mrb6228 - The inside of the washing machine smells clean - there is a hint of smell from when I use the Sun detergent or if I use the washing machine cleaner, and there's no residue that I can feel inside the drum. I always wipe the inside of the door and the gaskets.

fuzzy wuzzy - I have tried less (like only one tablespoon) and I've tried more. My DH thinks I'm nuts because I have sat in front of the machine watching for the suds level since this started happening! I see more suds using liquid than powder, but nothing outrageous. And when it's rinsing there are no suds that I can see. I've never used fabric softener in a washing machine - just don't trust it and the smell is usually overpowering for me. I was using Bounce Free dryer sheets but when this started happening I stopped using those, tried vinegar in the washing machine for the rinse cycle, and use aluminum foil balls in the dryer to hep with static (although I really don't seem to have much static here in the South like I did growing up in New England.)

Grey Heron Interiors - I wipe the gasket out with every wash and it's always clean, but I didn't know about the water drain port. I was wondering if somehow the stupid Unstopables were clogging something, but the water seems to drain like it should and I've done so many hot washes since this started happening I was thinking everything has to be clean. I'll have to check that, thanks!

flbq - My mom has a TL with no agitator and she hates it. She always has to do an extra rinse even though she uses less detergent than called for. I'm a research freak and that is why I've waited so long to post - I wanted to try everything that I have read first, hoping for a solution. If you don't leave the lid up when you aren't using the washer, try that. That did help my mom. It was always a habit for her to shut the lid without thinking about it. I'm glad I'm not alone!

Saypoint - Did you spray before or after washing? I'm assuming before? Lord if I have to do that everytime for the next 10 years, I WILL sell the stupid thing.

My DH said that because the LG we inherited was so old and FLs were newer on the market, it probably used more water than the new one. I have tried using different settings, but the ones that use extra water all wash on hot or extra hot, and I'm not about to wash my darks on hot.

I lightly sprayed before washing. As I recall, I didn’t have to do it every time after a while.

I prefer the top loader to the front loader but I also prefer the agitator. Ah, the good old days when they used a ton of water. I feel like we are using more water/energy now because of how many times I have to rewash! I may be using too much detergent, so I will try using less I guess.

The weird thing is the machine doesn't smell at all. When I wipe the drum and gaskets they are clean, maybe some lint but no residue. We always leave the lid open. I have to find a solution. We have so many projects going on DH would kill me if I suggested buying a new washing machine :)

Everyone - In folding my towels out of the dryer just now, I realized that I failed to mention the most intriguing mystery within this mystery. Ready? My towels NEVER smell like my clothes do after washing. The towels come out smelling like absolutely nothing - in a good way, just CLEAN - and stay that way in the closet. I've changed up a lot of things since I started trying to fix the issue, but when it came to washing my towels I have always done the same thing both before and after: wash on extra hot (Sanitize setting), no Unstopables and no Bounce dryer sheets. That's why I started wondering about the Unstopables and the dryer sheets - I never used them on my towels in the first place. But if my towels come out fine, then it can't be the washer, right?? I've washed my clothes so many times since this thing started that you'd think the Unstopables and fabric softener would have been washed out by now, but if not, maybe I've just ruined the clothes I have and the weird funk smell just won't come out because it's been "baked in" by the dryer? But what caused it in the first place??

On another note: I will say that I wash synthetic fabrics and cotton fabrics together. I don't know if that makes a difference. I have three boys and they wear a lot of athletic-type apparel because they're active. Their clothes don't have body odor when they go in the washer because thank goodness they do wear deodorant and the clothes don't sit in the hamper for days.

You could look on Amazon for a product called STPP. It's phosphates. They used to be in laundry and dishwasher detergents. I'm not the STPP chemical expert here, but I tried it on the advise of members here. It helps to sequester the gunk and minerals in the water and basically boosts the performance of your detergent. I had terrible problems with body odors/funk in DH's clothing with our previous crummy FL. Switching machines helped a lot, but that funk....ugh. Anyhow, I use many of the additives you have tried and thankfully, they help a lot for us. I use STPP once in a while (I forget to add it more than I remember for some odd reason) and it does help with odor removal and also with detergent residue. Sometimes the odors get "trapped" in the detergent residue inside the fibers.

Another thing that was a game changer for us was doing a pre-wash first. On my machine I can shut it off and let the laundry soak for as long as I want it to. The pre-wash/soak dirty water then gets drained out and spun. Then I proceed to a regular wash cycle. Some people have more heavy duty body oils that need that extra step. I can tell a big difference with that addition to my laundry process.

I also use LemiShine powder laundry detergent booster on DH's laundry in the official wash cycle. It works very well for us with our water conditions (rather soft) regarding funk removal. I can only find it at Walmart's website, so I order several bottles at a time.

I've never used an Unstopables type of product, so I can't speak to if that is a culprit or not.

When I was working to remove the years worth of built up body odors and funk from DH's clothing, I followed the advise here to air dry the laundry--whites in the sun, colors indoors, or inside out in the sun. I suspect I had baked the funk into his clothes over the years with the dryer. After a while, I made progress and the air drying did seem to help. He didn't have an undershirt go through the dryer for almost a year, just in case some lingering body oils where hiding in the fabric.

Using cold water cycles will also contribute to funk build up. I use warm on good dark clothes and hot, yes hot, on "at home" darks, such as knock around clothes.

I hope that helps a little.

You say you have only had this new Maytag for a few months-seems unusual it would have developed issues particularly since you have been so diligent in cleaning the machine. The odd thing is you say the towels don't have the smell you find objectionable. In my experience with my LG FL, towels were the worst in having a bad smell if they were not dried bone dry. I know once one of the regular people (Dadoes, George, Mama, Roc et al) find this thread they will probably shed a bright light. I am wondering if it has to do with deodorant you may be using, or perfumes or they type of bathing soap you use. It seems strange you would immediately have this issue with a new washer when you did not have it with an LG-particularly as old as that one was when you bought the Maytag. You don't notice any odd odors near where you are storing your clothes do you?

armjim - We have used the same deodorant and bathing soaps for years. If the water coming out of the tap (we're on city water) smelled funny, I could understand it, but the towels don't have the odor. And no, no weird odors, same dressers and closets, no new paint etc. I do not like the smell of the Persil, even though it's supposed to be fragrance free there is a weird, unpleasant chemical smell. That's why I bought the two Tide free detergents - to see if maybe it was the Persil I was smelling.

What temperature are you using for the laundry that doesn't smell clean. What cycle are you using. Is this machine in the same home or did you move houses. What exact model machine did you buy? After you answer these questions we can start assisting you in getting clean, fresh smelling clothes. But I am going to venture a guess, which may be wrong, but you are wash in cold or cool water. Your towels smell good because you are washing in extra hot sanitizing setting.

hcbm - I purchased a Maytag MHW5500FW. The machine is in the same home that the old LG was in. I have tried various cycles and varying load sizes for all of my clothes after this started happening, but before I would wash my whites/lights in warm or hot, and darks usually in cool with an occasional warm cycle. Towels always on the Sanitize cycle, and bedding in hot water on the Bedding cycle (bedding doesn't smell fresh either, but I was using the Unstopables and Bounce sheets with the bedding so if one/both of those are somehow the culprits then that explains that). I don't wash anything in cold water because I just don't trust that cold will clean properly (call me old-fashioned if you will). The Normal cycle is what I was usually using for clothing, but I have tried Power Wash since this started because it says it uses more water. It takes 2 hours though! On every load I have always added an extra rinse cycle. Since this started I have sometimes run the clothes through an ADDITIONAL rinse cycle, on warm. No change.

First, I would stop using Normal. Normal is the setting used to reach the energy efficiency standards by the government. It uses cooler and less water. Your towels are coming out smelling clean without Unstoppables etc.. that's a hint. What do you do different? You use much hotter water and wash for longer with more water for rinsing.

If you are going from a top loading water hog to a front loader you often find residual detergent and in your case Unstoppables, and Bounce fabric softener. Yes, dryer sheets lay a deposit of softener on the fabric. Synthetics are hydrophobic and take more water and hotter water to saturate the fabric. They also hold onto odors as if their life depended on it. New machines dumb down the water temperatures. So regular hot might only be 90 degrees, which on an older machine would be considered lukewarm.

How much are you placing in the machine? The contents need room to move. My suggestions are too sort like with like, use hotter water than you think you need. Yes, longer wash times (no normal) and a top of the line detergent, such as Tide. You may have detergent residue in the clothes. Others here use STPP to boost detergent and help with rinsing. I always add an extra rinse for a total of 3 or 4 depending on the load and even wash delicates on tap hot. I would also experiment with the amount of detergent you are using, by stoping the machine and check the water for slipperiness. If you are under-dosing you won't feel the slippery feeling. Watch during rinsing to see if the water looks clear and suds free. Check during wash for too many suds. Lastly I would call you water supply company and see if any changes to the chemistry has occurred.

Remember that it is common to have a learning curve when switching to a front loader so your struggle isn't that unusual. Since you are successful with towels I doubt the new machine has grown smelly, and with some experimentation you will figure out what works best for your new machine.

I had an older FL for a year and a half before it died, and replaced it with another FL but different brand. I have experimented with decreasing the detergent, and I do check the suds amounts during washing and rinsing (as in I have sat in a chair and watched because I'm so frustrated with this lol). I don't know if I could open the door to check the water, but I could try. I've stopped using fabric softener sheets altogether - it's been about 3 weeks now. I was hoping vinegar rinses would have removed any residues left in the clothes but perhaps not.

That's very interesting about the washing machine temperatures, and I will have to try a hotter setting, especially for synthetic fabrics. I've done two loads today, and just went and sniffed a cotton shirt versus a synthetic blend shirt - the synthetic shirt has a stronger "non-clean" odor. It will mean even more laundry than I already do, but I'm going to try doing just cotton together, and just synthetics, using a hotter setting. I will update with results. Thanks for all of the input so far!

So... I can’t wear synthetic fabrics... athletic fabrics are miserable to me because I’m allergic to them. So, my clothing never gets that funk, stale smell because I do not wash my kids’ clothes with mine. (They’re all old enough to do their own laundry and have for years) Anyways, some of my kids have gotten that smell. It took us a while to figure it out, and with one of my kids it got to the point where everything they owned stunk! It was bad. Anyways, I figured out a solution that works for us through trial and error... I take their clothing, wash it in as hot a water as it can take, add the regular amount of detergent, make sure my washer isn’t collecting gunk and all that Jazz... but then I add a few drops of tea tree oil to the detergent, and I add plain white vinegar to the softener dispenser and run the load. We personally don’t like the smell of tea tree oil, so after the load is done I wash it one more time, regularly with minimal detergent (I use the Kirkland He detergent) but no TTO or vinegar and THEN it smells all nice and clean again. You don’t HAVE to run it for a second time, but I can always catch a faint whiff of TTO until the next regular washing if I don’t. We don’t do this every load, just periodically as needed. Those synthetic fabrics don’t like to let go of the odors and it builds up... faster in some people than others. Hope that helps someone!

seasea - Thank you for your input. For some reason there was a delay but I just received your comment now. DH might laugh at me but I just may try the laundry hanging in the sun trick. I grew up with laundry hung out to dry, and he and I were just talking about it a few weeks ago. I pondered how much more air pollution there is these days vs back in the 70's when my mom hung our sheets out and they smelled SO good!

According to our water quality report, our city water isn't "bad" water, but I do know that every spring when they flush the system with whatever they use, I can count on my face flaring up from some sort of allergic reaction to whatever they do.

skmom - I may go back to the Kirkland. I used it for a couple of years and then tried Persil. Recently I've been reading that people are having reactions to the Kirkland detergent I used to use. I wonder if they've changed the formula. I do use vinegar in the fabric softener compartment now, but I haven't tried tea tree oil. I can't stand the smell of it, personally - I guess it reminds of someone I don't care to remember lol.

I find it funny that synthetic clothing wash instructions mostly seem to call for cold water. If stink is so easy to accumulate and so hard to get out in synthetics, why in the world would they want them washed in cold water?? It's not like they shrink.

I agree with you Tina; why cold water? LOL! Maybe for fading? Doesn’t matter... the clothing was stinking so bad at one point that I was ready to throw it all in the trash if I didn’t find a solution. And I really, really dislike the smell of TTO too, um... it stinks! But it’s great at getting that odor out, and it washes right out with a second normal wash. We are having to use some for one of my son’s right now because he has an infected ingrown toenail, so Epsom salt soaks with TTO... ugh! Stinky!! I feel like I need to air my house out after every soak. Actually, I might start making him do the soak outside. LOL!

If your synthetics are the wicking type (athletic garment), those things will develop a funky smell that is nearly impossible to get rid of.. Everyone has their own arsenal of detergents that works "okay", including myself, but my cottons never smell as bad as that poly wicking fabric.

I've been going back and forth over the past couple weeks between liquid and powder detergent. Would one or the other make a difference in getting out odor? I really can't tell any difference, But interestingly, the Sun powder I've been trying, which doesn't say it's HE, makes a lot less suds than using less than what's recommended of Persil.

Why use unstoppables. They leave behind a chemical residue. That doesn't sound healthy. Likewise with dryer sheets.

Clean smells like nothing!

What temperature water are you using?

melchap - When the laundry started taking on the funky odor, I decided that all I really wanted was clean. I had been using Unstopables for just a hint of fragrance since I use unscented detergent, but I stopped using them and fabric softener sheets. Now I'm just trying to get to no scent lol!

kris_zone6 - I've been using different temps (except cold, I don't wash in cold), but I'm upping th temp to see what happens on the advice of hcbm!

OdoBan works well but is scented. Ammonia will rinse out quickly and deodorize while cleaning your clothes and machine of odor causing gunk. 1 Cup to start might be worth the trick. Do not mix with bleach ever. Baking soda might work on some garments as well. Since you are using a sanitize cycle I doubt your machine is real dirty.

Tina are you using Persil for you main detergent? Persil has been known to leave a funky odor for some people. This Facebook group I'm a member of swear by it so much so I tried the free version. They say it only takes 2 tablespoons for a load, even that was too much for my top load speed queen. So I stopped it. They think persil and pine sol are the cure all for all laundry woes. This is going to sound crazy. Peroxide is good for odors, it works for stinky shoes. If you're not using really, really hot water it shouldn't be too much a problem for colors to use occasionally, and certainly wouldn't hurt whites at all.

As mentioned upthread regarding the water temps, I have to wonder if your new washer is cooling down the water temps unbeknownst to you. I.E., you choose Normal/Warm--What you get is a tiny amount of lukewarm water. Not a temperature you would consider to actually be warm. Those body oils are not being removed with lukewarm water. Kind of like when you wash greasy dishes and tupperware in cool water. You are not going to get very clean tupperwares with cool water. The plastic keeps the grease on it without a hot washing and strong detergent. Same for clothes, especially synthetics, since they come from plastics.

I am hoping on your new machine that when you choose Hot, you really get hot. It sounds like you are since your towels are coming out to your standards. You would be surprised how many articles of clothing can handle what is now called Hot on washing machines.

I hope you get this sorted out. I was there, and it's not fun.

It's likely you need to clean the drain pump filter. Directions for this are likely in your manual. I had to do this at least monthly with my Miele.

doreycrouse - One thing I haven't tried is ammonia. I haven't seen that much about ammonia in laundry so I'll have to educate myself. I do know that bleach and ammonia are a dangerous no-no. Thanks for the tip!

beaglenc - Yes I have been using Persil for a while. I started reading about people's complaints regarding the unscented version, so I knew I wasn't alone in thinking it smelled weird. I'm wondering if it reacts with a chemical in some city water systems because a lot of people swear by it. Pinesol? It's no longer the same now that it doesn't actually contain pine oil. It doesn't even smell the same. No thank you! And I haven't tried peroxide, I'll have to check that out! Thanks!

seasea - I'm really beginning to wonder if the temps are not what I think they would be in the machine. Which is ridiculous, because hot should be HOT. My water from the tap comes out hot, so I figured that the "extra hot" setting meant the machine heats it up even hotter. Now I wonder.

suseyb - I've got to find it then. I know it was mentioned earlier by Grey Heron Interiors, but I haven't gotten further on it than seeing there is no door on the front of my washer. as she suggested there might be. Thanks!

dadoes will know. It's likely he will also know why you are having stink. I have a Whirlpool Duet, and I think mine is on the back of the machine, but I haven't had a need to go and hunt it down. I will if I have to. You might try googling your model number on youtube and see if you can come up with anything.

Tina B, your MHW5500FW doesn't provide easy access to the pump trap. The entire front panel must be removed.

Regards to temperature, the machine's electronic control moderates the target temperature for the various temperature selections, and the targets are not the same for every cycle. As mentioned above, the designated Normal cycle is the basis for the machine's EnergyStar rating and is the most restricted on temperature. Soil level also has an effect. Use a stronger cycle and higher soil level to get a higher temperature on a given temp choice ... taking into consideration what the fabric can withstand. Some combinations are not possible ... such as getting a truly hot wash on the delicate cycle. It's unfortunate that manufacturers hard-wire the controls to not allow it.

Borax is typically the recommended go-to (per MamaPinky and others here) for dealing with funk/odors. You said you've already tried it ... but perhaps try again with a higher temperature.

Local water chemistry can definitely be incompatible with a given detergent. I have no trouble with Persil powder or liquid, contrary to many of the reports that have been posted on this board.

dadoes - Thank you for your input. Several here have said that you are one to look to for advice. I've had the machine for approximately 6 months. I have three boys who love to leave various items in their pockets, however I'm usually pretty thorough about getting everything out. I've removed the occasional penny or wrapper or (yikes) broken pencil in the drain area of the gasket, but I'm not sure whether the drain pump is my problem at all. It does seem to drain thoroughly from the drum and I have strong water pressure. I am however curious if there's maybe a build-up of those scent beads in the trap? - given the information that I probably haven't been washing at temperatures I thought I was. I can adjust temp and soil level, and by choosing a different cycle and trying Borax again I hopefully can get more work out of the washer, and in turn help my issue. I just wish that the manual was more forthcoming about which cycles use more water. The only one that specifies a higher water usage is the Allergen cycle, and the only two choices for temp are hot and extra hot. I'm really hesitant to wash my darks in super hot water. The Sanitize cycle works for my towels, however once again it is only a hot wash. I dot have a question maybe you can answer for me: is there a recommended length or bend for the drain hose to the drain? Again I'm not sure this is my problem because the spin cycle does remove all visible water from the drum, but the smell just smells...dank. Like dirty water. Thank you for your help!

MamaPinky0 is sick at the moment so it may be a while before she can chime in here. I know she will tell you to use hottest water possible for the fabric types you are washing and once you get it loaded let the clothes sit and soak a good while after you’ve the load dosed up. Also she’ll say you need a top of the line detergent and that Sun is mostly scented water. She is also a STPP user along with Sodium percarbonate. She will also likely recommend to use a healthy, not skimpy dose of detergent for optimal cleaning. To this I would add that you get some Tide Odor rescue pods. They claim to remove old set in body oil residue and odors. I like scent beads too so I’d still use them. For the sheets she will recommend the same setting as your towels, extra hot and sanatize cycle. Best of luck to you, be sure to keep us updated. Ugg.... mama get well soon you are needed!...and I just can’t fill your shoes.

I have found with my city water that using unstoppables makes my clothes stink. I got them on a super deal and couldn’t pass them up (.35 cents each container). I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why everything was smelling. Took almost two months of nothing but hot washes to get the smell out. I use powder cheer for most of my dark clothing and gets them super clean. The vinegar may be not helping too. I used that combo for awhile and stuff was stinking again. I dont use any fabric softner for the majority of my clothing. If I do I use a plant based and only 1/4 of what’s recommended. Most all my clothing is the athletic wear and all of it I wash on super hot water with plenty of detergent. It does not stink at all, just smells clean. Cheer powder is great for that type of clothing. Not sure if that will help but seemed to do the trick with our water.

dadoes - Thank you for your input. Several here have said that you are one to look to for advice. I've had the machine for approximately 6 months. I have three boys who love to leave various items in their pockets, however I'm usually pretty thorough about getting everything out. I've removed the occasional penny or wrapper or (yikes) broken pencil in the drain area of the gasket, but I'm not sure whether the drain pump is my problem at all. It does seem to drain thoroughly from the drum and I have strong water pressure. I am however curious if there's maybe a build-up of those scent beads in the trap? - given the information that I probably haven't been washing at temperatures I thought I was. I can adjust temp and soil level, and by choosing a different cycle and trying Borax again I hopefully can get more work out of the washer, and in turn help my issue. I just wish that the manual was more forthcoming about which cycles use more water. The only one that specifies a higher water usage is the Allergen cycle, and the only two choices for temp are hot and extra hot. I'm really hesitant to wash my darks in super hot water. The Sanitize cycle works for my towels, however once again it is only a hot wash. I do have a question maybe you can answer for me: is there a recommended length or bend for the drain hose to the drain? Again I'm not sure this is my problem because the spin cycle does remove all visible water from the drum, but the smell just smells...dank. Like dirty water. Thank you for your help!

mimi - Thanks for the input. I can't figure out how to do a soak - I don't have a button option for that short of maybe shutting off the machine? I will look into the Tide rescue pods but I am wary of simply covering up the stink with fragrance, if that's what it's designed to do...

Larisa Batchelor - Growing up, my mom used Cheer and Wisk (oh how I miss Wisk!). I'll check into it. Yesterday I ran a load of synthetics-only on hot water with a rinse cycle, and the clothes came out feeling like they had a film on them after the dryer. So maybe vinegar is a no-go for synthetics?

Update: I just finished a load of cotton whites on the Sanitize setting, extra hot water. After the extra rinse cycle I noticed a small amount of suds on the window, so ran a third rinse cycle. Clothes came out smelling like the towels - nothing, just clean. Crossing my fingers that once they're dry, they will still smell the same! The info on the water temp settings was an eye-opener and hopefully leads to a fix - I am really wondering at this point just how cold my washes have been with the Maytag even though I was selecting warm. I don't like that the cycles will take upwards of 1 1/2 hours, but I'll take it over stink.

I'm going to rewash the synthetic-blend load without the vinegar rinse and see if the filmy feeling I got yesterday goes away.

Sounds like you are headed in the right direction. I use warm as my cold on my machine. LOL Then hot for most everything. Even darks. I recently tried powder Cheer. It doesn't seem to work as well on stains as Persil Pearls. Everything came out smelling clean. However, two of mine are now itchy after using it. I'm trying to decide if I need to add an extra rinse or if I should just switch detergents. Do consider adding some STPP to your detergent. It is a great additive.

To let them soak a while just hit the pause button, once it has filled and is a few minutes into the cycle, to make sure all the ingredients have dissolved. Even 30 minutes should help.

Have you tried powder detergent? I put it directly in the drum with the clothing when I'm doing a wash. For years (with two different FL machines, an LG and Miele), I had justly clothing. Someone on this forum recommended it and the smell is completely gone from my washer and from my clothing. I'm also very diligent about wiping dry the rubber seal and detergent drawers after each use.

Val B - I have used both liquid and powdered detergent in the past month. The powdered detergent isn't considered top shelf but maybe I'll try some. I've see people on this forum talking about Ariel - from the hispanic grocery stores, not Walmart for some reason, and that it is the foreign version of Tide produced by P&G with better cleaning power. I haven't put the powder directly in the drum however. Is that recommended vs loading it into the dispenser?

I use both powdered Cheer and powdered Gain, mostly hot or warm washes and always add an extra rinse. Occasionally I do use liquid Woolite. I have no odor or mold problems.

Pausing the cycle for some soak time *may* cause the machine to drain and cancel after a time-out period.

Mexican Ariel is a high-sudsing product so not a good choice for a frontloader. I've heard mention of a low-suds version (Ariel Baja Espuma) but I've never seen it.

Makes no difference for detergent function whether it's placed in the dispenser or directly into the drum. Just don't mix powder and liquid together in the dispenser ... for example, place one in the drum and the other in the dispenser if using powder borax with liquid detergent.

Dadoes is right... as always. I can pause and soak up to 30 minutes before it cancels out.

Try Calgon water softener along with your detergent and Biz.

If your laundry smells funky or musty after washing, it has detergent residue. The problem with the current Whirlpool/Maytag front-loaders is they don't spin between the rinses on the normal cycle. When you combine that with only two default rinses, your laundry never ends up being well rinsed and gets musty after a little while. I'm not sure what cycles on your Maytag that always spin between the rinses, but I'd suggest trying different ones, grab a chair and watch to see which ones spin between the rinses. I suggest always selecting "hot" as it's really only lukewarm during the normal cycle and ALWAYS add an extra rinse to EVERY cycle.

I had this same issue with my he top-loading washer. Once I started using "hot" water on every cycle and running a rinse and spin cycle after every load, my musty laundry smell disappeared.

Add a little vinegar to every load.

Sounds like you are on the right path. One thing I had to learn in switching from a water hog TL to a Speed Queen front loader was to draw up the hot water at the nearest sink before turning on the washer. Front loaders don’t hold much water. So if your water heater is very far from the washing machine, it will take a long time for the hot water to actually GET hot. I would have my machine set on hot, but actually get a tepid wash because of distance. I also learned that with my husband’s athletic gear adding a Tide pod with Febreeze was absolutely necessary to cut down the musty stink, which does build up in synthetics over time. The Tide pod is NOT a fragrance. It is a supplemental detergent. Larsi got me started on them. Lifesavers. And I wash everything except my most delicate items on Heavy Duty because that is the cycle with the deepest fill. Also, I often pour in an extra gallon of hot water via the detergent dispenser if we have an extra grubby load of athletic gear. SQ allows this trick, though not all makes do. (Honestly, by the time you go through all the tricks and perambulations to make these machines actually clean, I don’t think you actually save any water . . . )

MizLizzie - Funny that you say that about running hot water before the load - growing up, my mom trained me to do just that when getting ready to run the dishwasher. Didn't think about it for the washing machine though, maybe because I wouldn't normally have run my darks or unmentionables on hot. But I do now! It seems to be working! [happy dance]

twebbz - I haven't thought about using Calgon because according to the city water report, our water is minimally hard. My last house had a whole house softener because I was on a well, and THAT was some soft water lol.

MiMi - I will try pausing during the cycle and see what happens, but I have noticed that I really don't see much of any water when the machine does it's pause and tumble. I can see suds and I see water running down the sides of the drum, but I don't see the items sitting in water. I hope that's normal!

Allison Karun - I do that, not every time but often. With everything I've read though, I might try a teensy bit of FS in the washing machine. I was a die-hard FS sheet user but cut that out while I was trying to source my issue. The vinegar just doesn't seem to give the clothes that same feel.

littlegreeny - I have seen a 100% change - no more stink - since washing on hot or extra hot. I worry about the longevity of the fabrics a little, but I'd rather replace clothes than have my family stink when they walk out the door.

Speaking of stink, DH just doesn't understand what I'm talking about. He doesn't smell it. I had him sniffing the laundry lol, and he just shook his head at me. But he didn't dare say a word about all the products I had spread out on the counter when he walked in the door because he knows this has been driving me crazy, and when mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

So...after reading through so many posts, this is my current arsenal (yes I may have gone a little crazy lol). Some things I want to have but need to order, like Lemi Shine powder booster and STPP. Please help me know which may be duds or what works best on what:

Tide w/ Bleach powder (I really like the scent after drying - so light. Worked great on my sheets and whites.)

Cheer powder (I'm waiting to see how the darks do with it, I like that there's basically no scent after drying.)

Dreft powder (The scent after washing is really nice, not the cloying baby smell out of the box)

Ariel Concentrado and Ariel Concentrado Colors liquids (I went to my local hispanic supermarket and asked about the Ariel. The clerk said the powders are not HE but the liquids I bought are. She said she uses the Colors one for everything in a front loader and it's low sudsing - it is but I do NOT like the spicy scent that is left after the dryer. It's light but I'm just not into it. Maybe for the kids' clothes!)

Tide Ultra Stain Release Free liquid and Tide Free & Gentle liquid (tried these to see if it was scent from the Persil.)

Persil ProClean Sensitive liquid (works great on my colored towels, was, using it for everything but I want to make sure I'm putting apples and apples together)

Kirkland Signature Ultra Clean liquid (This is what I will likely go back to when my Persil is gone. I always liked it and it seemed to do a great job. I used the free and clear version but have read from some of you that the scented one has a great old fashioned but light scent.)

Biz powder

Borax powder

A&H washing soda

Thoughts/advice? And a huge THANK YOU to everyone for all of your input. I'm so grateful! I would never have figured this out on my own.

Biz powder works amazing. I add it to loads that are what some call tragic loads and it gets them sparkling clean lol washing soda never did no good for me but may work for you. Borax is a good booster but I much prefer biz over borax.

Cheer powder works amazing!! It don’t have OB that cause darks to look like they are fading. The scent is almost non existent after they have been dried in the dryer. I use this for darks and color clothing. I use tide with bleach powder for whites but it does leave more of a scent after dried.

I used to use Kirkland detergent a lot and loved it. However Costco is 4 hours round trip away from me so haven’t gone as often as I like.

Persil sensitive is a great one to use for a no scent detergent. I use this for my sensitive kids and it cleans well. I do use hot water for all my washes though. I use sanitize for my towels as otherwise they have a funk on them.

I think your on the right path to getting clothes clean. Hot water is key here lol warm water and my clothing starts to have a funk smell to them over time. My front loader is an older one so when I push hot it’s actually hot not dumbed down hot. I don’t know what I’m going to do when I have to replace it and they control how hot actually is. Good luck!

When it was suggested you try hispanic Ariel people meant powdered. The reason is powdered contains phosphates, liquids do not. Phosphates help by removing residual residue and suspending the yuck in the water so it can actually rinse out easily.

I often use Ariel with soft water and sometimes I get a lot of suds, but with 4 rinses all the suds are gone and the clothes are sparkling clean. I only use it on whites and lights, it will fade darks. The powder is so cheap I can't pass it up. I also use Grab Green pods for whites and prefer them, but they are expensive.

I use Cheer powder for darks and colors.

For anything that can't have enzymes, such as wool or silk I use a variety of non enzyme detergents, depending on what I can find. I have used Woolite, but boy that is sudsy and hard to rinse. Right now I am using Basic from CVS which is basically slippery water and will be replaced as soon as I can order something else. Maybe Grab Green for delicates?

You are on the right track and just FYI my clothes don't wear out any sooner from hot washes or shrink, because hot is really not that hot. My clothes do wear out faster because they are made with cheap fabric and labor.

Glad you are having success and welcome to the laundry obsessed family.

Just to say ... Biz (I use only the powder) can cause/increase sudsing. Dose enough of it to be effective but watch for the suds effect.