Why Does My Washing Machine Smell So Bad? (And How to Fix It)
By Mluleki Ndlovu · 21 August 2026
Most bad smells from a washing machine come from mould and detergent residue trapped in the rubber door seal, and that's a DIY fix you can do in about 20 minutes. But if the smell is more like sewage, or you notice it right after a load shedding stalled cycle, you might be dealing with standing water or a drain problem that needs a technician. The key is knowing what you're smelling before you start taking things apart.
That bad smell when you open the washing machine door — you've probably noticed it a few days after the last wash. It's not your imagination, and it's not the machine getting old. It's something growing in the rubber seal, and the good news is you can usually fix this yourself without calling anyone.
But let me be honest with you. Not all smells are the same. The smell of damp rubber is one thing. The smell of sewage is something else entirely. And if load shedding has hit mid-cycle, you might have a third problem on your hands. Let me walk you through what you're smelling, what to do about it, and when to stop and call me.
What Causes That Bad Smell in Your Washing Machine?
The rubber gasket around a front loader door is the perfect breeding ground for mould. Here's why. After a wash, a little bit of water stays trapped in the folds of the seal, along with detergent residue, fabric softener, and lint. Your machine is warm and dark inside after a cycle. That's all mould needs to multiply.
You're not going to see it at first. The mould builds up under the lip of the seal, where the water sits. Then, on the next wash, that water lifts the smell out and spreads it through the drum. You'll also start finding black spots on the seal itself, especially at the bottom where gravity pulls the leftover water.
The other common cause is detergent buildup. If you're using more detergent than the machine needs — and plenty of South Africans do, because we think more soap means cleaner clothes — that soap doesn't all rinse away. It cakes onto the drum, the pipes, and the seal, and it starts to smell once it gets damp and warm.
When residue and moisture build up inside like this, bacteria forms — and that's exactly what causes the smell.
The Safe 20-Minute DIY Fix for a Bad-Smelling Washing Machine
If the smell is damp, musty, or like wet rubber, you can fix this yourself. It takes about 20 minutes and almost nothing in supplies.
- Unplug the machine from the wall and turn off the water supply. This is the first step, no exceptions. You're working with water and moving parts, and the machine must be dead before you touch anything.
- Pull the door open fully and have a good look at the rubber gasket. Get a torch if you need to see inside. You're looking for black spots, brown residue, or grime.
- Take a clean cloth and wipe the top half of the seal, using a small amount of dishwashing liquid and warm water. Wipe it right around, being careful not to push anything deeper into the folds.
- Do the bottom half of the seal — that's where the mould hides. Gently pull the bottom of the gasket away from the drum and wipe right inside the fold. You'll probably find dark, smelly residue. Keep wiping until your cloth comes back clean.
- Use an old toothbrush dipped in a mix of baking soda and water for the stubborn spots. Don't use bleach on the seal — it can break down the rubber over time, and then you've got a leak and a much bigger bill.
- Open the drain filter cover. It's usually a small round flap at the bottom front of the machine. Place a towel underneath and unscrew the filter plug slowly — water will come out. Clean out any lint or coins that have collected there. This is where a lot of the smell builds up too.
- Leave the door open for the rest of the day. After every wash, the door should stay cracked open, not closed. Let the machine breathe and dry out — this one habit prevents most smells from coming back.
If you've done all that and the smell is gone, job done — you've saved yourself a call-out fee. Run a hot, empty cycle with a cup of white vinegar (not bleach, not shop-bought machine cleaner — vinegar works fine) to flush out the pipes, and you're finished.
Why Your Washing Machine Smells Bad After Load Shedding
That's the standard fix. But you're in South Africa, and you've got load shedding — and here's the angle nobody talks about.
If load shedding hits your machine mid-cycle, the water stays in the drum. It sits there until the power comes back. In summer, that can be hours. In a warm machine, with detergent residue and lint in the water, that turns into a stale, sour smell that isn't mould at all — it's dirty water going bad. This is one of the most common call-outs I get after a stretch of evening outages.
This is still a DIY problem, just a different one. Once the power's back, run the machine through a rinse and spin cycle to drain it out properly. If the power's still out, don't force the door open on a full drum — you'll spill everywhere. Wait for the power to come back first.
Load-shedding-stalled water is a smell you can usually solve yourself. But if the machine doesn't drain the water properly once the power returns, that's a different problem — see the washing machine not draining guide for how to check that.
When the Smell Is Something Else — And When to Call Me
Most washing machine smells are the gasket, and you can fix that. But there are times to stop and call someone.
If the smell is foul, like sewage or rotten eggs, that's not mould — that's likely a drain issue. The drain hose may be blocked, or water isn't leaving the machine properly and it's sitting in the pipe going bad. This is technician territory. You can clean a gasket yourself, but a blocked or smelling drain means checking internal components properly.
If you've done the full seal clean and the smell comes back within a day or two, something is trapping water inside — a blocked drain pump, a damaged hose, or a kinked pipe. That's not something to keep chasing with more cleaning.
And if the smell comes with water not draining, or the machine taking longer than usual — especially right after a load shedding stalled cycle — that's a sign the drain pump might be struggling. That's a repair, not a clean.
The honest line: if the smell is in the rubber seal, fix it yourself — it's easy, safe, and saves you money. If it's coming from the drain, or it keeps coming back after a proper clean, call me. It costs more to keep guessing than to get it diagnosed properly.
How to Stop the Smell Coming Back For Good
A few habits keep this from ever being a problem again.
Leave the door ajar after every wash. This is the single most effective thing you can do — I tell every customer in Midrand and Joburg the same thing. It lets air circulate and stops moisture sitting in the drum.
Don't overdo the detergent. Front loaders work best with a measured amount, not a handful — read the dose on the bottle, and use a liquid or powder made for front loaders, since it's lower-sudsing.
Run a hot, empty cycle once a month. If your machine has a self-clean cycle, use it. If not, run a 90°C cycle with vinegar and no clothes — it flushes the pipes and drum and stops mould building up in the first place.
And if you're in a load-shedding-prone area, try to start a wash outside of scheduled outages where you can, or use a delay-end feature if your machine has one. A stalled cycle is the quickest way to a smelly machine.
When to Stop and Call a Technician
If the machine smells bad and the gasket has black spots, clean it — you're done. But if the smell is sewage-like, or it comes back within a day or two, or the water isn't draining properly after a load shedding stalled cycle, that's a blocked drain, a damaged pump, or a failing valve. That's not a clean, that's a repair.
If you've cleaned the gasket and the smell is worse, or you've noticed water sitting in the drum, don't keep running cycles hoping it clears — you're just pushing water around a problem.
Related reading: if the machine has been struggling to spin as well as smelling off, have a look at why your washing machine won't spin. And if this started after an outage, can load shedding damage your washing machine covers what else the surges can affect.
I repair all major brands across Midrand and the greater Johannesburg area — see the full list on my services page. If you're not sure what you're smelling, or the DIY clean hasn't sorted it, get in touch through my contact page and I'll tell you honestly whether it's a job for you or a job for me.
That's the truth of it. Most smells you can fix yourself, but some are telling you something else. If you've done the clean and the smell's still there, send me a WhatsApp — I'll tell you honestly whether it's a DIY job or something I need to come and look at. That's how I work.
WhatsApp me on 082 419 4125 with a message like: "Hi Mluleki, my washing machine smells bad and I've tried cleaning the seal, can you help?"