Our laundry room stinks (like pee + trash), sometimes the smell disappears suddenly. It's worse when the w/machine is on. I read something about ants in a dishwasher causing a foul smell for someone on AB. What are the chances we've got bugs in the pipes?
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Carmella
ANSWERS: 11
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It's the first time I've heard that theory, regarding insects. My guess would be that there is some sort of problem with the drainage pipes (maybe there is a blockage of some kind?) or lack of proper ventilation. This is not as uncommon, many times odors come back to the washing machine via the pipe that drains it.
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Try running some bleach through the machine and see if that helps. If you have to pay for each load, just put bleach in with your whites. The little bit of water in the tub after a load can get sour pretty quick, especially in a front loader, but a top loader will get sour too. If there is a floor drain, you might check to see if there is water in it. You should be able to see it reflecting light back at you. If there isn't any, pour a little bit of water into it. If there isn't any water in a floor drain, sewer gas will back up through the empty trap. Those two scenarios are much more likely than bugs in the pipes. Water pipes are sealed with a faucet at the ends and full of water, so bugs would drown. Drain pipes are supposedly sealed at each end by the water in the traps, but if a trap is allowed to dry out, it would be technically possible. However, if a trap has dried out, you would be getting sewer gas backed up through that trap, which would probably kill the bugs anyway.
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I had a problem with my washing machine that eventually I traced to the underneath of the soap dispenser and the plastic seal to the door. If you can, try putting the soap dispenser tray through the dishwasher and putting the washing machine through a boil wash but without any clothes or soap added. This solved it for me. In addition I have reduced the soap I put in each load so that there is no smelly buildup or residue. Hope this works for you.
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Sorry, I think my roommate missed the toilet and hit your laundry room (his nickname is "sewer cock", something wrong with his diet or something)
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Some forms mold of mildew can have very unpleasant smells. Perhaps there is a large growth hidden on a wall somewhere.
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Do you have a front loader? Front loaders are actually known for that problem. Mine has a "clean washer" cycle. You are supposed to put bleach in the drawer and run the clean washer cycle once a week.
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Inspect the tub/sink where the washing machines discharges water. Dirt and grime often accumulates around the sides of the tub and produces a sour smell. If you're lucky, that may be where the smell is coming from. Simply scrub the tub and the smell is gone. If not, at least you have a clean tub.
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youv probably got somthing stuck somwhere thats making the smell, maybe a rodent or bird.
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Gross. You probably have a rodent living in there. Check for a nest in the back of your washer. Mouse pee reeks to high heaven.
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you may have a problem known as induced siphon effect. This occurs in appliances which are connected to main line sewerage systems. All appliances have whats known as a trap, this retains a small amount of water in the line to prevent the smell from the main sewer backing up through the appliance. Sometimes the "trap" water can be sucked out of the trap by variegating pressures within the main sewerage system. there are a couple of ways of rectifying the problem, an air admittance valve which you connect to the waste pipework between the appliance and the sewer allows the pressure to equalise without affecting the trap. Also there is a diaphram trap which allows water though but the diaphram closes when not in use preventing smells entering th home. I know its a bit long winded but i hope it is a help to someone. I am a plumber by trade so i shall be answering questions on this site to the best of my abilities.
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