How do I freshen old towels?

Question

Even some of my newer towels smell musty when freshly washed and dried. Does anyone know what I can add to the machine to take away the musty smell? Would it be an idea to boil wash them too on the hottest setting on the machine?

Answer 1

tumble dry them with a Bounce sheet. Or just leave a few Bounce sheets hung up in your airing cupboard.

Answer 2

I watch the weather and do a load of towels in the morning so they are on the line in the sun all day. Fabric softener does soften them,and you have a few options like lavender or green apple. Some people put a dash of white vinegar, eucalyptus or lavender oil in. I think the sun does a lot to help the fresh smell, but they need to come in off the line before they start to get damp in the late afternoon.

Answer 3

Put some bleach into the washing machine the next time that you wash them.

Then wash them again with some clothes conditioner with a smell that you like

;-)

Ciao from Italy

Answer 4

Wash towels in one cup of White Vinegar and warm water, do not add any detergent or fabric softner to this wash as detergent will interfere with the vinegar cleaning and freshening and removing the residues left by the detergents and fabric softner should not be used as it destroys the absorbency of the towels you can however use white vinegar to soften towels anytime on your laundry your clothes and towels will come out soft and clean residue free and static free while doing this method set washer on full cycle, dry towels on delicate or low temperature only this will keep them fluffy and like new always

Your next wash add just half cup of vinegar to rinse water or fill your fabric softner dispenser with vinegar only this will soften your clothes and leave them static free and this is less expensive than fabric softner Good Luck !

Answer 5

Add Fabric Softener to the final rinse cycle

Answer 6

Well, boil washing would make them clean.  Are you making sure that they are thoroughly dry before you are putting them away in the cupboard?  Also, they don't want to be hanging around too long drying.

Answer 7

Wash them in the hottest water your machine will do and rinse them in warm water.

Don't use commercial fabric softener it just builds up on the towels and makes them stiff and it also builds up in the washing machine as grey scum.  Use vinegar instead; just put it where you would put the fabric softener.

Dry in the sun to further kill mould spores.  And just before they are totally dry put them in then dryer to fluff them up.

Works for me !

Answer 8

chuck them in the bin and buy new ones

mine always smell and feel horrible

Answer 9

Go with what Melissa has said. I will just add that i had this problem last year, remember with the wet wet weather. Get them out, a good blow on a fresh day, then in before the damp sets in.

Answer 10

try putting sum strong smelling conditioner (for clotehes!) in the machine then smell em

Answer 11

bounce sheets, they work for so long!

i do my towels on a 60 wash but these days its not nessecary i dont think.

failing that you could always spray some febreze on them, try the antibac one

Answer 12

Try descalling your washing machine. I bought descaller from Kleeneze & what a difference it made to the freshness of my clothes after laundering. My machine was the problem not the clothes, you can tell immediately by sniffing the drum in the machine. I boil wash towels ets frequently. Hope this helps.

Answer 13

boil them them wash and use a fabric softener and bounce sheets when you put them away leave a box of baking soda in the cabinet it works the same way as you would if you put it in the fridge

Answer 14

if  there coming out stinking after you washed them? its your washing machine, unblock it or buy a new machine.

add extra fabric conditioner!

Answer 15

Something not right if they are smelling once washed (obviously) but I would say it has to be your machine or more likely the washing liquid or powder you are using. Wash them in Bold 2in1 it's lovely and make sure your machine is rinsing properly.

Answer 16

Don't leave them in the machine too long after the cycle has finished and if you can, hang them outside in the fresh air. There is nothing in a bottle that can match fresh air - beautiful.

Answer 17

You are leaving them damp in the hamper too long.   If you continue to do that, buy white towels and bleach them every time you wash them.  It is not your washing machine.  But use Tide or Era to wash them, both detergents have enzymes that help destroy odors.

Answer 18

try a cup of vinegar in the rise cycle

Answer 19

When you put away in cabinet put bar of soap in there or a block of cedar wood? sometimes that will help? before you put away air out a bit?

Answer 20

put them in bleach to rinse them with all other kinds of cleaning chemichals(WASHING  LIQUIDS) let them be in there for a day .WARNING DO NOT LET CHILDREN GO NEAR THE BOWL OF BLEACH AND WASHING LIQUIDS.then use an air freshner on them .pour some of the mixture into the washing(when towels are in (NOT WHEN WITHOUT TOWELS).wash dry and here you go!