Limescale....HELP!!

You could always put the vinegar in the softener compartment and the baking soda in the compartment.  Soda would go first, then followed by the vinegar.

lol. I know its not funny but I cracked up when I read your reply. Must be in a goofy mood tonight. Dont worry  Maddierose. We'll support each other and get to the bottom of our washing machine funk! 

LOL, your reply just made me laugh out loud.  Thanks Pebbles, I needed that

Thanks everyone...

OK, Maddierose... your heard em...off to our machines! Im doing it right now as I cannot stand the smell any longer. Ill be posting later

A bit off topic but possibly a limescale problem.
Our 4 year old washing machine constantly has a awful musty odor. When I was preg. I couldnt even open the door without gagging. What is this? Is it limescale? Am I supposed to be cleaning this thing with something? The clothes dont smell when I take them out its just while the machines empty. I never had this problem with my American machine.

ok
When I pulled out the Hints from Heloise -- and she said to use VINEGAR in the washer -- the Y chromosome carriers in the house had a major TIZZ.  I ended up getting TABLETS for the washer from the grocery(Aqua Softener Descaler Tablets).  They work great and take the RANK smell out of the machine.  Only problem is that I have to do it when FIL isn't paying attention.

Well, we don't have hard water here and our washer smells. I don't know why but it can get pretty bad. We usually leave the door open a crack which helps but we found that even running vinegar regularly only helped temporarily. I HATE this!

Ooooh! Just found this:

http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=43

Thanks Balmerhon for the link. I guess my funk problem is due to liquid detergent. We only use liqua-tabs because our machine is pushed under the breakfast bar and we cant access the drawer for powder. I may have to work out a way to access the drawer now.

Yeah, we use liquid, too, though we put it in the drawer! Guess we'll try some powder once in awhile but I do know that if you even remotely overload the washer, powders can rinse out very poorly and leave streaks on dark clothes.

Is it not possible to put powder directly in the drum here like you would in the US?? Anyone? 

BTW, here's a tip.... my Grandfather was an inventor who worked for DuPont. He told us that the amounts directed on the washing detergent boxes/bottles were much higher than needed. The companies do this for pure profit - the more you use, the more you buy. If you have kids, this really adds up!

I've been using half the directed amount for eons and never had a problem. Only when I have a really filthy load (DH is a field scientist who romps around in river mud a lot!) do I use anywhere near what the state.

Is it not possible to put powder directly in the drum here like you would in the US?? Anyone? 

Of course,this is what we always do.You used to be able to get plastic wash balls free with most powders,just an open topped ball you put the powder in then put it in with your washing,should imagine you can still get them from most supermarkets.

Dave

I always put the powder in the drum and have no prob.  I'm going to run the vinegar through though in our softener compartment as we're having issues with that area...and my flatmate will never do anything regardless of how funky it gets...so it's up to me.

Please to report that all the good advice worked and the washer funk has left the building.

Also thanks to Daver...Ill be looking for a plastic washer ball for powder detergent so I can steer clear of the liquids that caused the god awful funk.

Glad to hear it, Pebbles.  I've never had laundry funk, but I did have problems where my commercial fabric softener would clog up the tray and I was forever cleaning goop out of it.  Now thanks to expat_in_scotland's wonderful advice about vinegar as a fabric softener, I no longer have a goopy tray!

A bit off topic but possibly a limescale problem.
Our 4 year old washing machine constantly has a awful musty odor. When I was preg. I couldnt even open the door without gagging. What is this? Is it limescale? Am I supposed to be cleaning this thing with something? The clothes dont smell when I take them out its just while the machines empty. I never had this problem with my American machine.

Glad the vinegar helped in the end! 

I know this may sound like a stupid question for you - but are you cleaning out the little lint trap thing?  Mine has a very phallic (did I spell that right?) shape and really gets clogged up with fluff.  That can sometimes cause my machine to go a bit whiffy (or stop altoghether!).  It might seem obvious, but an American couple I know here had their washing machine break down (wouldn't spin, etc) and they were in a state.  I ended up doing some of their laundry for them until the 'man' could come out to look at it.  I though about suggesting the lint trap, but it seemed so obvious I just assumed they'd done it.  Turns out that's what it was and she didn't even know the thing existed!!  I could have saved them £50!  But I guess my services as laundress might have made up for that slightly... 

Yes we emptied the lint trap thingy. I can now report however that since my vinegar/baking soda cleaning a week ago my machine funk is back and its full force. It smells WORSE now if you can believe that. It has a rotten cabbage smell now. Frank thinks its possibly the rubber seal it is gonna replace it. If that doesnt work Im honestly gonna get another machine OR hire Lia as our "laundress" 

OK, this is going to sound REALLY REALLY LAME, so forgive me all of you.... Do all dryers have a lint trap? Even the washer/dryer combo machines? Cause I've never noticed one on mine and the instruction book is gone (rented house with a fitted kitchen - god only knows where the booklet ended up!) Hmmm... maybe I'll have to go investigate a bit further. Hell, I only found the salt thingy on my dishwasher about a month ago! LOL.

Washer, dryers, and washer/dryers have lint traps here.  Now, obviously I knew about the ones in dryers, but I never even considered there being ones in washers (because there aren't in the US...at least not to my knowledge...and I literally grew up in an appliance/furniture store!).  DH and I bought a washer not too long ago and it wouldn't drain.  I freaked and he said, "Have you cleaned the lint filter?"  Well, um, no, I didn't because I didn't know such a thing existed!

Of course, looking in my washer's manual, it says to clean the filter after every load.  Huh?  Haven't cleaned it since we cleaned it when the thing stopped working (and won't clean it until it stops working again).