I've seen this product on the internet, but have finally found out that adding ten drops of either tea tree oil or grapefruit seed extract to each wash (with the detergent) does the trick. They kill off bacteria, so I thereby save energy by washing cold. I also add the same amount of lavender oil for to cover the tea tree smell. Works great!

Also, depending on the water hardness, it's very important to de-scale your washer. That effects the smell factor too.

What brands of stacking front loading washers don't have this problem?? We're shopping for a set and I don't want to run into this.

Uh, I think you mean EXACERBATED, not exasperated.

Kimg924, I have a stacking Frigidaire and it doesn't smell.

Sometimes small laundry items get stuck behind the rubber rim/door seal/gasket. These items, when left to their own devices, do not make for a sweet smell. Check that area regularly.

Also, I wash my kitchen diaper/dishtowels weekly with bleach and detergent and this prevents any foul smell...

use. bleach.

if you do a load of whites once per with with clorox you will find that this problem resolves itself.

we wipe out under the rubber seals after each use. water seems to get trapped their causing problems but once we established that was the problem it was very easy to deal with.

I also have a Fridgedaire and have never had this problem.

I hear peroxide can also be used to deal with this problem. Your user manual may mention this issue, and offer suggestions regarding how to resolve it.

Leaving the door open when the machine's not in use can also help things dry out. Just make sure your cat doesn't crawl in there and end up going for an unwanted spin.

My Frigidaire has never had this problem. When I went to purchase my washer/dryer, I asked the service guys which brand they had the least amount of calls on. Frigidaire.

In Gemany over 90 % of all washing machines are front loading.

To avoid smelling you have to "dry" the machine, leave the door open, also the detergent container and wipe out the rubber.

Sometimes against smelling it helps to start a programme without clothes in it, at hot temperature with bleach.
And also to clean the detergent container with hot water (the container can be removed from the machine)

Leaving the door open is bad idea when you have a curious toddler.

Mine is a frigidaire, and it has recently started to smell foul, despite running hot, bleach loads periodically.

Malber's machines never have this problem. I do notice some mildew build-up in the gasket about once a year, and we clean it then, but no smell ever, and because of space considerations we've used Malbers for almost 15 years.

While the moisture dries out quickly in the desert, I do have HARD water and wondered--how do you de-scale?

Just got a new front loader for the first time. It came with a free sample of a product called "Afresh" (I think). For this very purpose -- I haven't checked the stores yet, but I presume it's out there...

ours doesn't smell. but we leave the door slightly open and open the detergent/softener drawer to dry too. all good for us. rock on front loader washers!

I have a Frigidaire and it does happen, I live in Atlanta and moisture is a huge problem so trapped moisture leads to mold. Run a cup of vinegar through a short hot cycle then leave the door open, your problem should not reappear.

I was going to suggest Affresh just like Sherry -- I've seen it advertised.

As others have stated, leave the door open until the interior is dry. If it still smells now, do a "load" with nothing but water and clorox, then leave the door open to dry it out. I have to get on my husband's case all the time to leave the door open if he does the laundry. We have had our front load set for over 5 years with no mold or smell.

forgot to mention to pull out the detergent drawer and clean it with soap & water or clorox if it has been awhile. Keeps the bacteria down.

Also tip for anyone getting a front load set on the 2nd floor of a new house. Make them put in extra sideways support stringers to keep the shaking down when the spin cycle is at top speed. If you can't do it before construction, they now have rubber blocks to put under the feet of your washer and dryer. I would imagine anyone's washer and dryer would benefit from them.

Industrial versions
http://www.vibrasystems.com/?EC=Products&CategoryID=11

Home user versions
http://soundproofing.org/infopages/vibrationpads.htm

First one I saw a few weeks ago..
http://www.gviinc.net/

But can you use this stuff with your laundry if you only have a community laundry room? :(

I have a Miele pair W1113c washer, and have no such problem.

Why is leaving the door open a bad idea if you have a toddler? My toddler can open the door himself and amuse himself to no end spinning his stuffed animals! No harm done.

Does this issue includes the front loader combo washer/dryers? I'm trying to remember if they also have a smell issue (and a creeping inefficient issue) that seems to be related to some unknown wet lint trap that needs to be cleaned out. I'm considering an LG WM3431HS that I've been researching on, to replace my stackable to gain more space in the kitchen.

I keep the door open when I can (when the kids aren't around). I put vinegar in every load (in the bleach part of the detergent tray) to eliminates laundry odor, but I think it may help keep the tub smelling clean. Every so often (once a monthish?), I run the "tub clean" mode. So far, so good...

My front loader gets funky, and I don't always need to run a bleach load. I often leave the dirty but dry towels in it. They absorb excess moisture. Then that's the 1st load I do on the weekend.

@youdakine: It can be an issue with the combos. My apartment has an LG combo in the kitchen, and I love it, but it got stinky recently. I think it may have to do with the way my apartment folks have it set up to drain.

It may also have to do with the fact that I stopped using HE detergent from a bottle and started making my own detergent. It may just get gunkier faster. Or, it may be that it's not bone-dry winter anymore and so the machine isn't drying out as fast now that there's humidity again.

I recently, after ending up with stinky jeans that were only stinky AFTER washing them, ran to the Target next door and got some Tide front-loader washing machine cleaner. It is HEAVILY perfumed (my apartment smelled for two days from the unopened box!), and expensive, but for triage, it seemed to do the trick. Now, I'm leaving the door open for a whole day after washing day, and I think it's fine now.

Front loading washing machines are standard in Ireland, I've never had any other kind since I was a kid and I've never had or come across a problem with smell or mould. You just always leave the door ajar (i.e. not locked) when the machine isn't actively in use. It doesn't have to be wide open, just open a small bit. It's also cheaper than some gimmicky deodoriser.

Regarding apt living and shared washers/dryers, put up a sign(or see if the landlord will) asking the washer door be left ajar after use(and the reason why). This works fine 99% in our building.
And when I wash my sheets and/or towels, I use vinegar, maybe 1/2 a cup. I also add a little lavender and citronella oil to the detergent. Like the tea tree oil suggestion, I will add that to my mix. Essential oils also make the whole laundry room smell great.

I have to agree with Jamimess and Trish that opening the door after each load is probably the simplest and most effective way to get rid of odors.

But not sure if lack of HE detergent might be the contributing cause, because based on the front load washer guide I just read, they recommend that when buying new washing machines, you should check for any "spots of rust inside or around the tumble barrel". If this is true, then the only way to permanently fix and remov the bad smell is to eliminate rusting inside of the machine.

I second the question, how do you de-scale?