There is a smell in the washer which remains even after cleaning with bleach. It is a damp rotten smell - best way I can describe it. I have tried leaving the soap dispenser drawer open to air out and the door not closed completely as well, but it is not doing the job. I wonder what can be done next.

Don't use eucalyptus oil, because it will damage the rubber, and the smell will linger.
The black mould should be wiped off using a damp soft cloth and mild detergent. Diluted bleach (1 part in 10 parts cold water) can also be used, with care (wear gloves); don't use full-strength bleach, because it can damage rubber and corrode metal. Leave the door and detergent drawer open between washes and overnight to keep air circulating through the machine. This will slow down the regrowth of mould. For further improvement, wipe the seal dry after each use of the machine. If your laundry room remains steamy or damp for hours after washing, improve the ventilation

Hi, pull out the fridge and remove the back panel, and clean that area. Make sure no food is stuck under the fridge also. A rotten piece of fruit or other food, once under there, will smell until it totally decomposes. You can also mix 1/3 cup of bleach and 2/3 cup of water , and pour down drain tube (rear bottom in freezer section. Too much bleach and the smell of bleach would be circulated by the fan to the room, so be sure to add water. Finally, another popular methods of removing fridge odor include washing the entire fridge out with a vinegar and water solution, placing fresh coffee grinds or boxes of baking soda on each shelf and even using trays of cat litter.

Despite washers remain with some residual water in the pump and wet components it should no be so critical as you are indicating especially if you cleaned it as you stated. You are not describing the smell but try to isolate the source, like the washer drainage point (odors coming from sewage), behind the washer, and inside or under the washer where the mechanical components are. It wouldn't be surprising to find a dead rat, lizard or pests in there. Sometimes even wet laundry falling behind the appliances stinks strongly. Be safe moving and reaching on difficult places. Good luck.

Have you cleaned under the refrigerator

Switch from liquid to powder detergent, no fabric softner (I know...I love it too), clean the gasket and run a cycle with bleach only. Leave the door open whenever possible. This fixed my smelly washer, now if it would only spin!

2 things you may try if you haven't already ..let washer fill with hot water ..pause and open door pour in about 2 cups chlorine bleach before starting back up..with rag soaked in bleach/water clean inside front door boot ..be sure to roll boot toward front and clean out accumilation under it wash as much as possible off door seal..allow to finish cycle (normal wash should be fine)..may also try removing lower panel remove pump acess plug and clean pump out thoroughly..you are not alone ALL front washer have same issue and if some sort of routine cleaning isn't done problem reoccurs also leaving door slightly open between usues will help ..by the way that is a german made washer

IMPORTANT: Read thoroughly. DO NOT add detergent or other laundry products to this cycle.
1. Remove all items from the washer.
2. Open the dispenser drawer and 2/3 cup (160 mL) of liquid chlorine bleach to the bleach compartment. DO NOT use more than 2/3 cup (160mL) of bleach per cycle as this will lead to product damage.
3. Close the washer door and dispenser drawer.
4. Select the Clean Washer cycle or a full wash cotton 104 F wash (40 C). DO NOT use any higher temperature as this will cause unnecessary fumes
5. Press Start and allow cycle to complete.
6. If the bad odour persists, repeat the procedure 1 or 2 more times. This may be necessary if this is the first time you have run this cycle.
7. After the cycle is complete, leave the door open slightly to allow ventilation and drying of the washer interior.
8. Repeat the cleaning procedure monthly.
To maintain the washer freshness:
1. Use only HE High Efficiency detergent.
2. Leave the door open after each cycle to for better ventilation and drying of the washer interior.
3. Use warm / hot water in your machine unless the fabric you are washing requires cold.
4. Use the correct amount of fabric softener.
5. If your laundry room is damp, use a dehumidifier.
6. Clean the door seal of visible residue.

I had the same problem, except it wasn't just towels. It was everything. I did some research and found that this is a common problem and nothing a tech can fix. I was about to go out this weekend and spend $1000 on a new washer because I couldn't use this washer on my clothes anymore. I did one more search for a solution and THANK GOODNESS found a solution on another site. A woman had the same problem and, after much trouble, someone at Best Buy finally told her to never use liquid detergent in the machine, not even HE. So I cleaned the inside of my machine, around the door, the rubber seal, etc. I ran the tub clean cycle with bleach and vinegar. The smell was gone and I have been using powder Tide ever since, and the smell hasn't come back!!!!!

clean out the food traps in the bottom, assuming the unit has some sort of filter.
then run a cup of bleach in the unit with no dishes. you might need to do this once or twice.
make sure you use fresh bleach.
most bleach dies in strength after only 2 weeks. it will still smell like bleach to some degree, but it will have little effect. most bleach manufacturers add 'scents' to the bleach to hide the degradation characteristics of bleach.
also, you may have a partially blocked air gap.
to determine this, check for water remaining in the bottom of the tub after it drains. left over water will contribute to odor, and negate any sterilization you dishwasher might otherwise try to do.
good luck
mark

I had that. Eventually found a dead mouse in the door seal. Sorry but it's true.