How do you get rid of the musky smell in towels?
Question:After our towels have been washed, they generally get a musky smell to them, even before they've been used. I've noticed this at other people's house, too, but I don't know how to prevent it.
Answers:
Put 1 cup of vinegar into your washing machine (rinsing cycle). It is a natural softener and it will give your clothes a fresh smell. People always think it will give their clothes a vinegar smell but it doesn't, you will be nicely surprised.
wash with baking powder, add a 1/4 cup to each load. Make sure you are drying them immediately after they are washed. If that doesn't work try puting them on a clothes line for a couple of hours.
go buy some downey fabric softner! Don't leave them in the washer when they are done being washed. meaning immediatly get them and dry them~ Use fabric softner sheets also
dry them immediately and completely or they will be damp and get mildew and that is the musk you're smelling
Wash with baking powder and do not let them set in the washer after the cycle ends.
Iron them, that's what I do
Use about a cup of lemon juice with your regular detergent... For some reason it tends to get rid of the mildew-y smell.
You may want to get a water softener-you might have hard water and you should be able to take a sample to your nearest softener dealer and they can tell you if you do not know already-usually free of charge.
Make sure they are completely dry before you fold them and put them away, and you should use a fabric softner on them.
Just a suggestion...try putting a fabric softener sheet in the bottom of your linen cabinet or whereever you keep your towels and maybe a box of baking powder, as well to absorb the odor...but I use a liquid fabric softener. The smell lasts much longer, personally, than fabric sheets. I have used many liquid fabric softeners and have 2 favs...one is generic (Wal-Mart brand in purple bottle) and the other is Gain Joyful expressions...a little more expensive, but I love clean, fresh smelling clothes and especially bed linens. Since you just mentioned it's your towels and not all of your laundry, I would have suggested maybe running an empty tub with some vinegar in your washer. Also, when I use the Gain, when it releases in the rinse, its aroma can be smelled all throughout my house. I've also been told that rubbing a dryer sheet over yourself before going outside prevents mosquito bites. Just a little FYI. Good luck.
i have had that happen to me too, i figured out that whats happening is the towels haven't been cleaned good enough,
start using straight hot water on them, use soap that has bleach in it that wont fade the colors, make sure when you add the soap and watch it as it adjetates and see if the soap is leaving bubbles while washing, if after about 5 minutes of wash and very little bubbles if any, then add more soap, and dont' add fabric softener to the towels, what it does is adds a layer of stuff to the clothe and after using it a bunch of times, there is such a thick layer, that the soap cant get to the dirt to get the odors out, i know we get used to them being soft, but it causes the build up, just like if you use too much conditioner in your hair after shampoo'ing, if you have ever done something like that then you know what i'm talking about,
it may take a couple of washings to cut through all that condtioners, but it will get it clean,
or with the first wash add some dawn dish soap to help cut the film, you will have to add it slowly, cause if you just add it like normal laundry soap there could be tons of soap bubbles,
also you could use ajax cleaner the dry powder, it cleans really well, but you may have to re-rinse to get all the powder out,,,
also another tip, after you have your bath and dry off, don't just throw the damp towel in the laundry basket, hang them up and let them dry out over night first :) leaving them in the basket damp they cant get fresh air and that too will cause the musky mildew stinch ,,,,,,,,,,,
hope some of these tips will help you ,,,,,,
kay
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