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To date, I've had several attempts at making washed rind cheeses with PLA and/or ARN and I've never had much success. With my most recent attempts (all soft cheeses), I've inoculated the milk with the PLA/ARN and start washing around day 4-6 (depending on the surface feel). The ones made with PLA start become stinky at around day 2 (I'm guessing due to the fast deacidifying action of D. hansenii) while the ARN ones start becoming stinky at day 4-6.

Here's where the problem lies. As I wash them (every other day for the first week and then every four days after that - a total of 6 washes), the stinky aroma starts to mellow out while the Geo powdery growth starts coming out. At the end of washing, I only have a few pinkish spots (only in the crevices of the rind which I don't hit when washing). I should also point out that washing was done with a disposable kitchen towel with 3% PLA/ARN brine rubbed (not aggressively) on the cheeses.

After the washing routine, I wrap the cheeses (in 2-ply bloomy rind wrap) and age. I opened one of the Reblochons today and it was still not fully ripe but here's how the surface looks like (see pic). No traces of linens or any stinky aroma it once had.

Any idea where it could be going wrong? I've tried moving the Reblochon (halves) to a 1-ply washed-rind wrap I have to hopefully suppress the Geo growth.

EDIT: Also, I'm confused with B. linens behavior. Is high humidity enough for their growth? Or will the use of a damp cloth on the cheese mat help it grow better without Geo and other molds?

I suspect not enough washing or the humidity is too low

The cheese should have one side washed every day , and the humidity should be in the 90s , I use a small plastic box with the lid a little a jar.

I agree with Gregore not enough washing to start with and a soft brush is recommended. B linens need surface water to grow. See this thread: https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10633.0.html

Humidity should be fine, though. I keep each cheese in individual containers with the lid closed for the initial aging. When I let the containers breathe every day, I find droplets on the sides of the container so I should be in the 90+ RH range I think.

As for washing, I initially wash every other day but do it for the whole cheese. I recall reading here that that should be fine as well? Also, will a soft brush be advisable for soft cheese? The Reblochon guide here suggests something like a cheesecloth should work best. In fact, that guide suggests the same washing schedule.

Well if moisture is the problem, will placing them on damp cloth help?

I don't have much experience with Reblochon but if the b linens are dying off and mold is taking over too much the inoculation of the mold is possibly too strong and the molds out compete the linens, or the b linens don't have what they need to grow (they need surface moisture and salt to grow and compete).

I agree with RayJ. You may need to add more salt to your wash (b linens are resistant up to 12% with lessening activity the higher you go). Also don't forget b linens needs oxygen and airflow to live, so taking it out of its box or container for some time each day would help it outcompete the molds as well. And keeping the cheese wet helps prevent mold too! Good luck 

Oh! That might be something I failed to consider. I'll try increasing brine concentration to 6%. I also moved the cheeses yesterday so that they're sitting on brine-damp paper towels. Crossing fingers.

I just noticed something about your first remarks, you mention that sometimes they are starting to get stinky in 2 days or 4 days depending on cultures?

This is not the b linens , before it can grow geo needs to grow first, bringing the surface acidity up to about 6 for the b linens to start going.

You know you have a good geo when it gets slimey to the touch , then start washing .

I wonder if you washed too early 

It gets stinky after 2 days when using PLA, I'm guessing since DH a much more rapid deacidifier compared to Geo. The aroma I'm describing is characteristically that of washed rind cheeses and is very different from the Geo bloom aroma that I get when making bloomy rinds.

In any case, I do start washing when the mocasse forms and not early. Just that the aroma shifts from stinky to mild Geo as I keep washing. I'm hoping the moisture amd salt adjustments can fix this.

I just checked on the cheeses sitting on the damp cloth and their rinds have softened significantly. When I washed them, the rind tore off in some places.  Suggestions? For now, I removed the cloth and let them stay in the high humidity container. Hopefully the high salt concentration will suppress the Geo.

Damp cloth is obviously too wet. A wooden board is recommended but just upping the salt in the brine should correct things in your case I think. The point of the board if you don't have route it it holds a small amount of moisture and linens/ Geo but not too much. Spruce is recommended because it is soft and doesn't have excessive sap or tannins in it but really it doesn't matter too much what kind of wood is used.