5 ways to keep your washng machine odor free

 These are the things that I have done to keep the stink away from my washing machine.

1. 1 tablespoon of liquid detergent is enough soap.

   If you have very hard water then use 2 tablespoons.  If you think about how much less water a high effecient washing machine uses, it would be silly to use the same amount of soap as you would in a regualr non efficient top loader.
   
   If you run a wash cycle without clothes or soap and you see bubbles, that's a good sign that you have soap build up in your machine.  This also means that you more than likely have soap build up in your clothes, towels especially.  A build up of soap is what mold and mildew love and that's where the smell comes from.
   
   Make sure you're buying laundry detergent that says "He" (high efficient).  High effecient soap bubbles less and is easier to rinse.  Easier to rinse = less gunk.
   
   
   
   
2. Keep the door open.
   
   When your washing machine isn't in use, leave the door open.  Everything needs to be able to dry out in order to keep mold and mildew at bay.  There's even a special fan you can buy online that sticks to the back of your washer, it sticks with a magnet and it blows air inside to help with the drying process.  If you're like me and you don't want to dish out an extra $70, you could use a fan that you already own and point it at the drum on the inside.
   
   
   
3. Wash and dry the rubber seal.
   
   There is a big rubber seal around the opening of your washing machine.  If your washer is like mine then it gets funky and needs a good washing from time to time.  A small amount of water is left here after you run a cycle and over time to turns into mildew.  Sometimes I like to use baking soda and vinegar to scrub the funk away, and if I don't feel like making potions I just use dish soap.  Don't get the dish soap in the machine or you can have a big bubbly mess.  Dry well when the area is clean.
   
   Give the inside of the door a good wipe for good measure.  You would be surprised with what comes off the glass sometimes.
   
   
   
4. Drain the extra water.
   
   Do this at your own risk.
   There is a chance that you have something stuck in the drain or it's clogged with gunk.  The door to the drain is on the front, along the bottom.  Mine is on the bottom left.  Make sure you get a big enough container to collect all the water that will drain out.  There's lots of YouTube videos on how to do this if you're feeling adventurous. 
   
   
   
5. Smelly Washer or Tide Washing Machine Cleaner.
   
   Smelly Washer is a powder that you can purchase online.  Just throw some powder in the drum, run a cycle on hot and there you go.  It works fairly well for me.  It had a very mild smell, perfect for those who don't like perfume.  Tide came out with their own washing machine cleaner too.  I haven't tried it yet, so I couldn't tell you how good it is, but I have read some positive reviews online that make me want to give it a try.
   
   
   
   With everything that I mentioned here, the number 1 most important thing to remember is to make sure you are only using 1 tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent.
   
   
   
   

 Here's a couple of links for you.
 
http://smellywasher.com/

http://www.tide.com/en-CA/product/tide-washing-machine-cleaner.jspx


Things to remember.
- Only use 1 tablespoon of laundry detergent.
- Keep the door open.
- Wash and dry the rubber seal.
- Drain the extra water.
- Try Smelly Washer or Tide Washing machine cleaner.