Laundry Room Smells Musty: Check Moisture, Washer and Dryer Areas
Inspect washer gasket/filter, damp laundry, dryer vent area, utility sink/drains and room humidity.
Inspect washer gasket/filter, damp laundry, dryer vent area, utility sink/drains and room humidity.
What to do now
- Remove damp laundry.
- Inspect washer maintenance points.
- Check dryer/vent area for obvious moisture or lint issues.
- Check utility sink/floor drain if present.
- Measure humidity and inspect for leaks.
Separate fabric, washer, drying and storage
Laundry odor can be created at several different stages. Change one stage at a time so you can tell whether the source is the textile, the wash process, the washer/drain, drying delay or storage. For this guide, begin with “Remove damp laundry.”.
Use a small comparison load
Smell the empty washer separately from the finished fabric and compare a small normal load with the changed process. Odor present at cycle end points in a different direction from odor that appears only after slow drying or storage. Specifically, recheck after “Inspect washer maintenance points.” before you change another part of the process.
Stop treating the fabric when the source is elsewhere
If the empty washer or nearby drain smells, water remains where it should not, the machine drains poorly, or the room stays damp, move to appliance maintenance, drainage or ventilation instead of adding fragrance or detergent.