Abstract in English:

Domestic appliances such as washing machines have been shown to harbour numerous microbial species that may be a source for unpleasant odours. Interestingly, not all households suffer from textile-associated malodours, suggesting a differentiated role of microbial colonizers in the formation of malodorous substances. By comparing the microbiota in washing machine biofilms and on textiles of households with or without odour problems we could identify soil bacteria as a group of bacteria that may potentially prevent the formation of common textile-associated malodours.