I bought a used Washing Machine (Miele W828) that looked to be in perfect condition.
It actually works perfectly. However, the inside of the Machine smells horrible, like mildew. This smell gets really strong right after a wash.
I've read online about doing a Hot Cycle wash to clean the inside of a Washing Machine, and did 2 of those at 95 C / 200 F and it only made the smell stronger.
I also read that it could be caused by a clogged drain pump that can be accessed from the front of the machine (by opening a front lid and unscrewing and draining the water), but it had only 2 coins in there. Although the long screw top had some black stuff on it that I tried to clean, the inside of it or the area I pulled it from was not particularly bad.
I then read that you can run a Hot Cycle with White Vinegar or Bleach in the dispenser drawer to fix smelly washing machines, so I did one Hot Cycle with about 1.5 L of White Vinegar and it made no difference, and then I did one Hot Cycle with about 2 L of Bleach and although I could smell the Bleach afterwards, the strong mildew smell was still there.
I moved the machine from where it's tucked into the wall to see if any smells were coming from behind it, and I couldn't detect any smells behind the machine. But as soon as I open the front door of the Washing Machine, the smell hits you like a ton of bricks. The smell also hits you when you open the Dispenser Drawer, so I removed the Dispenser Drawer (which is clean) and the inside was very nasty.
Here is a pic of the inside of the Dispenser Drawer (with the Drawer removed), of the big tube going down from it, and of the drum:
Dispenser Drawer:
Big Tube Going Down:
Drum:
(The liquid you see in the Drum is bleach that I added there directly for another Hot Cycle wash I'm currently doing.)
Based on those pics, the inside of this machine is completely nasty despite the outside of the machine and drum looking perfectly fine and the machine itself working fine.
Is this fixable or is this machine doomed? If it's the former, then how can I fix this?
Best Answer
First, let me say, you are far from the first person to have smell problems with washers, especially front-loaded ones. This has been the topic of many conversations resulting from home inspections and with concerned customers. I have had followup consults with factory reps, appliance repair specialists and the like.
The most common problem seems to be with the rubber sealing rings at the door. Water sits in the folds, mold grows in the folds and is untouched by the "washer cleaners" that are currently on the market. Wonder why they are so popular? some folks have been able to manually clean these areas with bleach and many rags. Others have had to have it replaced then keep it clean before the mold takes hold again.
Any closed reservoir can harbor mold and usually does. If you cannot access them to clean the mold out, that part usually has to be replaced. The other problem is if small amounts of water sit in the bottom of the unit and don't get expelled. this is easily treated with flushing cycles with bleach or cleaners.
Before you completely give up on the unit, see a Bosch dealer with a good service reputation. Several models from several manufacturers have been recalled or service bulletins issued for exactly the problems you are having.