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Help with petrochemical smell in washer


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Hubby cleaned the cars. He used Armor-All and I don't know what else. I washed the rags without checking to see how stinky they were. There were two that were eyewateringly offensive after they came out. The whole load smells of it, and I chucked it. I have run HOT water through it with vinegar, with bleach, with only detergent, with oxyclean and detergent, and currently have a full cup of 20 Mule Team Borax going.

The insides still reek. It is a front loader.

Help!

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Oh NO!

 

I second the baking soda idea. Use a lot. Baking soda is good stuff.

 

I'd also suggest wiping down the rubber seal around the door, all around and inside, with the baking soda, too.

 

How about start a very small load (throw in one old rag towel) with a bunch of baking soda. Let it run for about 5 min, then stop the load, and let it sit for an hour, then run it for another 5 min, then start again. Do that a few times over a few hours, then let it finish the run.

 

I'd also suggest simply letting the washer SIT with the door open to air out for a few days -- whenever you are not running various cleaning loads through it trying to get rid of the stink. The chemicals will likely simply evaporate with a little time. They can't stink forever. :) I'd open the window in the laundry room if possible, to avoid gassing yourselves in the house, lol.

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She puts in one can of Coke with the load and it removes the smell.

 

She just pours the Coke in there? Regular, caffeinated, non-diet Coke? Doesn't it stain the clothes?

 

When I use Lestoil on a spot (ie. a little bit of petroleum not the whole load) I have to wash the clothes two more times with extra detergent to get rid of the smell.

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Coke? Really?:confused:

 

http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/gasoline-in-clothes I googled and I did see the coke suggestion and directions for using baby oil at this link. And Simple Green and Vinegar seem to get rave rviews.

 

There is a product that home depot sells called 'WHOOSH' or 'FRESSSH' or something like that -- it is for front loaders.

 

Definitely clean the gasket in the door -- getting into the crease of it.

 

ETA: here is the link for the cleaner: http://www.homedepot.com/buy/appliances/laundry/affresh/washer-cleaner-for-front-load-washers-24149.html

Edited by MariannNOVA
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I just replaced the pump on my high energy washer...while I was down in the belly of this beast I noticed that there were several 'items'...I think one was a sock, two quarters that were in the barrel that the washer sits in, I can repair most things, but trying to figure out how to completely remove the barrel was too daunting...it is possible that some of the pc spilled into the tub casing, it will just take multiple washings to dilute it...I hope they improve the design of these things, they spin so fast...a nickel got flushed into my pump and the force of the spinning caused it to rub a hole in a 3/8ths thick plastc casing! Unbelievable, it should have been made of steel if they knew this could happen.

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