Musty towels?

[Bini]

I have some towels that smell fine when dry but once wet there is a faint mustiness. I'm pretty good about switching wet laundry into the dryer in a timely manner but I guess these sat too long damp. I have already washed them and dried them with scented fabric softner but that musty smell still lingers. I'm hoping there's a solution to this. I just bought them recently, like a couple months ago, and I don't really want to have to replace them.

[beefche]

I would use white vinegar when washing them. About a cup to your wash water. Then do an extra rinse.

That helps me with new clothes to get rid of that new clothes smell that seems to linger.

[LittleWyvern]

They might have some form of mildew. If you can hang them out in direct contact with sunlight, the sunlight will likely kill the mildew then a wash will clear it completely out.

EDIT: If the weather's not great outside you could probably accomplish the same thing with a UV lamp.

Edited December 19, 2013 by LittleWyvern

[MarginOfError]

EDIT: If the weather's not great outside you could probably accomplish the same thing with a UV lamp.

A blazing hot fire works well too, as long as you're willing to not have your towel.

[Wingnut]

I'm the worst at moving my laundry to the dryer before it starts to smell funky. If I just throw it in the dryer after the smell has set in, the smell lingers. But if I just do a short wash again before moving it to the dryer, the smell goes away. I've found that an extra rinse isn't adequate -- it needs the soap. Beefche is right on with the white vinegar solution, though.

[Vort]

I'm with Wingnut on this one. If the towels sit for more than a few hours, rewash them. Same with underwear. Bonus note: If your body chemistry is such that a regular cold wash leaves your garment tops smelling just a bit funky, a small amount of bleach, just a quarter cup or so, works wonders.

[Dravin]

I always do an additional wash, not just a rinse, when I've forgot a load in the washing machine and it's gone sour. I do tend to go a little lighter on the soap when I do so, but I'm probably using more than I really need normally anyway.

[Iggy]

The musty or sour smell is from using too much soap in the wash cycle and it not getting thoroughly rinsed out.

Once I reduced the amount of detergent, AND added an extra rinse cycle PLUS drying them on the next hottest dry cycle for an additional 10 to 15 minutes - that smell went away.

Also - fabric softener REDUCES the absorption of the towels. You want your towels to absorb water, stop with all of the fabric softener.

Want to know if you are using too much detergent. Take ALL of your wash cloths from the closet and put them in the machine. Now add enough water to cover them. With me it would be a medium load. DO NOT add anything else. Let the machine fill up and agitate for a good 10 minutes. Then stop the machine, take a clear glass and fill with the 'wash' water.

If you are using too much detergent, the water will be murky and you will be able to smell the detergent and the softener. Let the machine finish out the entire cycle. DO NOT add anything. Put in dryer at the hotter temp and for 10 to 15 minutes longer than your normally would.

Now use one to dry your hands with and see if that musty smell is gone.

Through trial and error - using 1/2 (for heavily soiled) to 1/3 (for lightly soiled) of the 'recommended' amount of detergent produced clean clothes. They also were not so heavy either.

It wouldn't hurt to wash the cupboard where you store your towels and sheets. Use pine sol (or store branch knock off), TSP and HOT water. Wear rubber gloves and do NOT rinse. Wring your sponge/rag out well. Wash the entire area. Top, sides, bottom and the back. If it is a closet - do both sides of the door. If it is drawers, remove the drawers, turn them upside-down to remove any lint, etc. Then scrub with the pine sol-TSP solution.

[Iggy]

I'm with Wingnut on this one. If the towels sit for more than a few hours, rewash them. Same with underwear. Bonus note: If your body chemistry is such that a regular cold wash leaves your garment tops smelling just a bit funky, a small amount of bleach, just a quarter cup or so, works wonders.

Bleach on garments ruin them. Even a 1/4 cup for a full load. Use All Fabric bleach or Oxi and use 1/2 to 1/3 the amount of the recommended amount of detergent.

The detergent manufacturer want you to buy their product, thus the more of it you use, the sooner you will run out, then you have to purchase more. Anything you want to absorb water do not use softener on. See previous post.

[Bini]

I would use white vinegar when washing them. About a cup to your wash water. Then do an extra rinse.

That helps me with new clothes to get rid of that new clothes smell that seems to linger.

I'll do this first. Thanks.

[Bini]

The musty or sour smell is from using too much soap in the wash cycle and it not getting thoroughly rinsed out.

I hadn't thought about that. Thanks.

[Bini]

I think I should probably use less detergent anyway.

[classylady]

When I've had musty towels I've put bleach in the wash. But, you need to be careful or you'll get bleach stains on them. I haven't tried the white vinegar. I'm thinking I'll try that next time.

[applepansy]

I use a scoup of borax in every load of laundry that might be smelly. Since I started doing that 25 years ago I rarlely have a musty, stinky towel, socks, etc.

[pam]

Could be the washer too over time. They need to be cleaned out just like anything else.

[beefche]

Could be the washer too over time. They need to be cleaned out just like anything else.

How do you clean a washer?

[Bini]

Could be the washer too over time. They need to be cleaned out just like anything else.

Admittedly, I have not cleaned the inside of the washer. I have wiped down the top area and sides with bleach but that's it. So how do you go about that, Pam? Is running a cycle with bleach enough?

[pam]

This pretty much explains what I do:

3 Ways to Clean the Inside of a Washing Machine - wikiHow

I do it about every 3-4 months.

[Backroads]

Several years ago, some my nicest towels went missing.

Months later, I found them in my parents' backyard at the bottom of the steps that used to lead to the garage before the door was blocked up and is now a pit of decay and terror. My brothers were using them in some sort of movie and forgot about them. They stank to high heaven.

But these were nice towels!

Ran them through with the aforementioned vinegar (and the recommended amount of detergent, though I highly agree this is in many cases too much), tumbled them dry, and put them right back in the washer with a pre-soak including a couple drops of tea tree oil (make sure your washer is okay with is, though it seems most are).

I still have these towels, and they have been fine since.

[Backroads]

How do you clean a washer?

I set a hot cycle with a pre-soak, throw a cup of bleach in there, let it sit for a couple of hours, resume the cycle, and after it's done just wipe out everything. Then a rinse cycle.

[Sali]

That can happen to my towels too. I found a good hot wash will take care of the problem.

[NeuroTypical]

[Bini]

Several years ago, some my nicest towels went missing.

Months later, I found them in my parents' backyard at the bottom of the steps that used to lead to the garage before the door was blocked up and is now a pit of decay and terror. My brothers were using them in some sort of movie and forgot about them. They stank to high heaven.

But these were nice towels!

Ran them through with the aforementioned vinegar (and the recommended amount of detergent, though I highly agree this is in many cases too much), tumbled them dry, and put them right back in the washer with a pre-soak including a couple drops of tea tree oil (make sure your washer is okay with is, though it seems most are).

I still have these towels, and they have been fine since.

Was it a "horror" movie? You know, because the towels were so scary... LOL

[Bini]

LM, I have actually heard someone say that.

[nightcrawler1977]

strip all your towels and dish towels . To do this wash them first in hot water with 1 cup of vinegar and no laundry soap . Then wash them again in hot water with one cup of baking soda again with no laundry soap and that should do the trick it helps to strip all the soap and fabric softener residue from the towels . I do this to my towels one a month