How do you get that smell out?
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
United States
July 16, 2008 9:46am CST
You ever notice how when an article of clothing smells, and you wash it with other clothing, they all end up smelling?
My clothes, most especially the towels, always end up smelling a bit musty. Straight from the dryer they smell fine, and even days later they won't smell at all, but when I bring a towel into the bathroom while I shower, it begins to smell musty from the steam in the bathroom. I guess it's because the towels get wet, and then just sit in the pile of laundry for a day or two, so the smell sinks in before it gets washed. Then getting it wet again with the steam from the shower re-activates the smell. Well that's my guess anyways.
Do you have this problem? What do you do about it? Perhaps I should just bite the bullet and buy the more expensive laundry detergent? I use Era, I thought that was a good brand. Towels seem to be the only problem. What advice do you have for me?
1 person likes this
6 responses
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
16 Jul 08
Put a little bit of dishwasher detergent in with the towels next time. My sister had a problem awhile back with musty smelling sheets. They had gotten wet and sat for awhile in her basement and they started to stink even after being washed.
Dishwashing detergent contains very little actual detergent, it's the steaming hot water that does most of the cleaning in a dishwasher. What it does contain is anti-sudsing agents and a compound to break surface tension which reduces spotting and increases the effectiveness of the hot water. So D/W detergent is pretty effective at removing soap scum which can act as a petri dish for some kinds of mildew.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
16 Jul 08
Thanks, I'll give that a shot and see how it works.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
16 Jul 08
I do all that. I wash and dry them completely, and store them in a closet in my bedroom. I take one out and bring it to the bathroom while I shower, and by the end of my shower it smells musty.
1 person likes this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
16 Jul 08
Add vinegar - a half cup or so - to the rinse cycle.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
16 Jul 08
Nope. And since vinegar removes the layer of film that soap leaves on clothing, your towel will be a lot softer and fluff better in the dryer.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
16 Jul 08
I get a funny smell sometimes when I have washed and dried clothes, I always think that it reminds me of wet dog. When I get this smell on things I just clean my washing machine out and all the pipes and then it usually goes.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
16 Jul 08
Hadn't thought of that, I'll have hubby do it on his next day off.
@clowdine (1402)
• Philippines
16 Jul 08
Any cloth would definitely smell musty or worse, smell like cockroach if it's folded or shrunken or left twisted when wet. They even develop molds or the tiny black dots that are not eraseable. In our home, we don't put our laundry in the basket if they are wet or damp. We hang them to dry out then, that's the only time. We even hang them outside if the sunlight is good to eliminate the weird smell.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
16 Jul 08
I've got 5 kids, wet clothes are just something we deal with, lol. I'm lucky they put ANYTHING in the hamper. It's usually left on the floor.
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
16 Jul 08
I usually hang my towels to dry after using them in the shower rather than just tossing them in the hamper. They don't get that musty smell as often as they do if i just dump the wet towel in the hamper.
I use sunlight detergent or homemade detergent. I HATE buying laundry detergent its so expensive.
