SMELL FIRST, THEN DECIDE
Burning smell from your washer? Know when it is expected and when to stop.
IMMEDIATE ACTION
THE SHORT ANSWER
Samsung says a washer may give off a burning or unusual smell in its first couple of cycles, and LG says front-loaders with a drying function can smell during hot cycles and when lint reaches the heater, fading after a few uses. A burning smell after the first two cycles is different: Samsung says to request service. Any smell with smoke, sparks or heat means stop.
Based on Samsung and LG help pages, plus WasherPilot safety rules, checked October 10, 2026.
Check these in order
- Stop the cycle and check for signs of heat. This step is WasherPilot’s rule. Look for smoke, a hot door, cabinet, cord or outlet. If any is present, follow the safety box above and do not restart.
- Is the washer new? Samsung says a washer may produce a burning or unusual smell in the first couple of cycles and that it should go away. If a burning smell occurs after the first two cycles, Samsung says to request service through its Support Center.
- Front-loader with drying or a sanitary cycle? LG says a burning smell can come from high-temperature cycles such as drying or sanitary: the drum can reach up to 100 °C, the rubber gasket heats up, and lint or dust blown onto the heater can add to it. It is most noticeable on a new machine and eventually fades after a few uses. LG’s article does not tell you to stop using the machine or call service for this.
- Clean the gasket and run the maker’s tub clean. LG says to clean the door gasket and glass regularly and to run Tub Clean once a month or after every 30 cycles, using an oxygen-based cleaner as directed and avoiding chlorine-based or acidic cleaners, which can discolor or corrode. Samsung’s Self Clean or Pure Cycle is about once a month or every 30 to 40 loads.
- Is it actually a different smell? Samsung says that apart from a burning smell, a washer cannot create an odor on its own, and the others come from maintenance: a drain hose pushed too far can siphon back and give a sulfur or sewage smell (reinsert it no more than eight inches and secure it), and mildew is handled by a cleaning cycle and leaving the door open. See washing machine smells bad.
If it comes back
Call the maker’s service if the burning smell continues after the first cycles on a new washer, or comes with any sign of heat. Samsung’s page says exactly that after the first two cycles. Tell them:
- The brand, model number (where to find it) and how many cycles the washer has run.
- Which cycle and temperature were running when the smell began, and how strong it was.
- That you cleaned the gasket and ran the tub clean, and whether the smell returned.
Private tools: prepare a Service Brief → or save a washer log →. Compare the cost of a repair with replacement in the repair-or-replace calculator.
OFFICIAL MANUFACTURER SOURCES
Where these steps come from.
Every number and step above comes from these manufacturer help pages. Where two brands disagree, the page says so and your own manual decides. Checked October 10, 2026.