Şebnem Oğuz · ODORGO founder · Last updated: October 6, 2026
You washed the laundry, yet as you put it away you still catch a faint musty, damp or stale smell. Even clean towels come out with it. The cause is almost always the machine, not the laundry.
Fall makes it harder: laundry dries indoors instead of on the balcony, and damp fabric spends hours in closed air.
Why does a washing machine smell?
A washing machine is a closed space where warmth and moisture are always together, which suits the buildup of residue that produces odor. It comes from four places.
- Door gasket: in front loaders, water, lint and residue collect in the folds of the seal. This is the number one source.
- Detergent drawer: undissolved detergent and softener build up in layers. Because it stays damp, it is the area most prone to a musty smell.
- A low-temperature habit: washing always at 30-40 °C cannot dissolve the grease and detergent deposits behind the drum and in the drain line.
- Moisture shut inside: closing the door the moment the cycle ends traps the damp.
These odors also cling to fabric electrostatically, so towels go on smelling in the closet even though they are clean. The molecules held in the fabric have to be neutralized too.
Why don't scented products work alone?
A perfumed product or scented softener only adds a second smell over the bad one. The residue and the odor molecules stay at the source, and the original odor returns when the pleasant one fades.
How do you get rid of washing machine odor, step by step?
With every wash
Add one capful of ODORGO Multi-Purpose Odor Eliminator Liquid 500 ml to the detergent drawer and run your normal program. One capful takes on the sweat and damp odor held deep in the fabric together with the odor from the machine. It is twice as concentrated as standard ODORGO and is used together with your detergent and softener, not instead of them. It adds no perfume, so your laundry smells of nothing.
Once a month: the deep clean
- Run an empty wash at the highest temperature (90 °C if possible); the deposits behind the drum only dissolve this way. A capful of ODORGO in the detergent drawer neutralizes the odor they release.
- Wipe the door gasket. Pull the folds outward and take out lint, hair and residue with a damp cloth carrying a few drops of ODORGO.
- Take out the detergent drawer, wash it in warm water, brush off the residue and dry it. Wipe the housing it sits in as well.
- Clean the pump filter behind the lower flap as the manual describes, with a towel laid in front, because some water will come out. A filter left unopened for years is behind many odors that never seem to go away.
- Leave the door and the drawer ajar for a while after every wash. It is the cheapest way to break the odor cycle.
Which cause needs which fix?
| Cause of odor | Fix |
|---|---|
| Moisture and residue in the gasket | Wipe and dry it; leave the door ajar |
| Residue in the detergent drawer | Wash the drawer; avoid too much detergent |
| Unseen buildup in the drum | Monthly empty 90 °C program with a capful of ODORGO |
| Always washing at low temperature | Wash hot now and then |
| Door left closed | Air out the door and drawer after use |
Which methods work, and where do they stop?
| Method | What it does | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Vinegar / baking soda | Partly dissolves limescale and residue | Does not neutralize the odor molecule; short-lived |
| Scented softener | Loads the fabric with perfume | Masking; the odor molecule stays in the fabric |
| Machine cleaning tablet | Dissolves buildup | No effect on odor settled into fabric |
| ODORGO Multi-Purpose Liquid | Neutralizes the odor molecule in the machine and the fabric | Does not replace cleaning the filter and drawer |
How do you keep the odor from coming back?
- Wipe the gasket with a dry cloth once a week.
- Do not leave washed laundry in the machine; hang it as soon as the cycle ends.
- If you dry indoors, set an ODORGO Odor Eliminator Gel 250 g near the drying area, standing flat. Just open the lid; with no power or batteries it neutralizes the odor that damp fabric gives off into the room.
How does ODORGO work?
The technology behind ODORGO is rooted in research at Delaware State University in the USA. The water-based formula, built on five plant-derived essential oils: pine needle, anise, clove, cedarwood and lime, finds odor molecules, binds to them electrostatically and turns them into odorless compounds. The ODORGO spray and gel show up to 98% odor elimination effectiveness. The Multi-Purpose Liquid is vegan.
Keep your washing machine fresh
The same liquid goes into the dishwasher at 20 mL: see how to get rid of dishwasher odor. For the closet your clean laundry goes into, there is how to get rid of closet and drawer odor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get rid of washing machine odor?
In two layers: a monthly deep clean (gasket, drawer, filter, empty 90 °C wash) and one capful of ODORGO Multi-Purpose Liquid in the detergent drawer with every wash.
Why does my clean laundry smell?
Most of the time the problem is the machine. Residue in the gasket, drawer or drum passes odor even to clean laundry.
Does ODORGO replace fabric softener?
No. Detergent cleans and ODORGO neutralizes odor molecules; use it together with your detergent and softener.
Will my laundry smell of ODORGO?
No. It adds no perfume, so your laundry smells of nothing, the way clean fabric should.
Aren't vinegar or baking soda enough?
No. They help loosen limescale and residue but do not neutralize the odor molecule.
Can it be used for dishwasher odor too?
Yes. Add 20 mL to the rinse cycle or inside the machine.