Leaving the door to the washer open as few inches helps keep mildew from building up. I leave mine open about two inches after washing and haven't had a problem with smells or mildew. I did run one of the washer cleaners through it to clean it first. If you look at the ingredients on the cleaners they are mostly clorine. Try running a cycle with hot water and clorine in the bleach dispenser. It's cheaper than buying the cleaners. Might try adding vinegar as well.