What's this in my drain plug for

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

Plastic tab beside drain plug identified as likely emergency door release; smell issue not solved

The problem

The user asked about a plastic piece protruding beside the washing machine drain plug and also mentioned clothes were coming out smelly unless the drain/filter area was emptied after each wash.

Likely cause

The accepted reply said the plastic piece looks like a possible emergency door opening mechanism connected to the door lock. No confirmed cause was given for the smell problem.

What fixed it

The thread identified the plastic item as likely part of the machine rather than debris. No documented repair for the smell issue was provided. The only further advice was to consult information on causes of smelly washing machines and possible plumbing-related smells.

Checks to try

• User observed the plastic piece hanging beside the drain plug
• User reported clothes smelling unless the drain area was emptied after every wash
• User noted there was no lock on the flap for the drain pipe
• User said the piece felt stuck when pulled