A woman in a pink shirt and jeans transfers wet clothes from an open front-load washer to a dryer in a modern laundry room with gray appliances, a wicker basket of laundry at her feet, hanging clothes, marble tiled backsplash, and decor like plants and wool dryer balls on the counter.

How to Prevent Washing Machine Odors: A Complete Guide

When you take a load of laundry out of the washer, you expect it to smell fresh and clean. If you’re met with a foul smell instead, it can be frustrating. Over time, washing machines can develop musty odors from detergent residue, damp clothes left behind or a lack of regular cleaning.

The good news is that preventing washing machine odors is simple. Read on to learn about different ways to prevent washer smells and keep your appliance running optimally.

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Why Does My Washing Machine Smell Musty?

A musty smell in your washer usually points to trapped moisture or buildup. Mold and bacteria can thrive in the warm, damp environment of a washer, especially around the door gasket, detergent drawer and drum. Drainage issues may also leave behind standing water that causes odors. In addition, using too much detergent can create residue that sticks to the inside of the machine.

Washers that aren’t cleaned regularly or left open to ventilate between loads are far more likely to develop these unpleasant smells.

A blue box of affresh Washing Machine Cleaner tablets placed on top of a gray washing machine, with a single round white tablet in front and a stack of folded blue towels beside it, in a laundry room setting with baskets and bottles in the background.

5 Ways to Prevent Washer Smells

Finding the cause of your washer odor can help you eliminate it for good and prevent it from coming back. Below are five ways to prevent washing machine odors.

1. Clean Your Washing Machine Regularly

Aim to clean your washer once a month, or after about 30 cycles, to keep it running efficiently. By regularly cleaning your washer, you will eliminate soap scum, dirt and other buildup that accumulates in various parts of your appliance.

Using affresh® washing machine cleaner can help ensure that the pump and valve, behind the basket and drum, the wash tub, the agitator or filter and drain hose are thoroughly cleaned.

2. Use the Correct Type of Detergent

Using the right detergent helps keep your washer odor-free and running efficiently. If you have a high-efficiency (HE) machine, be sure to use HE detergent. Regular detergent creates excess suds, which can lead to longer cycles, reduced cleaning performance and more residue buildup in HE washers.

3. Use the Right Amount of Detergent

In addition to using the right type of detergent, it’s just as important to use the right amount. Carefully measure detergent for each load to avoid excess. Too much detergent can leave residue in and around your washer. Combined with the warm, damp environment inside the machine, this buildup can lead to musty odors over time.

Close-up of blue liquid detergent being poured from a white bottle into the "Main Wash" compartment of a pulled-out gray dispenser drawer on a washing machine, labeled for softener and detergent.
Close-up view inside a top-load washing machine drum, showing a textured stainless steel surface covered in water droplets and small puddles.

4. Check That Your Washer is Working Properly

A common cause of washer smells is a clogged drain or pipe that’s preventing your washing machine from fully draining. When water lingers, it leaves behind soap scum and creates the perfect environment for bacteria and biofilms to grow inside the drain system and hoses. Over time, this buildup can lead to stubborn, musty odors. Regularly checking and clearing your washer’s drain and lines helps keep water flowing properly and odors at bay.

5. Empty Your Washer Immediately After Use

Avoid leaving damp clothing in your washing machine for too long after a cycle is complete. When damp clothes sit too long, they can create odors and even encourage mold or mildew growth. To prevent odors — and keep your clothes smelling fresh — make sure to promptly remove wet clothes after a wash cycle.

Tips to Avoid a Smelly Washing Machine

With regular cleaning and maintenance, you can prevent washing machine smells and keep your appliance running efficiently. Below are tips for preventing washing machine odors:

  • Keep your washer door open in between cycles to allow the inside to completely dry.
  • If you have a front load washer, regularly clean the inside of the door gasket to prevent odor causing buildup from forming there.
  • Sanitize your washer as needed to help prevent soil, bacteria and detergent residue from building up and causing odors.
A smiling woman in a gray shirt and jeans kneels to remove a green garment from an open front-load stainless steel washing machine, with a matching dryer beside it, an affresh cleaner box on top, and laundry baskets nearby in a wooden-floored room.

Explore affresh® Washing Machine Cleaner

Your washing machine works hard to keep your favorite clothes clean and looking new. With regular maintenance and cleaning, your washer can stay free of musty odors and continue cleaning your clothes effectively.

Affresh® washing machine cleaner uses time-release tablets that are designed to clean inside all machines, including HE (High Efficiency).