The quick guide to washing machine drum cleaning — stop smelly clothes for good

Your shirts come out “clean”, yet the drum breathes out a sour, swampy whiff that clings to cotton and pride alike. The mystery isn’t your detergent or your nose — it’s what’s living inside the machine. *It smells like a wet dog in a gym bag.*

I opened the washing machine and the air pushed back — a flat, damp odour, like a locker room after closing. Socks went in, door clicked shut, and I paused because the smell didn’t. We’ve all had that moment when a “fresh” load makes the house smell worse, not better. I pulled out the drawer. Slimy edges. Little black flecks under the rubber lip. A stale puddle sitting in the seal like a forgotten cup of tea. The drum shone, but it wasn’t clean. The culprit is hiding in plain sight.

Why your drum smells — and what it’s really telling you

Modern machines are brilliant at saving energy, not so brilliant at killing the muck you can’t see. Low-temperature cycles, shorter rinses, and generous capfuls of softener create a perfect soup for biofilm — that sticky layer of detergent residue, skin cells, and hard-water limescale. The drum looks stainless because it is, yet the gunk clings behind it, in the sump hose, the **rubber door seal**, and the detergent drawer channels. When it warms during a wash, that biofilm releases gas. Your nose does the rest.

Take Sarah, a new parent in Leeds, who messaged me in mild despair: baby vests out, baby funk in. She’d done what most of us do — quick 30°C, a slosh more soap “for luck”, lid closed tight afterwards. One Saturday she tried a high-heat empty cycle and wiped the seal with kitchen roll. The paper came back grey. Two sheets later, black. She cleaned the drawer, ran another hot programme with soda crystals, and left the door ajar overnight. The next morning, the smell had finally blinked.

Here’s the simple truth: smells usually mean build-up. Detergent that doesn’t rinse away sticks. Fabric softener is basically perfume suspended in oil; lovely on towels, a nightmare in pipes. Cooler washes don’t dissolve fats well, and hard water plates it all with limescale. Bacteria love the stable food source. The machine isn’t broken — it’s just been running like a commuter who never stretches. Airflow, heat, and a decent flush reset the system. That’s what your drum is trying to tell you.

The quick clean: a simple routine that actually works

Start with touch, not tech. Pull out the drawer and soak it in hot, soapy water. Use an old toothbrush to lift the slime from corners, then clean the cavity where the drawer lives. Fold back the lip of the door gasket and wipe every groove; a microfibre cloth around a finger finds the hidden line of black. Now run an empty **hot wash** — 60–90°C — with either 250 ml white vinegar or 100 g soda crystals in the drum. Pick one. If you prefer a shop product, a reputable machine cleaner works fine. When it finishes, leave the door and drawer open to dry.

Next comes the filter. Unplug the machine, lay towels on the floor, and slowly open the filter hatch. Expect coins, hair grips, a lost Lego man. Let a litre or two of grey water escape; that pocket can smell like a canal. Rinse the filter under the tap, twist it back snug, and wipe the hatch. Let’s be honest: nobody does this every week. Aim for monthly, and after any muddy kit day. Small rinse, big payoff.

Most mistakes are innocent. Too much detergent leaves more to rot. Mixing vinegar with bleach creates toxic fumes; mixing vinegar with bicarbonate neutralises both. Don’t do either. Avoid overloading — clothes need space to bash clean. Skip constant cold cycles; slip in one hot maintenance wash for the machine’s sake.

“Nine times out of ten, it’s residue and airflow,” says Tom, a repair engineer in Bristol. “Give the machine a proper hot run and keep the door open. It’s boring advice because it works.”

• Monthly: empty hot wash with vinegar, citric acid, or a cleaner — not together.
• Weekly: wipe the **detergent drawer** and the gasket lip.
• After every wash: door and drawer open till dry.
• Quarterly: clean the filter and check the drain hose.
• Always: use the right dose for your water hardness.

Keep it fresh: small habits, big difference

Think of your machine like a gym member. It performs brilliantly when it warms up sometimes, stretches often, and breathes between sessions. A single maintenance cycle won’t rewrite years of residue, yet three weeks of better habits will. Use less liquid if you live in a soft-water area. Swap softener for wool dryer balls now and then. Run towels hot. Park the door ajar. If you’ve got stubborn odours after cleaning, check the standpipe and the U-bend — drain smells love to masquerade as drum smells. It’s oddly satisfying to watch that first clear, hot flush swirl away, like rinsing a road after rain. Tell a friend what actually sorted it for you.

FAQ :

• How often should I clean the drum?Do a monthly empty hot wash if you mostly use cool cycles, or every two months if you run regular 60°C loads. Wipe the seal weekly.
• Is vinegar safe for my washing machine?In moderate amounts, yes. Use 200–300 ml on an empty hot cycle. Don’t combine with bleach, and don’t leave it sitting on rubber for hours.
• Can I use bleach to clean the drum?You can, but follow the label, ventilate, and never mix with acids like vinegar or citric acid. Rinse with a short hot cycle afterwards.
• What if clothes still smell after cleaning?Check the filter, sump hose, and household drain. Try an oxygen-based cleaner on an empty hot wash, reduce detergent dose, and leave the door open to dry.
• Do machine cleaners work better than home remedies?Both can work. Branded cleaners are convenient and measured. Vinegar or citric acid cut limescale; soda crystals lift grease. The key is heat and regularity.