Maytag Washer Smells: Bravos XL and Clean Washer Cycle Fix
Quick Answer
A Maytag washer smells when mold or biofilm builds up in the drum or under the impeller. The best fix is running the Clean Washer cycle with Affresh tablets and manually cleaning under the Bravos XL impeller where debris gets trapped.
Most of the time when I get called out for a smelly Maytag, it's one of three things: mold under the wash plate on a Bravos, biofilm in the outer tub that the clean cycle can't fully reach, or a drain pump filter that's been sitting full of gunk for months. Ignore it long enough and your clothes start coming out smelling worse than they went in.
Maytag Washer Smells: Bravos XL and Clean Washer Cycle Fix
OK so here's the deal. Maytag's HE washers, especially the Bravos XL top-loaders, use way less water than older machines. That's great for your water bill, but it means debris, detergent residue, and dead skin cells don't flush out the way they used to. They settle under the wash plate and in the outer tub, and after a few months you've basically got a slime colony living in there. Cleaning products run $10-20, but if you let it go too long you might be looking at a bellows replacement.
Most Likely Causes
Based on aggregated repair data, here is the probability breakdown for this error code:
Mold in door boot seal folds45%
Detergent residue buildup25%
Dirty drain pump filter20%
Excess detergent use10%
Symptoms You May Notice
Your clothes come out of a fresh wash cycle smelling musty or like a wet dog, even if you move them to the dryer right away.
You open the lid or door and get hit with a sour, sewer-like smell. Sometimes it's subtle. Sometimes it's bad enough to make you take a step back.
Visible black or gray spots in the rubber boot folds on front-loaders, or a slippery slimy coating you can feel when you run your hand under the wash plate.
The fabric softener drawer has pink or orange buildup in the back corners when you pull it out.
The Clean Washer reminder light keeps coming on because the machine tracks maintenance cycles, not just whether you ran a wash.
Can you reset a Maytag washer to clear the SMELLS code?
To reset the Clean Washer reminder light on most Maytag models, you need to run the Clean Washer cycle all the way through with a tablet or bleach and no clothes inside. Don't skip it or cut it short or the maintenance counter won't reset. If the light stays on after a completed cycle, unplug the machine for 10 minutes, plug it back in, and run one more full Clean Washer cycle. That usually clears it.
Tools Required for Diagnosis
Phillips #2 screwdriverFlathead screwdriver (for prying access panels)Old toothbrush or stiff-bristle cleaning brushFlashlightShallow pan or old towels (to catch water from pump filter)Rubber gloves
Diagnostic Checklist
Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to fix a smelly Maytag washer?
Most of the time you're spending $10 to $20 on Affresh tablets, part number W10501250 if you want to order directly, and that's it. If the smell is coming from a destroyed door boot on a front-loader, that part runs $80 to $180 depending on your model, plus $100 to $150 in labor if you hire someone to tear the front panel off. A drain pump replacement is around $50 to $90 for the part. But honestly, probably 70% of the smelly washers I deal with get fixed with a $12 pack of cleaning tablets and an afternoon of scrubbing.
How do I clean under the wash plate on a Maytag Bravos XL?
Just grab the edge of the wash plate and pull it straight up. It pops off on most Bravos models without any tools. Once it's off you'll see the bottom of the tub and probably a ring of gray or brown slime around the central post. Scrub all of it with a stiff brush and a vinegar and water solution, or diluted bleach if it's really bad. Get into the groove around the center shaft too, that's where buildup packs in tight. Rinse everything thoroughly before you snap the plate back down. I've found socks under there. Full socks. Just floating in gray water. So be ready for anything.
Why does my Maytag specifically smell like sewage or rotten eggs?
That sulfur smell almost always means standing water somewhere in the drain system. Check your drain hose first. It should loop up high before it drops into the standpipe, not hang straight down, because a straight drop creates a siphon that lets sewer gas back into the machine. Also pull that drain pump filter if you have a front-loader. A filter packed with wet hair sitting in stagnant water is basically a rotten smell generator. Fixed one a couple weeks ago that had about four years of lint packed in it. Homeowner was convinced the machine was broken. Cleaned the filter and smell was gone same day.
Can I use vinegar instead of Affresh to clean my Maytag?
Yeah, you can. Two cups of white vinegar directly in the drum, hot water setting, longest cycle. It works fine for breaking down mineral deposits and light biofilm. But here's the thing, Maytag's own documentation says repeated vinegar use can degrade rubber seals over time. So don't make it your go-to every single month. Use Affresh for your regular monthly maintenance cycle and save vinegar for scrubbing visible mold by hand or a one-time deep clean. That's the balance that keeps the machine clean without slowly eating your door boot.
How often should I run the Clean Washer cycle to prevent smells from coming back?
Once a month if you're doing laundry regularly, which Maytag will actually remind you about since most models trigger the light every 30 wash cycles. But if you leave the lid or door propped open after every load so the drum dries out, you can probably stretch it to every six weeks without issues. The people who get the worst mold problems are the ones who shut the door immediately after every load and then skip maintenance cycles for six months straight. Do it monthly, leave the door open between uses, and use HE detergent in the right amount. That's basically all it takes.
Same Fix Works on These Brands
Maytag shares the same hardware platform with these brands. The diagnosis and repair steps are identical.