You will know now for the rest of your life why washing machine manuals explicitly state that gasonline soiled clothes should not be placed in the washing machine. Old top loaders used to have this listed on the inside of the lid as one of the things to never place in the machine. If you have any warranty on it, it's now likely void.

My suggestion is if you have a new enough FL washer to have a clean washer cycle, you run it...perhaps several times. Do not put the clothes in the dryer...ever. Your best bet is to the junk the clothes, which would have been a good idea in the first place.

The good news is that the smell associated with gasoline is not inherent to the gasoline. It is an additive designed to be very tenacious. The actual gasoline is very volatile and not terribly difficult to remove. So, just because you smell an odor associated with gasoline I doesn't necessarily mean it's still in the clothing.

Make a paste of detergent and place on the spots that are affected. If you can't tell, just soak overnight in a strong detergent solution, rinse, then wash in HOT water to remove the gasoline. Then do a long wash w/ lots of OxyClean to help remove the smell. Any residual smell will be removed by the sun as you hang the items to dry.

What about running her washing machine with a load of towels and a LOT of Borax?

Or Lestoil?

I found these tips on ABOUT.com and saved them just in case, I hope something here is helpful!

Stain Removal Step 1.
Remove as much gasoline as possible with a dull knife or spoon.

Stain Removal Step 2.

Blot the remaining area with a clean cloth to absorb more gasoline.

Stain Removal Step 3.

Sprinkle the stain with baking soda to absorb any remaining gasoline.

Stain Removal Step 4.

Rub dish-washing liquid into the stain and allow to sit for two to five minutes. Soak for 30 minutes in hot water and dish-washing liquid.

Stain Removal Step 5.

If the stain remains, apply a thick baking soda/water paste to the stained area. Let the baking soda dry, and brush it off the stained area.

Stain Removal Step 6.

If traces of the stain remain, apply a stain remover stick, gel, or spray and let stand for 5 minutes.

Stain Removal Step 7.

Wash in the hottest fabric recommended for the fabric.

Hints For Tough Gasoline and Diesel Stains

If you've doused your clothing with gasoline, and the smell still remains after you've followed the steps above, here are a few more things to get the smell out.

Vinegar
Soak the clothing in a vinegar/water mixture for 30 minutes or longer.

2. Orange Cleaner

An orange cleaner added to the wash load can help break down the traces of gasoline and get rid of the smell. Look for an all-purpose cleaner derived from oranges, like OrangeGlo's Orange Clean All-Purpose cleaner or Fantastik Orange Action Cleaner. If you've doused a gallon of gasoline on thick denim jeans, you may need to use the whole bottle.

I also read (I don't remember where) that straight pine-sol or Mr. Clean should remove gasoline.

I imagine that if any of these work to remove the smell from clothing, they should also remove the odor from your machine. Good luck!

My Dad was a diesel mechanic and his clothes would be full of gas and diesel fuel and grease. My mother would use Oxydol powder and liquid Wisk and a little water, make a paste and put it on his clothes with a paint brush. They always came clean and our washer didnt smell either. This has been 30 years ago but I would think it would work today too. Get you some scented detergent or just the Wisk and try that with the clothes. Of course my Mom used HOT water and also she used sometimes,Arm&Hammer Washing Soda with the above by just adding it in the tub. A vinegar rinse for the machine might also help. Also try cutting an apple and laying in the tub and see if that helps with the smell of the washer. I hope you get your problem solved.

Thank you all- I have some good ideas to try!

Wish me luck!