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Offline Traveshamockery

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More Smell Problems
« on: March 19, 2011, 01:22:27 PM »
I must be going crazy but there is still some strange odor in my house and it has to do with my washer and dryer.  They are front loader Samsungs that I've had since August and about three to four weeks ago, there started to be some odor in my house and on my clean clothes.  I've been to every appliance forum on the internet and they all say the same thing - clean the dryer inside and out and make sure there is no lint anywhere.  Check, did that.  It was also recommended to run a packet of washer cleaner through the washer.  Check, did that.  Run bleach through the washer without any clothes.  Did that.  Use Borax in the washer with the clothes.  Did that.

But this odor still lingers.  I called Lowe's and they are sending someone out on Monday to look over the washer and dryer.  

I don't know if the problem is my clothes because all of my clothes have this smell.  It's almost like lighter fluid or kerosene or some other strange chemical.  It's not moldy or musty.  

I have looked in every closet, every drawer, every nook and cranny in this house to see if there is something dead somewhere.  Nothing like that.  We don't keep a lot of clutter in our house, either, so it's nothing like that.  

It's most prevalent in our bedroom and the laundry room.  It might be prevalent in my bedroom just because my clothes are there.  Since breaking my arm, I really don't wear anything other than jeans or shorts and t-shirts so I have been washing those items a lot more than my nicer clothes.  Those clothes I keep in my dresser drawers and the smell is very strong near my dresser so my theory is that it is originating in my washer and/or dryer and my clothes have just transferred it to my room.  

I'm becoming pretty upset about this because weird smells really bother me - always have.  I don't wear perfume or smelly stuff and neither does my husband.  One time my son came home and used Axe spray and it just about killed me.  I do like the smell of clean, though.  This is not a clean smell - it's a yucky smell.

HELP!!!!  


 :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

To add:  This morning while it was cool outside we opened all the windows and turned on the ceiling fans and just let nice fresh air blow through the house.  That didn't help, either. 
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Offline Traveshamockery

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2011, 01:26:54 PM »
Thanks to whoever for moving this - I guess I didn't go down far enough in the list of threads to find this. 

Sorry! 
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Offline IassaFTots

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2011, 01:33:49 PM »
A chemical-y smell?  It sounds like it has to come from your washer.  Have you smelled your tap water lately?  Could it be that?  I ask, because although I have a filter for drinking water, my water is highly chlorinated, and you can smell it.
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Offline BEG

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2011, 01:35:37 PM »
My friend back in Texas got a front loader the same month as I did. She would always forget clothes in the washer, eventually she started complaining of her towels smelling, then her clothes then the laundry room. I try not to leave clothes in my washer but if I do forget I use the clean washer setting and just add a cup of bleach. That also gets the build up off the glass front. Then I do the same thing with vinegar. Your rubber boot (I think that is what it's called) may have to be replaced if what I said above doesn't work. Check your washer to see if it has a "clean washer" setting. My washer and dryer is a front load Kennmore HE5.

I have also used the tide washer cleaner stuff but I like bleach then vinegar best.
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Offline bijou

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2011, 01:37:40 PM »
I don't have any first hand experience to pass on, but here's a British site with a thread on the same topic and there are lots of ideas given. 

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=468773
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Offline Traveshamockery

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2011, 01:37:56 PM »
Our tap water doesn't have a strong smell to it at all, not even of chlorine.  We don't drink tap water but probably could. 



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Offline BEG

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #6 on: March 19, 2011, 01:41:22 PM »
Ok wait, when our drain backed up in our kitchen bathroom it had a strange chemical like smell. It was strong. Almost like we used a drain cleaner in it. It has happened several times since we lived in this house. When I finally called roto rooter out the guy who snaked the drain said he could smell it too. After he found the clog and got rid of it the smell went away. Maybe you have a clog with something smelly but it's not big enough to actually back up yet. I would smell the chemical smell every once in a while even when the drain didn't back up. Maybe you need to call a plumber.  
« Last Edit: March 19, 2011, 01:46:26 PM by BEG »
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Offline Traveshamockery

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #7 on: March 19, 2011, 02:12:29 PM »
The smell isn't strong in the kitchen but I will definitely keep that in mind. 

That other forum had a lot of good ideas, too.  I'm going to try the vinegar in the washing machine and wiping down the dryer drum with a vinegar solution to see if that helps.  I would gladly welcome the smell of vinegar over this smell.
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Offline Thor

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2011, 02:15:19 PM »
Quote from: Traveshamockery on March 19, 2011, 02:12:29 PM
The smell isn't strong in the kitchen but I will definitely keep that in mind. 

That other forum had a lot of good ideas, too.  I'm going to try the vinegar in the washing machine and wiping down the dryer drum with a vinegar solution to see if that helps.  I would gladly welcome the smell of vinegar over this smell.

There's a gasket on the washing machine that keeps the water from leaking out. That is supposed to be wiped down every month, inside the gasket, especially.
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Offline BEG

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2011, 02:24:20 PM »
Quote from: Thor on March 19, 2011, 02:15:19 PM
There's a gasket on the washing machine that keeps the water from leaking out. That is supposed to be wiped down every month, inside the gasket, especially.

Yes, pull the gasket back and you will find lots of gunk. It probably won't make the smell go away but you should do it anyway.
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Offline BEG

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #10 on: March 19, 2011, 02:27:43 PM »
I'm sure you already know this but leave the door of your washer open at all times, except obviously when you are washing clothes.  :p
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Offline Traveshamockery

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #11 on: March 19, 2011, 02:44:42 PM »
It's weird because when I pulled out the detergent drawer to wash that, the smell was really strong on that.  Does water from the wash cycle even go up to that drawer?  It doesn't appear that it does but it probably has to to get the detergent.  I use Cheer Free so it's not the detergent I use and it is the HE formula. 

The gasket thing - is that the little opening along the bottom panel at the front of the washer?  I know my husband cleaned that out yesterday and pulled the tube out and water came out of there. 
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Offline IassaFTots

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #12 on: March 19, 2011, 02:46:31 PM »
I think they are talking about the seal around the door.
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Offline Thor

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #13 on: March 19, 2011, 02:54:50 PM »
Quote from: Traveshamockery on March 19, 2011, 02:44:42 PM
It's weird because when I pulled out the detergent drawer to wash that, the smell was really strong on that.  Does water from the wash cycle even go up to that drawer?  It doesn't appear that it does but it probably has to to get the detergent.  I use Cheer Free so it's not the detergent I use and it is the HE formula.  

The gasket thing - is that the little opening along the bottom panel at the front of the washer?  I know my husband cleaned that out yesterday and pulled the tube out and water came out of there.  

Yes, the wash water does go up there to get the soap.  The gasket is on the washer and it's circular with a flap. Usually, it's gray.
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Offline cmypay

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #14 on: March 19, 2011, 04:18:00 PM »
I wonder if you have gotten the smell out of your washer and what you are smelling now is the lingering odor in your clothes??? Maybe some febreeze to the closets and dressers.
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Offline Traveshamockery

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #15 on: March 20, 2011, 12:04:37 PM »
Well, I have run bleach, vinegar, and baking powder through my washer yesterday, but not all at the same time.  I ran a vinegar and water soaked towel through the dryer. 

I thought the smell was gone, or at least it was better, and so I re-washed all of my clothes yesterday that had the bad smell.  And they came out with the same smell, just a little more faint. 

My husband pulled the gasket away and there was some dirt and lint in there but not much and definitely no grease or oil. 

The repairman is coming tomorrow and as far as I am concerned, I wish someone would come and just take them away.  If he can figure it out, good for him.  If not, I will be raising holy hell with Samsung and Lowe's. 

I cannot tell you how crazy this smell is driving me.  I don't like smells.  I don't wear perfume.  My husband doesn't wear aftershave.  I like the smell of clean.  My house smells icky.  I've tried the Febreeze and it's not helping.  It literally makes me want to gag. 

My husband told me to just go ahead and go buy a new washer and dryer today and we'll deal with the Samsung issue later - I think he just wants to shut me up.

:whistling:

I don't want to unhook them until the appliance guy gets here so I will deal with for another day. 
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Offline Traveshamockery

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #16 on: March 20, 2011, 12:07:56 PM »
Oh, and this is another issue we can blame on moonbat liberal environmentalists.  They have insisted that we have these energy-efficient appliances (which is fine) but they don't clean as well.  They have also insisted on no phosphate detergents without chemicals so the washers don't get as clean.  The front loaders use a minimal amount of water, well, we need more water to wash our clothes properly!

****ing moonbat liberals (yes, I'm mad enough today to say ****).  I like what Rand Paul said last week in that hearing about the whacko environmentalists staying out of our dishwashers and washers and dryers.  Honestly, I'd like to put them all in my washer and wring their necks. 

 :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
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Offline BEG

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #17 on: March 20, 2011, 11:32:00 PM »
Quote from: Traveshamockery on March 20, 2011, 12:07:56 PM
Oh, and this is another issue we can blame on moonbat liberal environmentalists.  They have insisted that we have these energy-efficient appliances (which is fine) but they don't clean as well.  They have also insisted on no phosphate detergents without chemicals so the washers don't get as clean.  The front loaders use a minimal amount of water, well, we need more water to wash our clothes properly!

****ing moonbat liberals (yes, I'm mad enough today to say ****).  I like what Rand Paul said last week in that hearing about the whacko environmentalists staying out of our dishwashers and washers and dryers.  Honestly, I'd like to put them all in my washer and wring their necks. 

 :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

...and toilets and lightbulbs dammit!
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Offline mass220

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #18 on: March 31, 2011, 12:08:41 AM »
I think the smell is coming from your washing machine.Did you check inside your washer.tell your husband to check the inside of your washer if he can't do that you better get someone who knows about washing machines and check inside it..
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Offline Thor

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #19 on: March 31, 2011, 12:27:06 AM »
Quote from: mass220 on March 31, 2011, 12:08:41 AM
I think the smell is coming from your washing machine.Did you check inside your washer.tell your husband to check the inside of your washer if he can't do that you better get someone who knows about washing machines and check inside it..

Damn, dude! Did you even BOTHER to read the entire thread?!?!?!?!?
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Offline LC EFA

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #20 on: March 31, 2011, 01:51:24 AM »
If it were me - I'd have mixed up a bunch of saturated NaOH solution and run it through all the appliances connected from that point "down" on the sewer.

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Offline Thor

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #21 on: March 31, 2011, 10:24:04 AM »
Quote from: LC EFA on March 31, 2011, 01:51:24 AM
If it were me - I'd have mixed up a bunch of saturated NaOH solution and run it through all the appliances connected from that point "down" on the sewer.



That would ruin a washing machine. Maybe down the drain would be OK.
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Offline Eupher

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #22 on: March 31, 2011, 12:28:45 PM »
Quote from: Thor on March 31, 2011, 10:24:04 AM
That would ruin a washing machine. Maybe down the drain would be OK.

Agreed. Sodium Hydroxide is not to be messed with, especially saturated. A pH up around 11 and north starts getting pretty damned dangerous, and God knows what it'll do to the inside of the tub not to mention the pump and hoses.
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Offline Thor

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #23 on: March 31, 2011, 02:22:13 PM »
Quote from: Eupher on March 31, 2011, 12:28:45 PM
Agreed. Sodium Hydroxide is not to be messed with, especially saturated. A pH up around 11 and north starts getting pretty damned dangerous, and God knows what it'll do to the inside of the tub not to mention the pump and hoses.

If the tub is enamel or stainless steel, it won't do too much harm. However, it will eat through gaskets, the PLASTIC bodied pump and probably any hoses. Regardless, the outcome wouldn't be "pretty".
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"The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation."- IBID

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Offline Eupher

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Re: More Smell Problems
« Reply #24 on: March 31, 2011, 02:37:08 PM »
Quote from: Thor on March 31, 2011, 02:22:13 PM
If the tub is enamel or stainless steel, it won't do too much harm. However, it will eat through gaskets, the PLASTIC bodied pump and probably any hoses. Regardless, the outcome wouldn't be "pretty".

All it takes is one tiny little chip of the enamel to expose the steel underneath and you've got a problem. I haven't seen too many tubs lined with enamel that weren't chipped.
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