Stinky Clothes Washer? You Could Be Owed Cash from Legal Settlement

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I purchased a front-loading washing machine about 10 years ago. I loved it initially, but after using it for a few months the washer always smelled like mildew, regardless of how much I cleaned it or what I used to clean it. The smell eventually permeated my laundry as well. I ended up selling the washer, and I went back to a top-load washing machine.

It turns out I wasn’t alone dealing with stinky front-loading washer issues. Just check out these front-loading washing machine complaints on Consumer Affairs.

If you own a Whirlpool, Kenmore or Maytag front-loading washing machine manufactured between 2001 and 2010, you may be eligible for cash or other benefits as part of a recent class-action settlement with Whirlpool Corp. and Sears, Roebuck & Co.

The lawsuit claimed that certain front-loading washing machines failed to adequately self-clean, resulting in “mold or mildew buildup than can cause bad odors and ruined laundry.” Whirlpool and Sears maintain that only a small number of washers had problems.

Click here to see if your washing machine is included in the proposed settlement.

If you are included in the settlement, you may be eligible for a $50 cash payment, a 5 percent or 20 percent rebate toward the purchase of a new washer or dryer, or up to $500 in reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses for repairs or replacement due to a mold or odor problem with the washer.

If you want to be included in the settlement, click here to submit a claim form. All claim forms must be submitted by Oct. 11, 2016.

Check out WasherSettlement.com for more information on the proposed settlement.

Whirlpool has admitted no wrongdoing. It calls the lawsuits an “attack” on American manufacturing. In a statement released to RTV6 in Indianapolis about the case, Whirlpool said:

“Only a small percentage of consumers ─ less than 4 percent ─ ever had a complaint about their washers.

Whirlpool feels strongly that this type of litigation is not good for consumers and distracts U.S. manufacturers, like Whirlpool, from providing consumers with innovative, energy-efficient products.”

Have you had issues with a front-loading washer? Share your comments below or on our Facebook page.

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