Recently I have a strong "sewer smell" coming from the washing machine when I wash the first load or two of cloths. After a few loads the odor is definitely less noticieable.
Being in the basement I have the drain line from the washer up high than the top of the washer and then inserted into a short verticle PVC pipe that is installed directly into a 2 inch clean out in a "horizontal run" from the upstairs bathroom. Barring a major bloackage, I felt the height is high enough that sewer water should not back up into the clean out. I felt that the washer gray water would always lie in the lower section of the washer discharge line and create the trap for sewer gas. This has semed to worked for several years but recently we are noticing this foul odor. Any ideas? Is my trap sufficient? Is it sewer gas leaking out prior to my trap? If so why would it just now start to be noticiable. BTW we are on a septic system - not public sewer.

Recently I have a strong "sewer smell" coming from the washing machine when I wash the first load or two of cloths. After a few loads the odor is definitely less noticieable.
Being in the basement I have the drain line from the washer up high than the top of the washer and then inserted into a short verticle PVC pipe that is installed directly into a 2 inch clean out in a "horizontal run" from the upstairs bathroom. Barring a major bloackage, I felt the height is high enough that sewer water should not back up into the clean out. I felt that the washer gray water would always lie in the lower section of the washer discharge line and create the trap for sewer gas. This has semed to worked for several years but recently we are noticing this foul odor. Any ideas? Is my trap sufficient? Is it sewer gas leaking out prior to my trap? If so why would it just now start to be noticiable. BTW we are on a septic system - not public sewer.

Your description doesn't include a trap.
"Being in the basement I have the drain line from the washer up high than the top of the washer and then inserted into a short verticle PVC pipe that is installed directly into a 2 inch clean out in a "horizontal run" from the upstairs bathroom."
The lack of a trap would explain the bad smell. What I can't explain is why it worked for so long without stinkin up da place. Regards, tom

Exponent isn't wrong but this is not your problem, wonder if he sells Smelly Washer Cleaner. You thought wrong about the water laying ithe pipe would stop sewer gas, it won't. Go back to Tom's post, you have no trap, you might get away with a S trap on your stand pipe if the drain is properly vented.

Your smell will persist until you install a trap to prevent it. The sooner the better! Good luck, Tom

I have said it elsewhere but will repeat it in this thread.
Aluminium, and its alloys, are corroded when immersed in an aqueous solution with a pH value below about 4.0 (acidic) [nitric acid is a well known exception] or above about 8.0 (alkaline). Most laundry aids, including HE detergent, borax, bleach, sodium carbonate, sodium percarbobante, sodium hydroxide, Affresh and OxiClean can have pH values above 8.0 should the required concentrations be reached. At the normal operating levels found in washing machines these values are not exceeded. However when the machine is shut down the remaining water will contain, inter alia, soil from the laundry, products of the interactions between the soil and the laundry aids used, unused laundry aids, and the chemicals found in the tap water. As the water from this mixture evaporates the concentration of the 'impurities' rises until such time as a 'smelly sludge' develops and/or a pH level above about 8.0 is reached and corrosion of aluminium occurs.
Prime areas for these deposits to occur are, in my opinion, the recesses found at, or very near, the hub of some of the aluminium alloys spiders found in front load washing machines
To view a corroded spider (not to the point of catastrophic failure) and one with a build of 'smelly crud' please visit: -
http://www.ripoffreport.com/appliances/electrolux-home-prod/electrolux-home-products-n-am-4cd6d.htm
These spiders were removed from Frigidaire built 'Kenmore' machines.

To see fractured spiders from Frigidaire built machines, Whirlpool 'Duets' and other manufacturers' please visit: -
http://fixitnow.com/wp/2009/10/28/front-loading-washer-corrosion-contagion-a-menagerie-of-metallic-misery/
Or, for a Whirlpool spider
http://www.mysears.com/aboutme/jpm0940

Not all manufacturers use spiders with recesses, Speed Queen do not (Speed Queen call them trunnions) and photographs at: -
http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?30834
show Miele spiderss without recesses.