Stop the cycle and unplug the washer. A burning smell from a washing machine can be harmless, but you can't tell which kind it is while the drum is spinning, and the serious causes get worse with every minute of running. If you see smoke or flames, get out and call 911.
Do this first
- Cancel the cycle and unplug the washer, or switch off its breaker if the plug is hard to reach.
- Note exactly where the smell is strongest: the back, the bottom, the control panel or inside the drum.
- Note what kind of smell it is. Hot rubber, sharp electrical plastic or scorched fabric each point somewhere different.
- Feel the cabinet and the outlet carefully with the back of your hand. A hot plug or outlet is an electrical problem. The Electrical Safety Foundation says a burning smell or warm outlets could be signs of a serious wiring problem (ESFi).
In the next few hours
- Check whether it's new-hose odor. GE notes that new inlet hoses sometimes give off a strong rubber smell that can be mistaken for burning, and that it fades over time. If the smell appears only while hot water fills, before the drum turns, the hoses are the likely source (GE Appliances).
- Consider the cycle you ran. LG explains that on high-heat cycles, such as sanitize or a combo unit's dry cycle, the rubber door gasket heats up and can give off a burning smell. Lint blown onto a combo unit's heater can also smell burnt. LG says the smell is strongest when a machine is new and fades after a few uses (LG).
- Look for a jam. With the washer unplugged, turn the drum by hand. A bra wire, sock or coin wedged between the drum and tub can stall the motor and make it overheat. If the drum won't turn, or scrapes, leave it for the technician.
- Check for an overload. A heavy, waterlogged load, such as a comforter or several towels in a small drum, makes the motor and belt work harder. Remove part of it before anyone tries again.
- Air out the room and keep the washer unplugged overnight if you're not sure.
Before the technician arrives
Write down:
- The model and serial number, printed on a label around the door opening, under the lid or on the back panel of most washers.
- When the smell started: during fill, agitation, spin or a heated cycle.
- What kind of smell and where it was strongest.
- Any sounds that came with it: squealing (often a belt), humming without movement, or grinding.
- Error codes shown on the display.
- How old the washer and hoses are.
What not to do:
- Don't restart the washer to "see if it does it again" unless you've confirmed the smell came from new hoses during the fill.
- Don't remove panels to look at the motor or wiring. Washers combine water and line voltage.
- Don't plug the washer into an extension cord or adapter as a workaround.
How to keep it from happening again
- Load by the manual's guidance, and wash bulky bedding one piece at a time.
- Use mesh bags for underwire bras and small items.
- Empty pockets of coins, keys and lip balm before every load.
- Run the tub-clean cycle on the schedule your manual gives. LG recommends once a month or every 30 cycles for its front-loaders.
- Keep the outlet behind the washer clean and dry, and replace any plug or cord that shows heat marks.
If the outlet behind the washer looked scorched, follow what to do when the outlet behind an appliance is scorched before anything else. For motor, belt and control problems, our washer service page explains what a visit includes.
Sources
- Electrical Safety Foundation International: Home Safety
- GE Appliances: Burning or rubber odor in a new washer
- LG: Front load washer burning smell during use
Keep in mind: A rubber smell during the first few hot fills of a new washer is common; a burning smell with squealing, smoke or a hot outlet is not.
Call ProFix Dallas at (469) 886-1122 to have the washer checked before it runs again.