Take a good whiff of your Samsung washer. If it smells like rotten eggs or a really bad case of flatulence, your nose isn’t deceiving you.
That funky smell is hydrogen sulfide, also known as sewer gas.
It is most likely caused by bacterial build-up in your washer. Whether due to a poorly installed drainage system or an unclean unit, you can get rid of the unpleasant odors in no time.
Below, we’ve laid out a clear outline of steps to help you eliminate the smell of sewage in your Samsung washer.
Why does my washing machine smell like sewage?
Your washer will have a strong sewage odor if the drain hose is inserted too far down the drain. It creates a siphoning effect, which causes drained water to flow back into the tub.
If the washer isn’t cleaned regularly, bacteria, mold, and mildew will build up and produce foul smells.
How to Get Rid of the Sewage Odor from a Samsung Washing Machine
A Samsung washing machine that smells of sewage needs a deep cleanse. Run a Self-Clean cycle to get rid of the build-up of mold, bacteria, and grime causing the unpleasant odor.
Then, check if the drainage system is installed correctly. The foul smells will keep recurring until you fix this problem.
Here, we’ve made a list of the possible causes of mold and bacterial build-up in your Samsung washer. We also have easy-to-follow instructions that can help you get rid of the stinky sewage smell and prevent it from recurring.
| Causes | Solution |
| Incorrectly Installed Drain Hose | • Push the joint ring and install it on the drain hose. • Insert the hose into the drain outlet. • Use the joint ring to secure the connection between the hose and the drain outlet. • Adjust the length of the hose if necessary. |
| Dirty Washer Tub | To run a Self-Clean cycle: • Make sure there’s nothing inside your washer. • Power on the washer. • Push the Self-Clean button. On 2011-2013 models, push the Pure Cycle button. • Click on the Start button to confirm and wait for the cycle to end. • Power off the washer. Then, leave the door open and let the tub dry thoroughly. |
| To manually clean the tub: • Fill up the drum with water. Then, add bleach or a cleaner of your choice. • Let the mixture sit for an hour before running a cycle. • Run a wash cycle to remove all the gunk inside the drum. • Drain the water inside the drum. • Leave the door open to let the interior air dry. Or, wipe down the interior thoroughly with a soft cloth. | |
| Using Too Much or the Wrong Detergent | • Pull the detergent drawer all the way out. Carefully lift the drawer up to remove it. • Rinse the drawer in warm water, and use a soft brush to remove any detergent residue. • Use a soft cloth or non-metallic brush to scrub the drawer opening. • Wipe the opening with a dry cloth. Align the drawer with the rails and gently push it back in. |
| Leaving Clothes in the Machine for Too Long | • Add a cup of vinegar to the stinky laundry, and start a warm or hot cycle. Then, run an extra rinse cycle. • Get the clothes out of the wash and let them dry. • Run a Self-Clean cycle, or manually clean the drum to remove any mold, mildew, or bacteria build-up. |
Incorrectly Installed Drain Hose
Incorrect drain hose installation can cause all sorts of problems for your washer. It can lead to leaks and drainage problems.
Your washer can also develop funky smells because of mold, mildew, or bacterial build-up, especially if you don’t clean your unit as often as you should.
A common mistake that people make is installing the hose below 39 inches. This creates a siphoning effect, which pushes water back into the laundry cycle.
Solution: To reinstall the drain hose on a Samsung washer, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Press the joint ring and install it on the drain hose.
- Step 2: Insert the hose into the drain outlet.
- Step 3: Use the joint ring to secure the connection between the hose and drain outlet.
- Step 4: Adjust the length of the hose if necessary.
| Tips: • Don’t dip the end of the hose into the water. • Don’t let the hose go below the drain outlet’s floor level. • Make sure the middle part of the hose isn’t positioned higher than the ends. • Straighten out kinks and bent areas on the hose. |
Dirty Washer Tub
Your top-load washer can develop funky odors when detergent residue, mineral deposits, and gunk accumulate on damp surfaces.
The smell of rotten eggs or sewage tends to develop when your wash cycles are mostly done with cool water. If you don’t clean the interior of the washer regularly, the smell can transfer to your clothes when you run a cycle.
To fix this, you can either run a self-clean cycle or manually clean your washer.
Run a self-clean cycle.
Samsung washers have a Self-Clean feature that prevents mold and detergent residue from building up in the nooks and crevices of your unit.
After 20 cycles or so, you’ll see the Self-Clean symbol on your washer. It looks like a sparkling drum icon.
We recommend running a Self-Clean cycle at your earliest convenience. You should also do this at least once per month—even if you don’t run up to 20 cycles on your washer.
It is a simple yet very effective way of preventing unpleasant odors from building up inside your washer. You don’t even have to use bleach!
Once activated, your washer fills up the drum with water. Then, it spins at a high speed to loosen up grime in hard-to-reach areas.
Solution: To use the Self-Clean feature on your top-load Samsung washer, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Make sure there’s nothing inside your washer.
- Step 2: Turn on the washer.
- Step 3: Press the Self-Clean button. On 2011-2013 models, push the Pure Cycle button.
- Step 4: Press the Start button to confirm.
- Step 5: Just wait for the cycle to end.
- Step 6: Turn off the washer. Then, leave the door open and let the tub dry thoroughly.
Manually clean your top-load washer.
Routine cleaning can prevent the washer from developing unpleasant smells. However, once they develop, a deep cleanse is the best solution.
Unfortunately, not all Samsung washers have a Self-Clean function. You will have to manually clean your unit to get rid of the foul smell once and for all.
Solution: To manually clean your Samsung washer, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Fill up the drum with water.
- Step 2: Add bleach or a cleaner of your choice.
- Step 3: Let the mixture sit for an hour before running a cycle.
- Step 4: Run a wash cycle to remove all the gunk inside the tub.
- Step 5: Drain the water inside the tub.
- Step 6: Open the door and let the interior dry.
- Step 7: Wipe down the interior thoroughly.
Using Too Much or the Wrong Detergent
Most modern washers are labeled as high-efficiency (HE). Unlike your traditional washers, they require a high-efficiency detergent, which is formulated to work with low water levels.
If you use regular detergent on an HE washer, you get excess suds. You’ll see a SUD or F70 error code on your display whenever this happens.
Aside from using the correct detergent, you must pour the right amount into the drawer or your clothes will stink after the wash.
A normal-sized load on an HE washer requires about two tablespoons of HE detergent. On a regular washer, you need about ¼ cup of HE detergent for a normal-sized load.
Clean up the excess suds.
Your washer can’t rinse off the excess detergent, which will leave residue all over your clothes and the drum. Not only will your clothes feel slimy but they will also come out of the wash stinkier than when they came in.
Solution: To get the stinky smell out of your clothes, clean up the excess suds. Follow these steps:
- Step 1: Let the suds settle in your washer.
- Step 2: Use the spin cycle.
- Step 3: Wash the clothes without detergent.
- Step 4: Remove the clothes and clean your washer. Run a Self-Clean cycle or manually clean your drum.
- Step 5: Clean the detergent drawers.
Clean the detergent drawers.
Residue can build up on the detergent drawers, especially if you tend to pour a very generous amount per wash. Over time, it will affect your washer’s performance and transfer pungent smells to your laundry.
Solution: To clean the detergent drawer on a top-load Samsung washer, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Pull the detergent drawer all the way out.
- Step 2: Carefully lift the drawer up to remove it.
- Step 3: Rinse the drawer in warm water. Then, use a soft brush to remove any detergent residue.
- Step 4: Use a soft cloth or non-metallic brush to scrub the drawer opening.
- Step 5: Wipe the opening with a dry cloth.
- Step 6: Align the drawer with the rails and gently push it back in.
Leaving Clothes in the Machine for Too Long
Another possible reason why your Samsung washer smells like sewage is that you’re leaving clothes inside the tub for too long. After 8 to 12 hours, your clothes will start to smell like rotten eggs.
That damp environment becomes an ideal breeding ground for mold, mildew, and bacteria—all of which can contribute to foul smells in your washer.
Solution: First, get rid of the sewage smell in your clothes by air drying them or running them through a hot cycle. Then, clean your washer thoroughly to eliminate any odors.
- Step 1: Add a cup of vinegar to the wash.
- Step 2: Run a warm or hot cycle.
- Step 3: Run an extra rinse cycle.
- Step 4: Get the clothes out of the wash and let them dry.
- Step 5: Run a Self-Clean cycle, or manually clean the drum to remove any mold, mildew, or bacteria build-up.
| Tips: • Pre-soak the stinky clothes in a 1:4 vinegar and water solution to eliminate strong odors. • Instead of vinegar, you can sprinkle baking soda all over your clothes before running a new cycle on the hottest setting. |
