Why does my laundry smell?

[DiscoStu]

The last few loads of washing I've done have all come out smelly. I have a year old top-of-the-range Hotpoint Ultima washing machine, and I use Persil liquid and Pure fabric Softener.
I did a wash yesterday which is hanging on a drier in my spare room, and it's not pleasant. I smelled the inside of the machine today and it has a similar smell.
Could it be a drainage problem?
Could there be a build up of dirt in the waste outlet?
Is there an easy way of rectifying this problem?

I've just put on an empty load but with 2 scoops of Oxi-Clean in the drum. Will this help?

[confused79]

Did you get the washing out as soon as it finished or was in left in the drum for a while, i find this happends if the washing gets left in there.
if the answer is no i woudl say there may be some drainage problem?
Try doing a wash load with no clothes in just washing power or liquid watever you use to give it a clean on its own.

[Ethel]

By the cheapest biological powder (must be powder) and do the hottest cycle without any washing - just the powder.

This will kill all the bacteria and nasties that don't get killed by washing on low temperatures with non-biological powder.

Take the drawer out and give it a thorough wash and clean the drawer cavity too. I use a plastic cable tie to clean out the jets in the roof of the cavity.

You should do this every couple of months or so, unless you do a lot of boil washes with biological powder.

My washing machine has a removable filter - if you have one, take it out and clean it. Remember to put a bowl under the filter hole first.

Wipe the rubber inside the drum with a mild bleach solution before you do the wash.

Hopefully that will solve your problem.

[Figi]

Stop using fabric conditioner - the work of the devil and quite disgusting. Nobody needs it.

[claire666666]

Stop using washing liquid and use the powder instead.My mother in law and I both used to use liquid and it was making our washing/machine smelly. She googled 'smelly washing machine' and the liquid seem to be the cause of it. We only use powder now and both machines don't smell.

[cheries]

Hi Stu,
I'd probably say your fluff filter is blocked. Try de-fluffing and see if that helps.

[RAYMAN]

Cheries could have the answer,but also check that the outlet hose is not squashed behind the machine or has a kink in it as these two problems could slow the rinse flow from clearing theoutlet quickly so leaving the rinse water in the bottom of the machine when the pump stops.