Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil wash

[rachelinscotland]

I’ve got a Bosch Exxcel 1200 Express which we bought secondhand last year. We bought it from a local company (charity) that restores/repairs secondhand machines and sells them. It had a slight mouldy smell when it arrived here but I hoped that a few boil washes would sort it out. However, as time has gone on, it just gets worse. I’ve done LOTS of boil washes with a variety of stuff, and nothing will sort it out. I even bought some packets of Affresh from yourselves, hoping it would be the miracle cure. The first time, I did 3 boil washes in a row – each with a tablet of Affresh in it. It was a lot better but the smell wasn’t 100{e5d1b7155a01ef1f3b9c9968eaba33524ee81600d00d4be2b4d93ac2e58cec2d} gone – a fair bit masked I think from the scent of Affresh. Within a couple of weeks it was quite bad. So I tried a boil wash with Ariel bio. Of course, the scent of that is very strong, so it smelled nicer, but still a moudly smell beneath it all. So then I used my 2nd pack of Affresh – all 3 tabs in one long 90 degree boil wash. Not much better. Another wash with Ariel, and of course the stronger purfume masks it a bit better, but still it IS there.

So, my questions, please! 🙂

1) are some washing machines beyond hope and I need to buy a new one?

2) Are Bosch (or at least some models of them) really bad for this? (I seem to have seen a few online discussions about similar machines having this problem.)

3) any suggestions?

I suppose some people would just live with it, as the machine still works and washes clothes. BUT I hate to be in my kitchen smelling yucky mouldy smells while I’m cooking, etc. AND if I don’t remove the clothes very quickly afrerwards, they start smelling too. 🙁

And just FYI (should anyone think it’s my fault! 😉 ) we previously had a Hot Point Aquarius, bought brand new in 2004 and used for 6 years with NO smells! 🙂 So I think *I* know how to use a washing machine, BUT the previous owner didn’t and has wrecked the machine we got. 🙁 OR it’s just a very bad model! I miss my Hot Point, as it was fab the 6 years we had it, but finally got noisy, bearings and all.

So any advice much appreciated – even if it’s just that I need to tell my husband we need to buy a brand new machine! 🙂 I think I will NOT buy a preloved one again tho!

Thanks in advance.

Rachel 🙂

[kwatt]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

Hi Rachel,

It may well be that there’s bacteria growth where the water doesn’t ordinarily get to, it’s rare, but possible.

If Affresh and the regime of maintenance washes you’ve done haven’t cleared it I’d expect that to be the case and the only option at that point is to take the tank out and clean it. That however is not a job that I would advise for DIY apart from being both time consuming and probably expensive. Whether it’s worth spending the time or money on trying to clear it is open to debate.

HTH

K.

[rachelinscotland]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

When I shine a torch into the back drum of the washing machine, I can see through the small holes that most of the background behind it looks clean. But the two top upper corners, there is black almost hairy looking stuff. We saw even more of this before using the Affresh – the lower half had dirty looking build-up there as well (though not near as much as these upper ledges). So would these upper areas be where you’re talking about? I’m guessing water doesn’t really get up top there to wash it away. But then it makes me wonder how it got there in the first place! 😆

Also, I’m guessing I have no idea what is behind the center areas where there aren’t holes to see.

[Martin]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

It’s ‘pre-owned’ Rachel and chances are well used and abused. I am extremely familiar with Bosch machines and can say with some conviction that when they are subjected to such neglect it is difficult (not impossible) to overcome. Bosch machines are indeed more vulnerable to this kind of problem than other makes. Having said that it is almost entirely due to ‘Bosch owners’ not reading the operating instructions rather than any inherent design fault.

Bosch Exxcel have the proverbial ‘Quick Wash’ button and invariably many owners through their own ignorance of washing powders, dosage and correct fabric selection, use that ‘cycle’ every time. No matter what they wash and often bung all fabrics in together, hit the Quickwash button and walk away.

Never once do they wipe the door glass or door seal. Never ever take the soap drawer out and scrub it clean. Or even think of leaving the porthole door ajar to let in fresh clean air.

I’m suggesting that you by default have got such a machine. It can be cured as my colleague earlier mentioned. There are even more ‘radical’ easy methods of doing just that. Though sadly inappropriate in suggesting such a remedy within these public forums. So I can only advise you read and take on board the advice given in the public help section (sorry but I’ve run out of time to furnish the direct link for you – perhaps later unless someone meanwhile intervenes?))

HTH? 😀

[Turbo]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

When using Affresh or biological powder to clean your machine I would recommend filling the machine up on the rinse cycle first as the water level is a lot higher. Once it stops filling turn timer dial to stop position for a few seconds then set to 90 degrees and push start button. This will ensure water splashes up to the top of the drum. This method is not possible on some bosch models I have found.
As others have pointed out though it does look like a new machine 🙁

Graham

[rachelinscotland]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

Turbo wrote:When using Affresh or biological powder to clean your machine I would recommend filling the machine up on the rinse cycle first as the water level is a lot higher. Once it stops filling turn timer dial to stop position for a few seconds then set to 90 degrees and push start button. This will ensure water splashes up to the top of the drum. This method is not possible on some bosch models I have found.
As others have pointed out though it does look like a new machine 🙁

Graham

Thanks, Graham! 🙂 That is helpful! I’ve just done what you said – put machine on rinse (which added a lot of water) and then switched it to 90 degrees. So it’s washing away as we speak. Will report back my results.

[odom]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

Also does the machine drain quickly? If it takes more than 30 seconds to drain make sure you have cleared out the filter and (with the machine unplugged) feel the sump hose and make sure it’s not full of debris. If the filter or sump hose is full of sludge no amount of hot washes will get rid of it, the only way is to strip it down and clean it out.

[rachelinscotland]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

odom wrote:Also does the machine drain quickly? If it takes more than 30 seconds to drain make sure you have cleared out the filter and (with the machine unplugged) feel the sump hose and make sure it’s not full of debris. If the filter or sump hose is full of sludge no amount of hot washes will get rid of it, the only way is to strip it down and clean it out.

We’ve opened the trap door at the bottom and checked both filter and hose, but nothing in there at all!

[Turbo]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

The waste pipe could be blocked though!

Graham

[rachelinscotland]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

Following your advice, Graham, with filling up for rinse and then switching to 90 degrees, *seems* to have further reduced the odor. 🙂 But it still smells very much of Ariel right now :-/ so going to wait a few days and see if the smell returns when the purfume wears off, as I can’t tell if it’s still masked a bit! lol If it returns again soon, then I think we’ll be shopping for a new washing machine. Just have to think of one that will be hard wearing and long lasting for a family of 6! 🙂

[rachelinscotland]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

It’s still not too bad just now, so I think the extra water by filling up for rinse first helped quite a lot! 🙂 I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, but perhaps another of the same would do the trick. In any case, I think it was smelling pretty bad a lot quicker before, so I can only think the extra water cleaned a bit higher up. So very pleased with the helpful advice received here! Thanks! 😀

[rachelinscotland]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

Turbo wrote:The waste pipe could be blocked though!

Graham

is this the same thing as what is visible when you open the trap door at the front?

annoyingly, the washing machine is back to smelling horrible! 👿 It always seems *almost* ok for a few days, and then I think when the scent of the detergent wears off (as I use unscented on a regular basis) the smells come back – or are more apparent.

I guess it’s just new washing machine time…

[Martin]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

rachelinscotland wrote:I guess it’s just new washing machine time…

Rachel, you’ve done your best, you’ve done ALL the right things to overcome that awful pong. Short of taking the whole tub and drum apart and jet-blasting it clean will you ever get it completely clear of what potentially, without doubt, must be a heavy build-up of bacteria within.

Constant endless low temp washes using liquid or gel and not cleaning the door seal or dispenser cavity. Shutting the door after each wash and so on = the problem you now have. Sadly your case typifies the risk behind buying secondhand as you have no idea how much dirty washing,use and abuse that machine has previously been subjected to in its former life.

Put up with what you’ve got and continue doing everything right in the fervent hope it will get better over time, or dump it and buy a new one….. I suspect you’ve already made your mind up which way to go! 😉

[rachelinscotland]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

I love everything about the ISE one sold on this page (http://shop.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/New+Appl … chine.html) and the fact that it’s now 8kg capacity will be fab for my family of 6! BUT I have to admit feeling a bit EKKK at the idea of £899 on a washing machine! anyone here used one?

also, I use soap flakes (along with bicarb of soda, soda crystals, and borax) to wash clothes in, due to my son’s super sensitive skin (he doesn’t tolerate detgergent and had severe eczema before) – so I’d need to make sure that using something other than detergent wouldn’t void the 10 year guarantee. AND before anyone thinks it’s the soap flakes that caused the problem 😉 I used them without any issues in my previous Hot Point machine (which we bought new) and the Bosch was stinking when we first got it.

[kwatt]

Re: Bosch Exxcel smells awful, despite using Affresh, boil w

Hi Rachel,

Sorry for the lengthy reply but, a few points kinda tongue in cheek, kinda not…

Technologies change. 😉

Washing machines, fridges, detergents, cleaners, fabric mixes… they all change. Detergent manufacturers will alter formulas almost annually, washing patterns change with almost every incarnation to some small degree and certainly with every time the energy label changes.

So what you were using even five years ago will be different to what you will use today. It’s incremental and small changes though so most people never notice it.

On a lighter note on this, which the public may find amusing…

On service we hear all the time… “I’ve been washing clothes for XX years and I know how to wash them, you can’t tell me the machine does (or doesn’t) do…”

And we service engineers just think, “yeah and we we’re all driving the same technology we were ten years ago and our PC’s are the size of a small cupboard… time’s stood still but you’re using half the water and half the energy now over when you started, at least”. That may seem harsh but it happens all the time, more than you’d imagine.

Kilogram ratings are pie in the sky in truth.

To demonstrate, what’s 8kg of clothes? Whats 5kg? If you ask ten different people you’ll usually get ten different answers most of them guesses around the type of fabrics, jeans, towels and so on being heavier. And, I always fall back on what a physics teacher taught me years and years ago, what’s heavier, a ton of lead or a ton of feathers?

The answer is they’re both the same, just one takes up more space than the other, that will allow you to see one way the kg ratings can be cheated. 😉

What’s important and, often not published well if at all, is the capacity of the drum in litres, that allows you to gauge the usable space far, far more accurately and compare the machines capacities properly. Or, at least as best they can be.

For a family of six you’re actually probably bordering on commercial use, a lowly few hundred quid machine will be done in no time as they are all generally based on the average of 250-280 washes per year. That’s less than five loads a week.

The new EU ones are based on 220 cycles a year, even less.

For even a small family that’s not brilliant as you’d get about 2-7 years out most machines before it was kaput, for a larger family it’s pretty much useless.

If you think about it though, ten washes a week and in 22 weeks you’ve done what the manufacturer reckons is a year’s worth of laundry, on average.

The eczema thing is a whole field unto itself that the detergent manufacturers have done a mammoth amount of work on and, the fact is, that most of it about laundry detergents causing skin problems is complete hogwash. I’ve seen a lot of the work that’s been done and it is a staggering amount of research to the point now that even the various medical institutions generally concur that laundry detergents do not cause skin irritation.

A lot of people won’t agree with me on this and that’s absolutely fine, but I have done the research and trawled through mountains of data on this subject and this is my personal opinion that is grounded in that research. Without a lot of actual proper evidence I am highly unlikely to change it.

What can is improper washing (constant low temps), improper rinsing, allergies, residues, cosmetics, some fabrics and a host of other things that only a pukka dermatologist can advise on, I’m certainly not qualified to do so. However if you explore the British Association Of Dermatologists website (http://www.bad.org.uk) you will find almost no mention of laundry detergent causing skin irritation. Same on NICE as well.

Borax, not good and can cause skin irritation! (http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthings … xworks.htm)

Also likely to rot things in a washing machine, so not good for it either and is regarded as a chemical agent. It’s a poison to humans basically.

Soda crystals, also not as great and green as everyone assumes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_carbonate) as they are also a chemical in reality and suspected, with long term use, of damaging aluminium spiders in the drums of washing machines. There’s no hard evidence on this but a lot of anecdotal reports.

All these things though take time to show up, years in many cases and loads of people don’t notice the “greying” of whites or loss of colour in coloured items as it happens over ten or twenty washes. That could be a year, perhaps more in some cases.

The ISE 1607 you’ve a much better chance with as it’s a stainless inner and outer drum where most have a stainless inner (grade unknown) but a plastic outer. It repels bacteria a lot better and cleans up easily, plastic, well let’s just say “not so good” and park it there will we.

The ISE is also built to take the sort of use you’re giving it or, would, lesser machines I think you’d break as you must be doing at least 10-12 washes a week at a minimum surely?

For the use, you need something sturdy that just works and that’s easy to keep and the ISE does fit the bill. The only other choices for the use I’d say were either a Miele or a light commercial, you’ll get a Miele for a bit less but I don’t think it’s as good or easy to use (I am biased though ;)) or you’re into light commercial territory and looking at upwards of about £1500 plus VAT.

I hope that all helps explain stuff.

K.

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