Smells From Washing Machine? What Causes Mustiness and What to Clean

Moisture and residue encourage mildew

If you're regularly washing clothes but can't remember cleaning the machine, we'd check the cleaning routine and detergent use first. Missed cleaning and leftover detergent can both contribute to mildew odors, so those checks help you address the buildup and the habits that encourage it.

Mildew is a type of mold that grows in moist, dark places with poor airflow. Those conditions can develop in either a front loader or a top loader. The cleaning advice below targets that musty, mildew-type smell.

Other possible contributors include wet laundry left inside after a cycle and a dirty detergent dispenser. Maytag also identifies using only cool-water cycles and closing the washer door immediately after unloading as habits that can contribute to mildew smells over time. Think about which of these fits your laundry routine as you work through the checks.

Your detergent can leave something behind

Look at the detergent you're using before your next load. If you have a high-efficiency washer, use HE detergent, because non-HE detergent can leave buildup that leads to odors. Check your owner's manual to confirm your washer type and the detergent it needs.

Check the amount separately from the type. Even the right detergent can leave residue when you use more than recommended, so adding extra isn't the way to address a musty machine. Follow Whirlpool's detergent guidance (opens in a new tab) by checking your owner's manual for an amount suited to your load size and how dirty the clothes are.

If the smell returns after cleaning, detergent use deserves another look. Cleaning helps remove existing residue, while using the correct type and amount helps prevent more from accumulating. That makes detergent choice part of ongoing washer care, even when the bottle isn't what smells.

Choose a cleaner that suits your machine

Before adding any cleaning product, consult your appliance owner's manual for the specific cleaning procedure and suitable products. Maytag makes cleaner suitability dependent on the model. Choose an appropriate washing machine cleaner for the interior, with those model directions guiding your choice.

Skip vinegar for this job. Whirlpool advises against using vinegar in washing machines (opens in a new tab) because it can damage components over time. Use a suitable washer cleaner instead.

For an example of what a dedicated product is intended to do, Whirlpool says affresh washing machine cleaner tablets help reduce residue and grime in hard-to-reach areas, including the tub, valves and drain. Maytag also lists affresh tablets as a cleaner option. The purpose is to clean inside the machine, including areas beyond the surfaces you can wipe.

Maytag's routine for the washer interior

The Maytag interior-cleaning routine (opens in a new tab) gives you a choice based on whether your machine has a dedicated cleaning cycle. Use this general brand guidance alongside your model's cleaning directions. Clean Washer is available on select machines, so the cycle name you use depends on that feature.

1. Remove all clothes and other laundry items, then place the suitable washing machine cleaning tablet directly in the drum, not the dispenser. The drum should contain the cleaner and no laundry.
2. If your machine offers Clean Washer, select it and start the cycle. For machines without it, Maytag gives a Normal or Heavy cycle with the water temperature set to Hot as the alternative. Let the selected cycle finish.
3. After the wash cycle ends, run Rinse & Spin to remove remaining cleaner from inside the machine. Wait for this finishing cycle to end before continuing with the dispenser.

The dedicated cleaning cycle helps reduce residue and odor inside the appliance. The rinse serves a separate purpose by carrying away cleaner left after the wash. Once that sequence is complete, the remaining work is cleaning the applicable dispenser, agitator and opening.

Give the dispenser its own cleaning

A dirty dispenser can contribute to mildew smells even though it's separate from the tub. After the cycle, remove the detergent drawer using the removal instructions in your machine's owner's manual. Follow the method for your washer when taking it out.

Wash the drawer with warm water and mild soap, using a soft sponge or cloth. Rinse with warm water, dry it with a clean towel, then reinsert it. Maytag's dispenser-cleaning directions (opens in a new tab) include that drying step before the drawer goes back into the machine.

Whirlpool recommends mild soap for regular drawer cleaning and separately lists all-purpose cleaner as an option in its odor-removal advice. If you're considering that alternative, keep the product choice within your appliance's cleaning directions. The warm-water-and-mild-soap method above is supported by both brands.

An agitator adds a top-load cleaning step

For a top loader fitted with an agitator, wipe the outside of that part with a damp cloth and mild soap. This branch of Maytag's cleaning routine (opens in a new tab) applies specifically to agitator-equipped machines. If your machine doesn't have one, continue to the washer opening.

Cleaning inside the agitator depends on whether it has a removable cap. Only on a model designed with that feature, gently twist or pull the cap to remove it, then wipe the interior. A cap's removability is the condition for this extra cleaning step.

Whirlpool allows either a cloth or a scrub brush for the inside of a removable-cap agitator. That gives you an alternative tool for this surface while keeping the same feature limit. The damp-cloth-and-mild-soap method applies to the outside.

Finish at the door seal or lid

On a front loader, mildew can hide in the crevices of the rubber door seal. Wipe inside those recessed areas with a clean, damp, soft cloth. Whirlpool specifies a soft cloth for gasket care and says this cleaning helps prevent moisture accumulation.

On a top loader, wipe the lid and washer opening with a clean, damp cloth. Maytag's opening-cleaning advice (opens in a new tab) distinguishes this from the front-loader task because top-load lids don't have that rubber door seal. The lid and opening still belong in the cleaning routine.

After wiping, leave the door or lid open until the interior has air-dried completely. Drying is part of finishing the cleaning, because dampness and poor airflow encourage mildew. Your finishing point is a dry interior after the wet cleaning steps.

Keep the dampness from building up again

Make room for washer cleaning in your regular laundry routine. Whirlpool suggests about once a month, every 30 cycles or as needed (opens in a new tab). Include both the tub and dispenser drawer, and use your model's cleaning directions to shape the routine around the parts it has.

Unload damp clothes as soon as possible after the wash finishes. A wet load left sitting inside can develop mildew and contribute to the appliance's musty smell. Prompt unloading removes that source of lingering dampness from your day-to-day routine.

Between loads, keep the washer door or lid open so the drum can air out. For both front loaders and top loaders, this lets the interior dry between cycles and helps prevent excess moisture that can lead to mildew growth.