Whirlpool's Product Help says odor in a front-loader like the WFW9620 is prevented by five habits: leave the door open between loads so fresh air evaporates remaining moisture; run the Clean Washer cycle every month, which uses higher water volumes with affresh washer cleaner or liquid chlorine bleach; clean the dispenser drawer regularly; remove clothing as soon as the cycle ends, since wet laundry left in the drum causes mildew in the clothes and washer; and use only HE detergent, because non-HE detergent leads to excess suds, leaks, draining problems and poor rinsing. On steam models the first 20 minutes of Clean Washer only steam, and a tablet does not fully dissolve then, which is normal.
Differential
Likely causes of “Whirlpool WFW9620 front-load washer smells musty, sour or like mildew”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A closed door between loads
What separates it There is a stale odor from trapped moisture because the door was closed between loads
How to confirm Leave the door open between loads, so that the moisture can evaporate
- 2
No monthly Clean Washer cycle
What separates it There is build up in the tub, the pump and the hoses because no monthly Clean Washer cycle was run
How to confirm Run Clean Washer with affresh or liquid chlorine bleach monthly
- 3
Wet clothes left in the drum
What separates it There is a mildew smell in the clothes and the washer because wet clothes were left in the drum
How to confirm Remove the clothes promptly, and do not leave them wet
- 4
A dirty dispenser drawer
What separates it There is a sour smell near the drawer because the dispenser drawer is dirty
How to confirm Remove the drawer and clean it regularly, then dry it
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Where the smell is strongest, at the drum, drawer or clothes
- How often Clean Washer is run
Try in this order
0 of 5 completedLeave the door open
ReversibleLeave the door open between loads, so that the moisture can evaporate, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Run Clean Washer
ReversibleRun Clean Washer monthly, with affresh or liquid chlorine bleach, and not thickened or no splash bleach.
Leave the door ajar after a steam clean
ReversibleLeave the door ajar after a steam clean, since on steam models this helps ventilation and drying after the cycle.
Clean the dispenser drawer
ReversibleClean the dispenser drawer, by removing it and cleaning it regularly per the owner's manual.
Remove clothes promptly
ReversibleRemove the clothes promptly, since leaving wet clothing causes mildew, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- What affresh reaches
- Whirlpool describes affresh as cleaning deep inside the washer, reaching the tub, pump, valves, drain and recirculation hoses that cannot be reached by hand. That is why a monthly Clean Washer cycle cures odors that a wipe of the gasket does not: the smell often comes from residue in parts you cannot see.
- Steam models and condensation
- On steam models the first 20 minutes of the Clean Washer cycle, depending on the model, activate the steamer without filling or spinning, and condensation may show on the door window during that phase. An affresh tablet will not dissolve completely while it steams, which Whirlpool says is normal. After the cycle leave the door open slightly so the interior can ventilate and dry.
- Dispenser drawer and clothes
- Whirlpool asks that the dispenser drawer be removed and cleaned regularly according to the owner's manual, because residue in it feeds the same odor as the drum. It also says to remove clothing as soon as a cycle ends: wet clothes left in the drum cause mildew that spreads odor to the clothes and to the washer itself, so a load left overnight can undo a clean cycle.
- Parts for this problem on the WFW9620 (RepairClinic, 2026-09-20)
- boot seal clamp, outer, part number W11266654, at $31.46; dispenser drawer, part number W11524105, at $69.94.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit models WFW8620, WFW6720, WFW6605, WFW5605, WFW5090, WFC8090, WTW7120, WTW6157, WTW6120, WTW5057, WTW5010, WTW4855, WTW4816.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the smell is burning or electrical, unplug the washer and call service
- !If sewer smell comes from the drain, check the drain installation or call a plumber
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Whirlpool's own table of front-load washer codes and resolutions.
Whirlpool's own symptom articles for front-load washers, each.
Whirlpool's own product page giving the size, capacity, dispenser and app features.
Parts and list prices as shown on RepairClinic's parts search for this model number on 2026-09-20.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why doesn't the affresh tablet dissolve at first?+
On steam models the first 20 minutes only steam, so the tablet does not dissolve completely then; this is normal.
What causes mildew in the clothes?+
Leaving wet clothing in the washer after the cycle.
Does HE detergent affect odor?+
Yes; non-HE detergent leads to suds, leaks and poor rinsing.