An LG WT8405CW that leaves clothes smelling musty, or gives off a stale smell when you open the lid, has a residue problem in a drum that stays damp. This is a 5.3 cubic foot high-efficiency top-loader with TurboWash 3D, and like every machine of its type it uses a low level of water and senses the load. That saves water, but the tub wall above the water line, the underside of the lid,
The checks in more detail
the impeller plate or agitator post and the dispenser all collect a thin film of soap and soil that the little water never rinses away. In a closed, warm drum that film grows mold and bacteria. Clean the machine in a deliberate way. LG washers have a Tub Clean cycle, and the washer reminds you with a tCL message after a number of cycles; run it with a washer cleaner made for high-efficiency machines, following the product label, with the washer empty.
While it runs, wipe the underside of the lid, the rim of the tub and the dispensers with a cloth and a mild cleaner. Lift out the removable parts of the dispenser and wash them. Whether you have an agitator or an impeller, wipe around its base, where slime collects. Do not mix cleaners, and keep bleach apart from other products. Then change what feeds the problem. Use high-efficiency detergent in the amount shown on the bottle for the load; extra detergent leaves more film than it removes.
Use less fabric softener. Run a hot wash with towels occasionally. Take wet clothes out promptly and leave the lid open between loads so the drum can dry. If a smell returns within days of cleaning, check the drain hose for a loop that holds water, and see whether water remains in the tub after a cycle; if it does, an OE drain code may follow, and LG support can help with the model number. Wipe the lid rim monthly.
Differential
Likely causes of “LG WT8405CW top-load washer smells musty, sour or like mildew”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Soap film on the tub wall and under the lid
What separates it A slimy layer or black specks
How to confirm Wipe with a mild cleaner
- 2
Slime around the impeller or agitator base
What separates it The smell is worst on lifting the lid
How to confirm Wipe the base
- 3
Too much detergent
What separates it Suds and a sticky tub
How to confirm Measure the dose
- 4
A closed, damp drum
What separates it The smell returns within days
How to confirm Leave the lid open
- 5
Water left in the drain
What separates it Water remains after the cycle
How to confirm Check the hose
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether a tCL reminder has appeared
- Whether the smell is under the lid or at the impeller
- The detergent and softener used
- Whether water remains after a cycle
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedRun Tub Clean
ReversibleWith a washer cleaner.
Wipe lid, rim and base
ReversibleWith a mild cleaner.
Wash the dispenser parts
ReversibleIn warm water.
Cut the detergent
ReversibleMeasure the dose.
Leave the lid open
ReversibleBetween loads.
Check the drain
ReversibleIf a smell returns.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Why low water leaves film
- The washer uses little water, so the tub wall above the waterline is rinsed less.
- Tub Clean
- The cycle runs hot with a cleaner and reaches the tub; use it monthly.
- The tCL reminder
- LG's tub clean message prompts the cycle after a number of washes.
- Hidden places
- The lid underside, the rim and the base of the agitator or plate hold slime.
- Habits
- An open lid and prompt emptying matter most.
- LG help
- Quote WT8405CW and the serial number.
- Parts for this problem on the WT8405CW (RepairClinic, 2026-09-20)
- package assembly, part number AGF30196101, at $119.04.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Never mix washer cleaners
- !Do not skip Tub Clean for months
- !Call LG if an OE drain code accompanies the smell
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why do my clothes smell after washing?+
The drum has residue that grows mold.
Is the smell a fault?+
No, it is residue and damp.
What does tCL mean?+
A reminder to run Tub Clean.
Will a hot wash help?+
Yes, with a washer cleaner.
Can bleach alone fix it?+
Not reliably; follow LG's guidance.
How do I prevent it?+
Less detergent and an open lid.