we have to run these bleach cycles every couple of days. Â NOTHING has worked to stop the smell from returning. Â I leave it open to "dry out" which is a problem with kids who find it funny to see if they fit in there. Â I find these machines completely inefficient because of additional water usage needed to run separate bleach cycles and it's terrible impact on the environment. Â I'm sick thinking about the calls I'll have to make to get some service on this. Â I'm surprised some consumer group or environmental group hasn't picked up on this yet.
I too have a LG front loading washer with an AWFUL mildew smell. I have tried all of the same sugguestions without any success. I regret ever buying this washing machine!!
I have same problem EXACT the same, call LG customer can't get them to send out Tech to solve problem. I'll never buy another LG problem (TV's, Appliances, etc...)
same problem as smelly water, I use a rinse of Borax baking soda and white vinegar to alleviate it...only works short term....
The Bosch is no problem. I have Awful musty smelled towels and hate it. i want to replace every towel in the house. My kids smell musty after drying. I am sick and tired of it!!!
YES RUN THE TUB CLEAN CYCLE run it twice on the same day then every week for three weeks then run it every month to maintain a clean bacteria free washing machine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJpzQPDcO...
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