what causes odor in clothes
The water and energy savings they offer make high-efficiency washing machines a necessity. To a certain degree, mold and bacteria are present in all HE and regular washing machines. Depending on a number of factors the odor can get quite severe. There are a number of causes of mold odor in clothes washers. 1  The most common cause of musty smell from your washing machine is âoveruse of detergents because the user is following directions for amount used. 2  Using fabric softener. 3  Another cause for clothes washer smells is using mainly cold water for washing. Using mainly cold water for washing is understandable for saving energy but it makes preventive maintenance very important. Do your hottest wash or soak cycle as your last cycle on wash day or as preventive maintenance to dissolve residue.