Electrolux front loader

[abyars]

Our 10 year old Electrolux front loader doesn't seem to be getting clothes clean.  Our towels especially have a slight foul odor.  We're noticing it on clothing as well.  The washer has always done an amazing job in the past.  We make our own detergent that has always kept this from happening in the past.  Even when our daughters leave wet towels in their bathroom for a week the washer and our detergent always removed the odor.The washer tub itself doesn't stink, no odor when it's empty.  We're starting to think something is malfunctioning with the washer.  What could cause the washer to not clean as well as it did in the past?  We regularly run the "clean washer" cylce.

The washer model number is EWFLS70JRR0, serial number 4C13004318.

[16345Ed]

Soap scum and soil buildup. 
 

When you run clean cycle are you using cleaning tablets?

You’re homemade detergent could be the culprit. 

[abyars]

16345ED, thanks for your reply.  We have not used the cleaning tablets and have considered those.  Electrolux's instructions say they're not needed but I never bought that idea.  We did notice once the soap flake we're dissolving well and reduced those in our mixture.  Could they have caused a buildup in the drain?

[abyars]

My wife informed me the detergent she makes has the same ingredients as the washer cleaning tablets, Affresh and such.

 

She gave me a little more info, she says sometimes the clothes come out with dry spots.  She doesn't think it's filling properly with water.  She always select extra water when she washes.  That setting is built into all her favorite settings on the machine.

[Trossbarco]

Nothing in the machine will make your garments smell, its what you are putting into the machine. I would buy manufactured detergent and cleaning tablets. Run multiple clean cycles with the cleaning product. Soap scum will build up in the machine and that retains moisture and odor causing bacteria.

[Terry Carmen]

7 hours ago, abyars said:

We did notice once the soap flake we're dissolving well and reduced those in our mixture.

Your washer is designed for high efficiency detergent, not soap, which is a completely different thing.

Use a commercially available detergent and it should work better.

 

Edited July 16, 2021 by Terry Carmen

[abyars]

Thanks, everyone.  I'll pass this along to the wash lady.