Another thought on the subject:

Perhaps those who never experience a problem with smelly clothes wash more loads of laundry, thus any sitting/residual water doesn't have time to get 'smelly' before it's flushed out with the new water? People who end up having the smell problems might only do loads once a week or less, and any residual water sits for a longer period of time. Just a thought....

I don't have a front loader so I can't speak from experience. However, from what I've read, the biggest problem is that many or most, or whatever number of machines get water trapped in the door seal. Seems to me that the people who have no problems make a point of wiping that seal down after every use and leaving the door open at least a while to let it dry out. The ones who leave it seem to have the smell, mold, slime buildup and other issues.

You're going to get people saying they're the worst thing in the world and some that will say they're better than sex. Seems to me the real world lies somewhere in between. They're functional units that need some maintenance and you'll be fine.

I'm on the watch for a new machine since my old reliable, 29 year old GE made JC Penney branded top loader is probably not going to last much more than maybe 20 or 25 more years, so I'm trying to get an idea of what I should look for too. Good luck in your search!

I read all over the internet a year or so ago, trying to help my daughter solve her smelly towels problem. She made a few changes and no longer has the problem. She does at least one load a day, often more, so any water residue isn't sitting there for days on end. She'd tried hot-water-with-Clorox and no clothes, she made sure the seal was clean, and a number of other things.

The change that seemed to solve the problem was switching to Charlie's Soap. She'd been using regular detergent, just smaller amounts. Since switching, her towels are fine . . . it took a few washings, but that did the trick. I suspect that some of the ingredients in regular detergents just don't rinse out.

I went from a top loader to a front loader about 5 months ago. I started out with Charlie's and have never used anything else. I use the recommended amount of CS, plus about 1 oz. of fabric softener and as much white vinegar with it as will fit in the dispenser. No smelly towels, ever.

I do all my laundry in a day and then leave the washing machine door open till it's all dried out. I also make sure the detergent drawer is dried.

If you do a search on "smelly clothes" or variations, you'll find lots of recommendations for Charlie's. I'm sold on it . . . wish I owned stock!

I've had a Miele 6K machine since 2003 and have never had any type of odor from it, or any smelly clothes. All loads are done within one or two days and then the washer sits for the next 6 days. I only started wiping it down after I read the suggestion here. It can't hurt, and it takes less than 1 1/2 minutes.

I insert a paper towel into the door boot and while it is soaking up any leftover water I open the dispenser drawer, take another paper towel and wipe the excess moisture out of the cups - I don't wipe them completely dry. Then I return to the boot, extract the towel and discard both of them...that's it.

I do warm or hot washes and try not to do the cold water wash stuff----not into it. I avoid liquid detergents.

When I had a TL I would wipe down the sides inside the tub also otherwise I would end up with a scum ring on it.

I consider this standard maintenance of products I have.

I keep an old wash cloth on top of my machine, and after the last load, wipe down the rubber gasket and the door, then flip opent the lid for the soap dispenser, and then place the wash cloth folded up in the top corner of the opening side of the door... to 'wedge' it open to dry out...

My washer is in a closet area, so it's not visible to anyone, unless they go looking in the closet! Also use Charlie's... no problem in 18+ months of fl use... I believe the 'smell' issue arrises from shutting the door and soap dispenser area when laundry is done, thus creating a 'sealed' environment for whatever residual mositure is there... keep it open/vented for dryout and the problem should hopefully never exist.

I have a Kenmore HE3 that was purchased in 2003. Have never had smelly clothes, towels, etc. After the last load I do open the dispenser with a quick jerking motion, which will make any water run into the tub of the machine, and leave the door open. I don't wipe down the boot, and I only use cold wash for delicate or special washing of really nice things. I do use hot water for whites with bleach. I haven't used charlies soap, been a tide/gain man for a long time.

Along with what some others have said about closing the door and dispenser, I also think overloading the washer plays into it, some think that since it's a front loader they can pack it full. Using too much detergent or not enough detergent can also contribute to the problem.

Sounds like a a few minutes of care should take care of any smell problems if the unit is working properly.

Thanks for the replies!

The great thing about my asko is that there is no rubber seal. I have never had a mold/smell problem with it.

I always wash and dry clothes right away. Nothing sits in it longer then the dryer takes to be empty to move the load over. I always crack the door and pull out the detergent dispenser as well. No smells.

Good thing is that it heats to 205 so when I do towels once or twice a week, it does get a super heated wash to clean itself out.,

I found a great site that explains why the new HE FL machines have odor problems. www.nufreshnow.com

It explains why it is happening, how to fix the problem and how to keep it fromcomming back.

The explanations are too longfor this post but you should go to the site and read all the details. The explanations are really easy to ounderstand. There are a bunch of different cleaning methods explained too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nu Fresh Home

That site is a commercial for selling the Nu Fresh product. Whoever wrote the article about HE washers is either confused on some points, or more likely is purposely misrepresenting things so as to sell the product. I am not aware of any washer currently on the market that holds the final rinse water inside the machine to be reused later for the next washload.

I've had a Kenmore HE3 for five years and I've never had any problems with this. I leave it open to dry and that's it. Use Sears HE powder exclusively - run an occasional hot load - rarely use bleach.

The biggest drawback to a FL in my opinion is the no hot wash. Almost all modern washers in order to meet energy guidelines, fill the"hot" wash partially, agitate and then add warm or cool water. Health studies have shown that bacteria, viruses, etc can be carried over to the next loads or onto clean clothes. If this is not a problem (no illness in the family) FL could be helpful. My washer isn't a front loader but I manually load the water (nuisance) for hot washes.

Puzzlefan you just need to buy a FL with a sanitize function. On the sanitize the manufacture will hold a certain temp for a specific period of time to meet a standard that is regulated by a various regulatory agency to actually kill/sanitize a load.

In November, I switched from a TL to a FL, because my old TL quit working. A smidge of maintenance goes a long way.

Simply speaking, just dry out the gasket and leave the door opened a crack when not in use. Ta Da! That's the big secret with FL machines. It's not 'rocket surgery' like everyone would like you to believe.

Denise

I have to agree with sspye here.

If you have a traditional toploader, you should be leaving the lid open after the last load, or you will get that funky sour smell. Having had FL in the '80s and now having a FL, it's the same. After use, let the door open a jar, doesn't have to stand fully open.

I also read alot on her about the killing of germs to make sure that no "funk" grows in the machine. Being the the medical field, I would like to pass on this bit of information. In hospitals, when medical staff "scrubs" up for surgery, they DO NOT use "HOT" water. It is tempted water, soap, and looooonnnngg wash/scrub time on the hands. Yes, a brush/lofa type devise is used, but the real trick in the long wash time to kill the germs. Google handwashing on the net and most articals will tell you to spend atleast 15-20 seconds with a vigorus motion. This is why FLs have a long washer time.

Other than that, sspye is right, no rocket surgery. Ocassional bleach on the whites in hot water, TaDa!!! no problems.

In short, 90% (probably far more) of the smell problems are cause by the ever-dangerous "pilot error".

I have an HE washer - toploader, not frontloader. I've had it almost a year and have never had one problem with odors, mold or mildew, etc.

I do leave the top open when not doing laundry - as I always did with my conventional washers too.