My front load washer is about one year old and has begun having the odor problems I've read about. It is a musty, rotten egg smell which makes everyone gag and is smelling up the house. There is no apparent mold, I have done everything possible such as wiping the rubber gasket, keeping the door open, using Afresh, using small amounts of HE detergent, etc. The smell is so bad that I HAVE to close the washer door, but then the odor seems to be coming from behind the machine! We took the detergent drawer out (it was not easy), but there was no mold in there. I am beginning to think the problem is deep in the machine. Fortunately, my clothes and towels haven't begun to smell. Tomorrow I am going to call Frigidaire since I have a 5 year warranty and now realize that thousands of people have the same problem. Does anybody know if there has been a class action suit concerning this? I feel this could be a health problem besides a waste of time, energy, and money!
The first thing to do is to CHECK IN AND AROUND THE RUBBER DOOR BOOT (called a bellow) for small articles of clothing (like socks and underwear) that may have gotten lodged in behind the rubber. Pull the rubber back where it meets the wash tub and look behind it. It is common for small items to get stuck here, become forgotten and start to mildew. You should check this area after each wash and clean it periodically to get rid of the formation of soap scum, mold, and mildew. HINT: When you get ready to wash a load of towels, take a dirty towel and clean the door boot thoroughly (including the areas behind the rubber). Immediately place the towel in the wash and run it on a sanitary cycle. This way you eliminate the need for cleaning rags.
PERIODICALLY RUN THE WASHER ON A CLEANING CYCLE. Place the washer on the hottest setting you have (usually a Sanitary cycle) with nothing but bleach in the wash tub. Some newer models actually have a "Clean Cycle" available now just for this purpose. This helps keep the wash tub, drain lines and pump sanitized.
CHECK AND CLEAN THE DRAIN PUMP FILTER. Accumulations of debris in the drain pump filter can also cause odors. HINT: If you own a shop vac, pull the drain hose from the standpipe at the wall and pull a vacuum on the line. This will drain any residual water left in the tub, pump and drain lines BEFORE you remove the drain pump cover. This will prevent a messy clean up later.
LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN IF POSSIBLE. When not in use, leave the door open to allow the tub to air out and to keep mold and mildew from forming on the door bellow. I know this may not be desirable in some households with small children. If too much mildew forms on the rubber and it cannot be removed, replacement of the bellow may be required.
NOTE: This problem is common with front loader style washing machines. The doors on these machines have an air tight/water tight seal that is great for sealing the washer during the wash cycle, but can be terrible for collecting small garments and for not allowing the tub to properly air out when not in use. Following these simple preventive measures can go a long way towards preventing harmful mold and mildew, and towards extending the life of the door bellow and pump.
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The smell is probably from mold inside the tub and behind the basket. You can not get to it without splitting the tub and removing the basket. If bleach and affresh don't help, it may have been introduced in the water supply. The appliance did not cause the issue so Frigidaire will not assume any responsibility.
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