Smelly towels?
Question:Accidently left my towels in the wash -- then went out of town..I rewashed them but they still smell musty.any remedy or should I just throw them out
Answers:
Just add some white vinegar to the rinse cycle it will get rid of the bacteria that is causing the odor. it is also good for removing lint that builds up on towels and it will make them nice and fluffy too!
Good Luck!
I would suggest washing them in hot water and drying them on hot heat.
Wash them with bleach or colorsafe bleach depending on the towels.
That should take out the smell.
wash them in oxyclean. i wouldnt throw them out, if you dont have oxyclean just put a little bleach in the water or just wash them another time or 2
Rewash with bleach, and dry hot.
If they are colored towels you obviously cant use bleach, so you may have to wash them twice.
Wash them in HOT water and a full cup of detergent that has bleach alternative. You may add a bit of vinegar too. Use good LIQUID fabric softener in the last rinse of the cycle.
DO NOT USE REGULAR CHLORINE BLEACH THAT YOU USE FOR WHITES! IT WILL MAKE THE FABRIC IN THE TOWELS FRAGILE!
Add new soap and some bleach--should be ok then. After you do that run the washer empty add soap and bleach to clear the odor oout of the maching.
Rewash again. Place a 1/4C of white vinegar into the wash along with the soap. Use the "heavy duty" or longest cycle. This should get rid of the mildew that is causing the smell.
you can not put musty towels in the dryer.. it will not remove the smell.. if they've been put in the dryer, re-wash them as normal (if you want you can add a little extra softner) and then LINE DRY them.. if you can do it in the sun, even better.. Once they are completetly line dried, then Re-Wash them again as normal.
Trust me.. it seems like a lot of steps because you have to undo what you did. You have to get them wet to line dry them..
next time you leave ANYTHING (not just towels, this works for all clothes), immediately line dry it and rewash..
A good long soak in water with baking soda followed by a wash and then a good long hang in sunlight and fresh air. IF they still stink after doing this twice, then the labor required is worth more than the price of a few new towels and you should cut these into squares to use as rags for dirty chores or washing the rims of your car...
How wealthy are you? How much time do you have? Did you look at them to see if they are discolored at all?
If they are not discolored, then by washing them again, preferably in hot water with some form of bleach, and then drying them on high heat (perhaps with a fabric softener sheet?) should pretty much resolve the issue. If you're filthy rich, and were considering changing the decor in the bathroom anyway, this is as good an excuse to get new ones. But in that case i'd recommend doing another wash / warm dry and then GIVING the towels away - either to Goodwill / Salvation Army or to a homeless shelter, or some such local charity that could make excellent use of them. And, you'll get a modest tax write off if you decide to do that. But the items have to be CLEAN in order to be given away like that.
wash them,and put a 64oz of softerner.
Wash them with color safe bleach (regular bleach if they arent colored) and dry them with a fabric softener sheet. Ive done this too your not the only one I can promise you that. I have even used bleach + liquid fabric softener and hung them out to dry
You have a problem called mildew, which is a fungus that grows on damp clothing. The mildew spores are also in your washing machine. You need to clean your washer and towels with a fungicide detergent/ general purpose cleaner and keep the lid open when not in use. Bleach, vinegar, baking soda or vanilla will all cover up the odor, depends upon the care label of your towels.
Besides the bleach mentioned in the other responses, 1 cup of baking soda added to the wash water will help take out the smell.
Wash them in warm water & promptly dry them. Try tossing in a fabric softener sheet, too. That's done the trick for me in the past. : )
Since you went out of town, I assume the towels were in the washer at least a couple of days. Plenty of time to grow some good old mildew.
Set your washer on the longest and hottest wash cycle and add your laundry detergent. Add a good amount of white vinegar with the detergent, then add the towels. Let the washer begin to agitate and work up some suds. Turn the washer off and let the towels soak for an hour or two (don't forget them again). Turn the washer back on and let it run until the final rinse, then add more vinegar. If the towels still smell like mildew when the washer stops, repeat. Don't add fabric softener or dryer sheets (if you choose to dry them in the dryer). If you have a clothesline, hang them outside in the hottest part of the day and make sure they are completely dry before you bring them in. Good luck!
Throw them out !! I have tried it ALL with my stinky towels...hot water washes, bleach, vinegar, Borax, repeated line dries in the hot, hot sun, leaving them on the clothesline in the rain...all to no avail ! They are not even good for rags as they smell so bad ! Just huck 'em !
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