Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
I Finally Fixed My Musty Washing Machine Smell With These Monthly Cleaners
30
items That funky mildew smell hit me every time I opened the washer door. Towels came out smelling worse than when they went in. I tried vinegar, baking soda, leaving the door open, running empty hot cycles. Nothing stuck. After months of trial and error, ...
Sections
10
Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets That Actually Work
Gasket and Drum Cleaners for Front Load Washers
Mildew Removers for the Rubber Door Seal
Drain and Filter Cleaning Tools
Odor Absorbers for Between Washes
Detergents That Don't Cause Buildup
Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets That Actually Work
I used to think all those tablets were basically the same. They are absolutely not. Some fizz and do nothing. These three dissolved the gunk I didn't even know was hiding behind the drum.
Drop one in monthly and walk away. My front loader had a film I could feel on the rubber gasket for two years. After three cycles with these, the gasket looked new. Stock up on the 6-pack so you don't forget to reorder.
How to Clean Your Washing Machine
Grab this if your machine smells fine until you actually run a load, then the damp funk hits. The odor blaster formula knocked out a smell I'd been blaming on my detergent for months. Works in both top and front loaders.
OxiClean Washing Machine Cleaner with Odor Blasters, 4ct
Keep this around for maintenance once you've deep cleaned. A friend with three kids swears by running one every two weeks. Her machine handles mud-caked baseball uniforms and still smells like nothing, which is exactly the goal.
Tide Washing Machine Cleaner with Oxi Powder
Gasket and Drum Cleaners for Front Load Washers
Front loaders trap water in places you can't see. I pulled back my door gasket one day and nearly gagged. These cleaners go after that specific problem.
Pour this in and run a clean cycle when the gasket starts turning gray. I was two weeks away from calling a repairman before trying this. Saved me a $200 service call and the mold hasn't come back in four months.
Glisten Washer Magic Washing Machine Cleaner
Use this if you have hard water on top of the smell issue. Mineral buildup was making my drum look cloudy and trapping bacteria. Two treatments cleared it up. Anyone on well water needs to try this before replacing parts.
Lemi Shine Washing Machine Cleaner Single Use
Toss one in when you notice that sour towel smell creeping back. Bleach-based but won't damage the drum. My mom has used these in her 8-year-old Samsung for years and the thing still runs and smells clean.
Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets and Additives(61)
Mildew Removers for the Rubber Door Seal
The door seal is where nightmares live. I found black mold spots I'd been loading my clothes against for who knows how long. These sprays and gels target that exact spot.
Spray this directly on the black spots in the gasket folds. I watched mold stains disappear in about 30 seconds, no scrubbing. Wear gloves and crack a window because it's strong, but the results are wild.
RMR-86 Instant Mold and Mildew Stain Remover Spray
Pair this with a monthly tablet routine. It removes existing mildew AND leaves a coating that slows regrowth. Perfect if you live somewhere humid and the mold keeps coming back no matter what you do.
Home Armor Instant Mold & Mildew Stain Remover, 32 oz
Grab this for quick spot treatments between deep cleans. Noticed a pink ring forming on my gasket last Tuesday, sprayed it, wiped once, gone. For anyone who wants a no-fuss option that's available practically everywhere.
Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover Spray
Drain and Filter Cleaning Tools
Nobody told me my washer had a filter that needed cleaning. I pulled mine out after three years and a clump of black slime fell on the floor. Don't be me.
Use one of these in the drain hose if water is backing up or sitting in the drum after a cycle. Pulled out a wad of lint and hair that explained why everything smelled like a wet dog. Takes two minutes.
Vastar 4 Pack Drain Snake Hair Clog Remover
Keep these under the laundry room sink. When my washer started draining slow, I ran one through the standpipe and cleared a clog I didn't know existed. Way cheaper than calling a plumber on a Saturday.
FlexiSnake Pro Drain Weasel Snake Hair Clog Remover
Slip this into the lint filter housing once a month. My top loader had a filter I never cleaned, and the brush pulled out enough gunk to fill a sandwich bag. If your clothes come out with little specks, this is probably why.
Brushtech Dryer Care Heavy Duty Lint Catching Brush
Odor Absorbers for Between Washes
Even after cleaning the machine, leaving the door closed between loads brings the smell right back. These keep the air circulating and absorb moisture so mildew doesn't get a foothold.
Toss one of these on the shelf above your washer. It pulls moisture out of the air around the machine so mold spores don't settle in. Lasted about 45 days before I needed to swap it. Cheap insurance.
Arm & Hammer 14 oz Disposable Moisture Absorber
Set this next to your washer if your laundry room has no ventilation. My basement laundry area was basically a humidity trap. One of these brought the dampness down enough that the musty smell stopped coming back between cleans.
DampRid Fragrance Free Hanging Moisture Absorber
Hang this on the washer door handle. It's just charcoal in a linen bag, but it absorbs odors without adding any fragrance. Perfect for anyone who hates artificial scents. Recharge it in the sun once a month and it lasts two years.
Customer reviews for Moso Natural Air Purifying Bag
Detergents That Don't Cause Buildup
Turns out my old detergent was half the problem. Using too much or using the wrong kind creates a film inside the drum that feeds mildew. Switching fixed more than I expected.
Switch to this if you've been using regular detergent and wondering why clothes still smell after washing. The formula targets invisible residue that traps bacteria in fabric. My gym clothes finally smell like actual nothing after a wash.
Tide, Hygienic Clean Heavy 10x Duty Liquid Laundry
Try this as your daily driver. It rinses cleaner than most detergents I tested, which means less gunk left behind in the drum. A coworker from Germany recommended it and she was absolutely right.
Persil ProClean Stain Fighter Liquid Laundry Detergent
Swap to this if you suspect your heavily scented detergent is masking a problem rather than solving it. No dyes, no fragrances, and it doesn't leave that soapy film. Anyone with sensitive skin or a front loader should give it a shot.
Concentrated Laundry Detergent - Free & Clear
Washing Machine Deodorizing Sprays
Sometimes you need a quick fix before guests come over or between deep cleaning sessions. These sprays buy you time and actually neutralize odor instead of covering it up.
Spray the inside of the drum and gasket when company is coming and you don't have time for a full clean cycle. Not a permanent fix, but it neutralizes the smell for a couple days. Saved me from embarrassment more than once.
Febreze, Fabric Spray Air Freshener, 23.6 fl oz
Use this in the microwave, obviously, but I mention it because cleaning your microwave and washer on the same day takes 20 minutes and makes your whole kitchen and laundry area smell normal again. Batch your cleaning. Future you will be grateful.
Angry Mom Mad Creay Mama Microwave Oven Cleaner
Wipe down the exterior, detergent drawer, and door handle with this. People forget the outside of the machine gets grimy too. My detergent tray had dried soap caked in it that was growing its own ecosystem. A quick spray and scrub fixed it.
Zep Quick Clean Disinfectant 32 oz. Kills 99.9% of Bacteria
Laundry Boosters That Kill Bacteria in Clothes
The machine was only half the battle. My towels and workout gear had bacteria baked into the fibers that regular detergent wasn't touching. These additives finally broke the cycle.
Pour a capful in the fabric softener dispenser. It kills 99.9% of bacteria that detergent misses. My bath towels used to smell sour within one use. Now they last three days on the hook and still smell fine. Wish I'd found this years ago.
Lysol, Laundry Sanitizer Additive, 41 fl oz, Crisp Linen scent
Toss a scoop in with your smelliest loads. Gym clothes, dog bedding, kitchen towels. It breaks down the odor at the source instead of layering fragrance over it. My running shirts went from permanently funky to actually wearable again.
OxiClean Odor Blasters Versatile Odor and Laundry Stain
Grab this if you want the odor fighting built into your detergent so you don't have to add a separate product. Lazy but effective. One scoop handles both cleaning and deodorizing. Great for anyone who forgets to add boosters.
ARM & HAMMER Plus OxiClean with Odor Blasters Liquid
Preventive Tools to Stop Mildew From Coming Back
Cleaning is great but prevention is better. After spending a month fixing the problem, I wasn't about to let it return. These keep things dry and circulating so mold never gets comfortable.
Keep these on top of your machine. After every load, pull one out and wipe the gasket dry. Takes 15 seconds. This single habit has done more for my washer smell than any deep clean ever did.
Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner Tablets, 6 Count
Get this if you have a front loader. It holds the door slightly open between loads so air circulates and moisture doesn't sit. My washer manual actually recommends leaving the door open but it kept swinging shut. This solved it for about $8.
Front Load Washer Door Prop and Stopper
Attach this to your water line and it adds activated oxygen to every wash. Sounds fancy but it basically means less detergent residue and fewer bacteria surviving each cycle. Upfront cost is real, but it paid for itself in detergent savings within si...
PureWash Pro X2 Eco-Friendly Laundry System
Deep Cleaning Supplies for a Full Washer Overhaul
Once a year I do a full teardown cleaning. Pull out the detergent tray, scrub every surface, clean the filter, run multiple hot cycles. These supplies make that annual reset actually work.
Sprinkle this on a damp cloth and scrub the stainless steel drum. It removes mineral deposits and discoloration that trap odors. My drum went from dull gray back to shiny in one scrub. Anyone with hard water stains needs this in their cabinet.
Bar Keepers Friend, All-Purpose Cleaner, 12 fl oz, Powder
Use the soft side on the drum and the scrubby side on the detergent tray and gasket. Cheap, effective, and they don't scratch the finish. I go through about two per deep clean. Toss them after because they get disgusting.
Scotch-Brite, Cleaning Sponges, Blue
Dilute this and spray every exterior surface, the detergent drawer housing, and the drain area. It cuts through soap scum without harsh fumes. I do my annual overhaul in January while it's too cold to open windows, so the low-fume formula matters.
Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate 32 fl oz