I've recently noticed that when I wash a load of laundry my basement smells. It seems to be the water coming out of the washer during the rinse cycle. I do not have the problem anywhere else in my house --- showers or toilets. The clothes do not smell. Please help.

Is the washing machine also in the basement? Not clear from your posting. Have you looked for water on the floor around the washer, its drain hose may be loose or cracked or have a hole in it from rubbing on the wall or back of machine and is leaking. Sometimes the round tub/drum inside the washing machine develops a hole over the years and water will leak out of the machine. If the hole is higher up on the tub the leak may not happen until the spin cycle or on the largest load setting where the tub fills the most.

If the washing machine is upstairs and the basement is unfinished you can go to basement and check the washing machine drain pipe for signs of leaking, overflows, etc.

Also, is there a floor drain in the basement? If so the washing machine water may be backing up slightly and coming up in the floor drain. Your main drain pipe could have a partial blockage and when the washer empties that fills the drain enough to back it up to the floor drain.



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I had this same issue when I got a new washer. Turns out the drain pipe was pushed to far into the drain trap. Backing it out to only being in around 6 inches resolved the smell.