Bad-smelling laundry may not be the detergent: Expert reveals what builds up inside an uncleaned washing machine

Bad-smelling clothes may have less to do with the detergent than with the washing machine itself. Rie Hirashima, a laundry expert and mother of four, tested what would happen if she left her machine's drum without cleaning for two months. The result: thick black mold covered the back of the drum and was especially heavy around the lint filter.

Hirashima said many people respond to lingering odors by changing detergent or adding more fabric softener. But when clothes come out smelling unpleasant, the machine may be the first thing that needs checking. Dirt inside the drum often remains hidden until black flakes begin sticking to clothing or a persistent smell appears.

Moisture left behind the drum after each wash can combine with undissolved detergent, fabric softener and body oils. Because the area dries poorly, the buildup creates conditions in which mold can grow. As mold develops and flakes off, it can travel through the wash and attach itself to clothes, creating the black residue that resembles seaweed.

Hirashima's advice is simple: keep the drum ventilated and allow it to dry naturally after every use. Do not leave clothes sitting inside the machine as if it were a temporary laundry basket, and use detergent and fabric softener in appropriate amounts. She also recommends using a washing-machine cleaner once a month to remove dirt accumulating behind the drum.

Cleaners generally contain chlorine or oxygen. Chlorine products offer stronger disinfecting and mold-removal action, but they have a strong smell and require ventilation. Oxygen cleaners loosen dirt with bubbles, although some manufacturers do not recommend them for certain machines. Users should check the machine manual first. People who use soap-based detergents may need to clean more often because soap scum can build up more easily. As Hirashima puts it, "Clean clothes start with a clean washing machine."

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Clean clothes start with a clean washing machine.