If your washing machine smells of mould, damp or sewage, it is usually due to dirt, detergent residue and moisture building up inside. The smell is not just unpleasant — it can transfer to your laundry. The good news: most of the problem is solved with proper maintenance and prevention.
The most common cause is detergent and softener residue building up in the drum, rubber door seal and detergent drawer after low-temperature washes with lots of softener. With moisture, this residue creates conditions for mould and bacteria. Other causes: dirt in the drain filter, slow flow in the drainage, and the machine not drying because the door is always kept closed.
Sometimes the smell is like sewage — then the problem may be in the drain hose connection to the sewer or a missing trap.
Once a month, run the machine empty at the highest temperature (90°C) to dissolve residue. Wipe the door seal with a damp cloth and clean water, hair and objects from its folds. Remove and wash the detergent drawer. Check and clean the drain filter monthly. After each wash, leave the door and drawer open for a while so the machine dries.
Don't overuse softener, keep occasional high-temperature washes, don't leave laundry inside for long, and leave the door ajar. In hard-water areas, preventing limescale also keeps the machine odour-free.
Do not pour excessive chemicals to mask the smell, do not clean the seal or drawer with rough, scratching tools, and do not ignore a smell that persists. Strong irritants can damage the rubber seal.
A 166 Usta washing machine technician finds the source: residue in the drum and seal, the drawer, the drain filter, the drainage or the sewer connection, doing a technical clean and replacing parts if needed, then giving prevention advice.
The technician checks under the seal, the drawer channel, the drain filter and the drainage path, distinguishing whether the smell is a maintenance issue or a connection problem, because perfume only masks it while the cause stays.
