Whirlpool Washer Smells Musty: Clean Door Boot and Cycle

Quick Answer

Whirlpool front-load washers develop musty odor from mold in the door boot seal fold. Whirlpool recommends using Affresh cleaning tablets monthly with the Clean Washer cycle. Alternative: 2 cups white vinegar in the drum, run Clean Washer or hottest cycle. CRITICAL: after every wash, wipe the boot seal fold dry and leave the door OPEN.

Ignore this long enough and you're looking at a rotted door boot seal, which is a $200+ part, and by then the mold's probably gotten into the outer tub too. I've shown up to jobs where the smell was so bad the family stopped using the machine for months. Usually it's fixable in an afternoon. But if you let it go, the rubber literally deteriorates and you're into a full disassembly.

WhirlpoolWasherSeverity: moderateDifficulty: intermediate75% DIY Success

Time to Fix

15–90 min

Difficulty

intermediate

Parts Cost

$0 (no parts needed)

Tools Needed

Old toothbrush, Phillips #2 screwdriver

Whirlpool Washer Smells Musty: Clean Door Boot and Cycle

OK so here's the deal with Whirlpool front-loaders. They trap water in that rubber boot seal fold at the bottom, and between that and people using too much detergent, you get a mold factory running inside your washer. I fixed three of these last week alone. It's super common, honestly pretty cheap to deal with yourself, and if you change your habits after cleaning it you probably won't see it come back.

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 smelling worse than they went in, like a wet basement or a damp towel that sat in a pile too long.
You open the washer door and get hit with a strong musty or sour smell even when the drum is completely empty.
There's visible black or dark gray spotting in the folds of the rubber door seal, especially at the 6 o'clock position right at the bottom.
A slimy or greasy film inside the detergent drawer or on the drum surface that doesn't rinse clean on its own.
The smell gets noticeably worse in summer or whenever the laundry room is warm and humid.

Can you reset a Whirlpool washer to clear the SMELLS code?

After running the Clean Washer cycle, press the Power button once to clear the reminder light on most Whirlpool models. If the light stays on, hold Start for 3 seconds. Still on? Unplug the washer for 60 seconds and plug it back in. Run a second cleaning cycle if the smell persists, hot water with a cup of bleach, no clothes, no detergent. Leave the door cracked open about 3 inches when you're done.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Old toothbrushPhillips #2 screwdriverRubber glovesShallow baking pan or cookie sheetOld rags or microfiber clothsFlashlight or headlampLiquid chlorine bleach or Affresh tabletsWhite vinegar

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 Whirlpool washer?

A professional cleaning runs $150 to $250 depending on your area. If the mold has rotted through the door boot seal, replacement is usually $300 to $450 with labor. But honestly, a $15 bag of Affresh tablets and an hour of scrubbing handles most cases. The only time I tell people to call a pro is if the smell is coming from deep in the rear tub and you can't reach it, or if the boot seal is visibly cracked or torn.

Can I fix this myself?

Yeah, totally. You don't need much. Cleaning supplies, gloves, an old toothbrush, and a shallow pan for the pump filter. The one thing that trips people up is replacing the door boot seal if it comes to that. You've got to remove the front panel and fight a spring clamp that does not want to cooperate. Not impossible for a handy person, but watch a YouTube video for your specific model first before you start pulling things apart.

Is it worth fixing or should I just replace the washer?

If the machine is mechanically sound, absolutely worth fixing. A Whirlpool front-loader should last 10 to 12 years with basic care. Smell alone isn't a reason to replace it. The only time I'd say think twice is if the smell is more like burning rubber or heavy grease, that usually points to a failing rear drum bearing and that repair can cost almost as much as a new machine.

How often should I run a cleaning cycle?

Once a month is what Whirlpool recommends and honestly it's about right. Big family running 8 or more loads a week? Do it every three weeks. The Clean Washer light will remind you, but don't wait for it. Use Affresh tablets or just run it empty with hot water and two cups of white vinegar. Either works. The monthly habit is what keeps you from ever having to do a major scrub job down the road.

Will the smell transfer to my clothes permanently?

Not permanently, no. But clothes washed in a moldy machine can definitely pick up that musty smell and it can be stubborn. Re-wash them with a cup of white vinegar added directly to the drum. Hot water if the fabric allows it. For really stubborn cases on towels or thick cotton items, OxiClean works well. Once you've cleaned the machine itself, new loads won't have the problem anymore.

Can I use bleach instead of Affresh?

Yep. A cup of liquid chlorine bleach directly in the drum, no clothes, run the hottest cycle available or the Clean Washer cycle. Don't mix bleach with vinegar though, that creates a chlorine gas situation you don't want in your laundry room. Pick one or the other each time. I usually do a bleach run first to kill everything, then a vinegar run a few days later to cut through soap scum and rinse out residue. Works great.

Same Fix Works on These Brands

Whirlpool shares the same hardware platform with these brands. The diagnosis and repair steps are identical.

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Models Known to Experience SMELLS Errors

This repair applies to most Whirlpool washers with this error code. Common model numbers include:

WFW9200SQ00, WFW94HEXW2, WFW8540FW0, WFW560CHW0, WFW86HEBW0, WFW9750WW0, WFW9400SW01, WFW92HEFW0

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on March 15, 2026