We have an integral hotpoint bwm129 and we have an awful bacterial smell in the machine. Even with fabric conditioner the clothes are tainted. I suspect stagnant water in the pipe as it has been plumbed into the sink waste and the level of this is higher than the pipe. I checked the pump housing and found traces of fungal jelly. We regularly put cleaning tablets through it to no avail.

Paul Irvine, May 2013

We had a very bad smell from our W/mc - it was drain related - go outside the house and look for a drain inspection pit - lift the cover and look inside.

The machine drains into a a vertical pipe that seems to have no water trap in it and this allowed the smell to come into the house and the washer. I think there are regulations about the drain hose - having to be higher than the centre of the drum - to prevent siphoning back into the machine.

I tend to run my machine on the warmer programmes to kill-off any bugs in the pipes - some people use vinegar as a cleaning agent.

Follow your nose and get to the bottom of it.

Good luck...

Peccavi, May 2013