Solved

Smelly clothes

MAmarka01
Asked over 3 years ago 3,899 views
0

Hi,

I was wondering what would be the main reasons that clothes come out smelly and don't smell like they are washed properly? I tried on 30/40 degrees - same result. Detergent liquid - amway (not cheap). Washing machine AEG 7000 series with auto-dosing. I used to have Zanusi washing machine - was same result. Starting to think it is either water issue or washing liquid that I use. Water is soft as I have a water softener.

Solution Summary

AI-generated from this discussion

This thread was marked as solved. Here's a summary of the problem and the fix, generated from the discussion below.

Smelly washing linked to liquid detergent and low-temperature cycles

The problem
Clothes were coming out smelling as if they had not been washed properly on 30°C and 40°C programmes. The washing machine was an AEG 7000 series with auto-dosing. The same issue had also happened with a previous Zanussi machine. The poster said the new machine itself was not smelly and they had checked the seals/gums.
Likely cause
The strongest diagnosis in the thread was that liquid detergent used with low-temperature washes was the main cause. Replies suggested this can leave poor wash results and may lead to internal detergent build-up over time. A water supply issue was suspected by the poster but was not supported by the replies.
What fixed it
Use a different detergent and avoid relying solely on low-temperature washes. The accepted advice was that liquid detergent and low-temperature washing were the main reasons for the smell problem. A further suggestion was to use hotter washes for suitable laundry, but no exact repair or long-term result was confirmed.
Checks to try
  • Checked that the new washing machine itself was not smelly
  • Checked the door seal/gums for issues
  • Compared results on 30°C and 40°C washes
  • Noted the same problem had occurred with a previous Zanussi machine
Parts or tools mentioned
  • Liquid detergent
  • AEG 7000 series washing machine with auto-dosing
Cause identifiedGenerated 5 Aug 2026 · AI summaries can make mistakes — read the full thread below.
Was this summary helpful?

4 Answers

Accepted Answer
0
WH
WhitegoodshelpVerified Engineer
Answered over 3 years ago

Hi. Liquid detergent and low temperature washes are the main causes. It’s all explained here What causes washing machine smells?

Whitegoods Help — appliance repair expert and forum host.
0
MA
marka01
Answered over 3 years ago

thanks Andy. the washing machine itself is new and not smelly (no issues with gums or anything that I checked). I will try a different liquid detergent. but all new liquid detergents advertise that they can washed clothes perfectly at 30degrees.

0
WH
WhitegoodshelpVerified Engineer
Answered over 3 years ago

Hi Mark. Check out the article and you will see that liquid detergent and low temperature washes are rubbish. Potentially the laundry smelling like it’s not been cleaned is a precursor to the washing machine getting gunged up inside and smelling.

The manufacturers are all boasting that the low temperature washes save energy and create less carbon but in my opinion they ultimately cause more problems than they solve as they shorten the life of washing machines. A more holistic approach is what’s needed.

Try this article too washing not getting clean If you still have questions please post again

Whitegoods Help — appliance repair expert and forum host.
0
AN
andyr12345
Answered over 3 years ago

hi, you could try some dettol antibacterial laundry cleanser and see if thats better.

experiment with adding it manually to the manual wash compartment in the drawer or into the manual fabric softener of the autodose drawer. I know it will defeat the object of having a autodose washing machine and you more than likely bought the machine for the autodose feature. But even if you try it on the washes where you are washing cotton underwear such a pants etc - I would not be trusting washing those kind of things at 30'c for hygiene purposes anyway no matter what it says on the detergent. a nice long 60'c wash at a minimum to have more success of killing bacteria (and hopefully the smells associated with germs and bacteria) i dont think regular washing with 30 or 40 and quick washes would be enough to kill bacteria and just transfer bacteria from one wash cycle to the next wash cycle and not enough temps to dissolve the liquid detergent properly, causing the machine over a short time to 'gunk up' with un-dissolved washing liquid detergent.. then smell as that goes mouldy! ... then transfer that smell from the washing machine to the clothes!

Your Answer

Sign in to share your expertise and post an answer.

Need an engineer?

Find an Engineer

Rather leave it to a pro? Find a local engineer to diagnose and repair your appliance.

  • Search by your postcode
  • See the checks each business has passed
  • Compare ratings and call-out charges

Need a spare part?

Spare Parts Guide

Fix it yourself for less. Work out which part your appliance needs before you order anything.

  • Match the symptom to the likely part
  • How to find your full model number
  • When a genuine part is the safer choice