Hotpoint WMA0743

[Stevecjc]

We are having issues with this machine leaving the clothes smelling musty or damp. We have also noticed that when using a wool wash the clothes don't seem to be wet when they come out!!

We have checked the inlet filter, checked the cold water supply, done service washes, washing is taken out straight away and dried.

The machine is over 12 months old but has only been used for about 12 months as we bought it before we were able to fit it into a new utility room.

When we tried to register it for warranty all Hotpoint were interested in was how much we paid for it, which we didn't have to hand at the time. 

Any advice would be appreciated!!

[andyr12345]

off the top of my head as a first guess, and by no means it could necessarily be this , but check the outlet hose. Is it plumbed in a way underneath a sink where water could be flowing from the sink back into the washing machine? - does the outlet of the washing machine go into a standpipe with a u-bend at the bottom? - if it does, you havent pushed the outlet hose of the washing machine too far into the standpipe that its down as far as the u-bend? 

You say you have checked the inlet filter of the washing machine , have you checked the pump filter at the bottom of the machine as well to see if thats nice and clear and clean from gunk? 

Run a 90c full wash with no soap powder and no washing in and no fabric conditioner (a cap full of bleach in soap drawer if you like)  - could take over 3 hours 

Hope some of this helps eliminate the smell. I dont know why the wool is coming out dry after a wash, strange that one.  - How about put on wool cycle with no garments in and see at what level the water gets up to in the drum, if there is not much water in the drum this could be a problem. If thats the case it could be a faulty water level switch, or a blockage in the pipe leading from the chamber at the bottom of the drum in that pipe that leads to the water level switch (these can get gunged up with soap frequently) although normally that leads to 'overfilling' of the drum

[Stevecjc]

Thanks for the ideas! We have tried the hot wash empty, the water level only just gets to the bottom of the door glass, the outlet pipe is hooked over the top of a standpipe. It has done this from brand new but because we had it in storage for a long time due to house alterations it was 12 months old before we used it!

It seems to me that the water level switch is faulty ?

steve

[andyr12345]

Hello steve. When it was in storage did you shut up the door of the washing machine fully, or did you leave it ajar a little to let air circulate into the drum? 

Have you taken off the plinth at the bottom of the machine and unscrewed the pump filter and give it a good clean? - spray it in some diluted bleach. 

A lot of these later washing machines do only fill up to the bottom of the glass door, in fact on some of the even later washing machines they dont even come up to that far, just reaching half way up the drum paddles. - on the older washing machines (and of 4/5kg capacity) they used to level half way up the glass door. 

When you wash garments, you dont put the clothes right up to the top of the drum do you? (overloading) because this can affect wash performance, and if you are not getting the correct wash performance then the clothes could not be washing properly and not only would you be left with stains it could also make drum smell and transfer onto the next load of washing you do. 

You are using the right cycle to do the washes? - dont forget if you are using quick washes (time saver) this is only designed for clothes that do not smell or have stains and even if you have a 7kg machine, if you are doing a quick wash you cannot load the drum over say 2 or 3 kg full of clothes (well you can, but your not supposed to) I think its because the drum doesnt fill up with as much water as on a full 2.30hr wash and only does one rinse (thus saving time) - plus also make sure you have correct dosage of soap powder (dont under-dose) - I personally am happy to see 'suds' (even if not much) through the door window rather than just water with no suds at all when its in its 'wash' part of the cycle.

- I dont know if you are an eco warrior (sorry dont mean that to sound bad) but if you use these ecological powder/liquid with this and that chemical taken out of it and fragrances taken out of it, it may be very weak at washing clothes and leaving them fresh.  - If you do use them kind of liquids/powder or cheap washing poweder can I suggest just trying out a few washes using a well known BIO (Biological, not Non-Bio) powder in the drawer such as Persil or Arial and something like Lenor or Comfort (only a little bit, half a capful) in the detergent drawer , and then see if your washing comes out smelling better?
Im just thinking, Overloaded machine, under-dosed with not enough detergent, wrong cycle for dirty/smelly washing, not hot enough water (wrong temp used on cycle)  all this could lead to washing coming out smelling musty and damp. 

Dont forget to take the washing out of the machine drum immediately straight after the cycle has finished (straight after spinning) dont leave the washing sitting in the drum - even if you cannot get to dry it straight after the wash, take it out of the drum , even if you have to put it in a was basket in a room with air circulating around it until you can put it in tumble drier or out on the line. 

And after each wash, leave the washing machine door open a bit (or totally wide open if its possible) to let fresh air circulate around the drum and door gasket and dry it out thoroughly. - Talking of door gasket (the big round rubber thing around the door) pull it apart carefully and inspect it really thouroughly. have a sniff in its creasy bit. Is it smelly? - is there black marks on it, are the 3 drain holes at the bottom of the door gasket clear of gunk?(try cleaning the holes delicately with a paper clip) , if there is like a liquid slime in the creased parts of the door gasket mix up some bleach into a spray bottle (or get a bottle of domestos spray  bleach) and spray the door gasket liberally with this bleach (and spray a bit of bleach into the drum as well whilst your at it)  then leave it all to dry naturally overnight - next day put the machine on a rinse cycle . 

Take out soap detergent drawer (it does come out fully on your hotpoint) leave to soak in sink and clean it of all residue soap powder (you might even find some black mould on that drawer, you normally do) wash all that off thouroughly. - Take the blue thing off the fabric conditioner side and clean thoroughly there and make sure the little fabric conditioner pipe is nice and clear of all gunk. - whilst you have the soap drawer out have a look where the soap drawer slides into the machine , any mould and gunk there? - get rid of it if you can see it/reach it.

Give these things a go and see if you can get rid of these smells you are getting once and for all. Hope it works. 




 

[Whitegoodshelp (Andy)]

Good advice thanks Andy. Check this out too Steve How to get rid of washing machine smells