Why are my bath towels always stinky after I wash them?

Question

I wash my towels everyday, we use them once then to the wash they go even after soaking and washing twice they stink! I dont know if its the local water or what but it's nasty. They smell moldy or something. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Answer 1

The water you are washing them in is not hot enough to remove moulds, grease and musty smells.  Use hottest wash and make sure they are dry before you put them away.

Answer 2

Start at the end:  Where are you storing them between washings?  Do they sit, used, in a hamper for a long period?  If they're stored in a well-ventilated, non humid place when dry and washed pretty quickly after they go to the hamper, you're properly caring for them. Inspect the hamper or any place the towels are regularly left after being used.  The culprit may not be the towel itself.

If it is the towel, try soaking one in boiling water and see if that removes the musty odor.  If it doesn't, the towels may be beyond saving.

Side note, fabric softener will make a towel lose its absorbency over time.  If it's a good towel, don't use it.

Answer 3

Don't use fabric softener on your towels, after time they will not absorb water well.  I used to have this problem too until I started washing my towels with oxyclean along with my regular laundry detergent.  Works like a charm, no funky odors at all!!!

Answer 4

I had this same problem and discovered it was the brand of towels I was buying.  I had three different brands and only one smelled, no matter how I tried to wash them.  I stopped buying that brand.  I won't name the brand but it was a common brand that most stores sell.  I think it might have been the thread they use, the dye coloring, or something in the manufacturing of the towel.  Try different brands and see if that works.

Answer 5

Are you immediately drying them after they are washed?  I have found that leaving them in the washer, even for a couple of hours, will make them smell musty.  One time I had a very wet towel that was thrown into a laundry basket and it sat for 2 days - the entire basket smelled moldy.  If you don't get rid of the smell, they will stay smelly no matter how many times you wash.  If they are white, you could try using a small amount of chlorine bleach and hot water next time you wash them.  If colored, baking soda in the wash and/or vinegar in the rinse water might help.  Most important is to make sure they get to the dryer right away after they are washed, and also make sure they are not tossed into the dirty laundry while they are wet.  And never, never use fabric softeners on towels (liquid or dryer sheets) - it makes them soft but really cuts down on their absorbency.

Answer 6

fabric  freshener,try  to  take  it  a  laundry mat  and  see  if  it's  the  water  you  are  using .............

Answer 7

You are washing them on too cool a wash. Towels need to be washed at at least 60' cycle to kill off bacteria. If your "clean" towel has built up bacteria growth through too cool washing then as soon as it is damp again you will be encouraging bacterial growth and they will smelly fusty.

If you wash them hot enough there will be practically none (or very low levels) of bacteria left in them so once used, provided you hang them up so they dry as quickly as possible (heated towel airier or radiator or just plenty of ventilation) you will not need to wash them after every use. In fact I wash my towels once a week on a hot wash. Never had smelly towels and they look as good as day bought. Comparing the effect on the environment by daily or every second day washing cool against once a week hot - hot will win especially if you use a tumble drier!

So Hot wash, fast spin and dry as quick as possible from washing, make sure bone dry before storing. Allow to dry properly by careful hanging up after use and you will have no problems. If you cant hot wash ironing will do the same but who wants to iron towels.

Answer 8

Walmart sells Febreeze Fabric Refreshner made for the washing macine sold in the laundry isle. It is kinda of expensive so you might also try using vinegar in your was also try hanging them on the clothes line outside to get fresh air.

Answer 9

are you letting them sit too long in the washer before moving them to the dryer?

You could also:

1) use liquid fabric softener...you can add it right in with the soap if you dont want to wait until the rinse cycle

2) add a little baking soda or oxyclean to your wash soap

3) add about a cup of vinegar to the soap

Answer 10

It's a mildew, musty smell, isn't it?

Use a little more detergent and fabric softener than normal, and make sure that as SOON as the wash is done, you put it in the dryer. Do NOT let the clothes sit in the washer overnight -- this makes them smell happen!

When you take a shower, hang them on a hook or a rod. A towel being bunched up on the floor also makes this happen!

Answer 11

use some baking soda in the wash, I had the same problem and it worked great. I just dumped about 1/4 of the box of baking soda on the clothes before the washer started.

Answer 12

I get the same problem.  I always dry them in the tumble dryer. Maybe dry them outside if fine, I am going to try this. Or dry less at a time in the dryer.  Let me know if you find a solution.  I always use a fabric conditioner.

Answer 13

I wash my towels with Borax to remove the "funky" smell they get.  It's a powder found in the laundry isle.  It does not contain bleach, but does help to whiten and eliminates odors.