How to Get a Musty Smell Out of Towels
Never Dry Off with a Smelly Towel Again!
Beginning Fresh
To get a musty smell out of towels, begin by washing them in the hottest water recommended on the longest wash setting with your usual detergent and ½ cup of borax. You'll find borax in the cleaning aisle next to the laundry soap and fabric softener. Borax added to each wash load will make towels and all other laundry cleaner and fresher than ever. Follow product label instructions for best results.
Alternately you can try adding ½ cup of baking soda to each wash load to get a musty smell out of towels or other fabrics. Baking soda is a natural odor remover, and it's very inexpensive compared to other laundry products. Many people who've had problems with musty fabrics have been able to get the odors out with baking soda and never require store-bought cleaners. I get out the baking soda and add ½ cup to each wash load. Since I've started doing this I never have a problem with fabrics that smell musty.
Vinegar is also a great natural odor-removing product that's cheap. It's an effective way to get all types of odors out of laundry. Add ½ cup to each wash load along with your usual laundry detergent. The vinegar will work hard to get out trapped dirt and odors, and it's a great alternative to borax or vinegar.
Towel Storage
To keep clean bath towels from absorbing moisture that causes bad odors, never store them on an open shelf or closet in a bathroom, or any other area of high humidity. Instead, store them in a closed cabinet or closet, and preferably not in the bathroom. Once folded fabrics become damp, they might not dry before they begin to get musty and smelly. Start with a musty towel, and it will smell musty until properly washed and dried once again.
Hanging Towels
Don't hang towels on hooks where they remain gathered and unable to fully dry. The fabric will definitely begin to smell musty in a matter of hours. Instead of using single towel hooks, invest in towel bars that allow towels to remain fully open while they dry. The faster towels dry the less likely they'll become smelly.
Prevention
When it's time for a fresh towel, don't throw damp towels in the clothes hamper. They must be completely dry or they'll start to smell bad in no time, and they'll make other clothes and fabrics in the hamper smelly and musty. Once the smell is embedded in the fabric, it won't be easy to remove. Only toss towels into the hamper if they're completely dry. With proper washing and handling, more than likely you'll never again have to worry about how to get a musty smell out of towels and other fabrics.
Published by Crystal Ray - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Crystal Ray is an award-winning freelance writer and artist from the Chicago area. Her passion is interior design, but she also loves entertaining and crafting. She is continually developing unique and creat... View profile
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20 Comments
Post a CommentI am the owner of Nu Fresh, LLC. I have a website at nufreshnow.com that gives a complete explanation of why the smell is occuring. The site also provides a number of common methods of cleaning the washer to eliminiate the problem.
Nu Fresh is a product that is extremely effective at controlling laundry odors. But it is a little more expensive than the common methods and I recommend that you try the other options first. But if all else fails, as it often does, you might want to try Nu Fresh. It really does work and it comes with a money back guarantee so you have nothing to lose.
Intelligent solutions,Thank you for passing it to others. I heard that white venigar can be used to to keep coulours from fading away, unfortunately I knew this information too late, I have an expensive hand embroidered bedcover that was washed away and its shiny coulours mixed together, I will be very thankful if any one can give me an advice how to restore it.
I just had to comment that I tried a combination of vinegar and baking soda last night and it worked WONDERFULLY! I was ready to throw those towels out. THANK YOU!
I searched specifically for this topic because of some towels we have that are so stinky! I will try the options you have presented. THANKS!
Thank You fer sharin'. Mizpah. ;-}}>
Good Advice. Nicely written. Just like others have commented already, my big beach towels are not used often, they tend to become musty smelling, I'll have to try a few of these ideas, Thanks
wow i needed this one haha. thanks
excellent advice. i do this if it happens to mine.great job!
excellent and helpful information!
This advice is so useful. I have a habit of throwing damp towels into the laundry basket. You've given me something to think about.
Sophie