My towesl stink?

Question

when I wash my towels they come out of the dryer smelling so nice but as soon as i use them to dry off or they get the least bit damp they stink so bad like mildew or something. I have put vinegar in my washer by itself to clean out my washer but is there anything else I can do

Answer 1

In addition to the different cleaning products mentioned (I've had the best luck soaking with some vinegar in the hottest water the washer will fill with), hanging the towels outside on a sunny, breezy day will really get a lot of that mildew smell out permanently.

Answer 2

Sling em and next time put a nice smelling fabric softner in.

Answer 3

wash them in the hottest water possible with detergent and baking soda, and make sure when you take them out of the dryer they are completely dry..... I had the same problem and this works really well

GOOD LUCK!!!!

Answer 4

make sure after you dry off that you put them somewhere where they can dry off. if you just leave water by itself it will get bacteria from the air. Bacteria smells bad. If they don't dry off properly or if you leave them by your dirty clothes they will reek. make sure the towel is spread out on the rack so that it can completely dry.

Answer 5

Okay bleach is good if you are dealing with whites or light colors.  You can use a non-Chlorine bleach for colors, but the best thing to do is try to never let wet towels lay in the hamper too long.  That is where the mildew comes from.

I usually hang my towels to dry (after using them) on the shower rack.  This seems to help.  Also if you have ever pulled the towels out of the drier before they were completely dry, that can start the mildew process.

Prevention is better that repairing.

Good luck.

Answer 6

It's because you have left them in the washer too long, or they were sitting wet for too long.  Once they are dampened, the smell returns.  You should wash them twice in a row and move them immediately to the dryer.  That should take care of it. If they are white, you can also use bleach.

Answer 7

bleach

Answer 8

when you have used your towels let them hang to dry outside in the breeze this will freshen them, when hung back in bathroom there will be no smell.

As added precaution put your washing machine on a wash cycle but no washing inside instead ad some bleach to the soap dispenser whil filling and let it complete a cycle this will kill off any residue soaps ro smells.

Answer 9

did you make sure you took them out of the washer as soon as they were done?

Answer 10

make sure that you are washing them in hot water use bleach if they are colored towels then be sure to use color safe bleach that cured my stinky towels Oh yeah be sure to take them directly out of your washer and place them in the dryer so that they do not sour

Answer 11

What I would do is to try to dry one towel at a time. If that doesn't work then I'm not sure. Sorry.

Answer 12

We have the same problem from time-to-time.  I use Borax in with my wash and that seems to help.  The other thing you can do (if you can do it) is to hang your laundry out to air dry.  Either way - borax or air - that should resolve your issue.  Good luck!

Answer 13

That is the smell of mildew, I suggest you buy a towel heating rack. It will dry off your towels fast, and it reduces the stink so you can use your towle more than once before washing it again. Glad I could help!   :-)

Answer 14

You can get a product called Odo Ban at Sam's club and if you add about a quarter cup to the wash and wash on warm or hot (depending on the color of the towels) that will take care of it.  Good luck!

Answer 15

make sure they are completely dry before you fold and put them away.  Also, try to make a habit of putting just washed towels on the bottom of the pile, this helps rotate and keep towels fresh.

Answer 16

& Warnings

soda or vinegar will help take the mildew smell out of towels. You can use the baking soda with detergent. If using vinegar, wash one cycle with vinegar (no detergent). Follow up with a normal washing cycle, using detergent and fabric softener.



Don’t use baking soda or vinegar at the same time. The baking soda and vinegar will cancel one another out and will not get rid of the smell in the towels.

Answer 17

You might want to try an oxidizer (a drop of bleach or Oxi-Clean, etc) but check for color-fastness first. An oxidizer will kill odor causing bacteria and maybe the mildew.

Answer 18

My advice is throw out the towels and buy new ones or wash them a few times... Make sure that they are completely dry and use a fragrance device in your linen closet... My mother never completely dries our towels and they always reek of mildew after you use them.

Apparently there is a wiki-how article on trying to get the smell out :

http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Mildew-Sme...

Answer 19

Baking powder along with your detergent works wonders. Put a cup or 2 in the wash cycle along with your soap.