Remember that time you went to the lake and forgot the wet towels and suits in the trunk of the car? Then there’s your kids’ sports clothes that smell like death. And what is up with the kitchen washcloths that form an unforgettably awful stench? Don’t worry… I’ve got the easiest way to naturally freshen towels, sports uniforms and other stinky items.
What Makes Laundry Smell So Bad?
There are actually quite a few things that can contribute to stinky laundry, so let’s tackle each one with a simple solution.
Odors From the Washing Machine– Washing machines are made to tightly seal on order to prevent water from leaking during the washing cycle, but over time a moist environment in a tightly sealed space is going to start to stink. The odor can build up in your washing machine filter, the rubber seal or the drum itself. Give your washing machine a deep clean every few months to help control odors and always leave the door of the washing machine open when not in use.
Residue Build-Up– Over time, residue from soaps, fabric softeners and dryer sheets can build-up in the fibers of your clothing and towels, causing a funky odor. I found the best way to remove this residue build-up is through a process called laundry stripping. (A little tip: store-bought fabric softeners work by adding chemicals to your clothes that actually make fabric more flammable and prone to residue build-up. Instead try this easy hack to naturally soften fabrics without the chemicals.)
Mold, Mildew & Sweat– Leaving wet towels or clothes in a wad on the floor is bound to result in mold and mildew growth. If you go to the gym and leave workout clothes in the gym bag… they’re going to smell bad. This type of odor is the main focus of this post. Below is a guide to help you freshen laundry with two simple ingredients.
What You Need Naturally Freshen Laundry
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- Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Essential Oil (Optional)
How to Get Odors Out of Towels and Other Items
Collect all your smelly items and place them in the washing machine. Instead of using laundry detergent, grab some vinegar and add it to the liquid laundry soap dispenser until it hits the Max Fill line. Then run a normal cycle using the hottest water tolerated by the fabric you’re washing.
Keep in mind that while towels can handle heat, swimsuits cannot, so check labels before choosing the temperature settings. It may be best to do several loads if you have multiple fabrics with different heat tolerances. This will allow for maximum benefit.
Once the cycle is done, add baking soda (instead of detergent) to the powder laundry soap dispenser and run another normal cycle with the hottest water tolerated.
Remove the items from the washing machine as soon as the load has finished. Remember… wet items in an enclosed space only creates that mildew smell again.
Dry the items on the hottest dryer setting the garments can tolerate. You can also add a few drops of essential oil to some dryer balls to create a pleasant scent.
Remove promptly from the dryer when they cycle is complete. You should notice the musty odor is gone and replaced with a fresh, clean scent.
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Love your blog! Found out a while back that manufacturers of front loaders recommend wiping down the door seal & leaving the door open after use in order to control mold/mildew. It helps.
Thanks Jessica! And, yes! Leaving the door open will help significantly. I actually talk about it in this post on cleaning your washing machine: https://www.lemonslavenderandlaundry.com/cleaning-tip-tuesday-cleaning-the-washing-machine/
However, I’ve never wiped down the seal after each use, but I bet that would be super helpful to eliminate the moisture and reduce any mold/mildew build-up. Thanks for the tip!
Oops! Guess I missed that one! 🙂
Erin these are really great tips.
Thanks Mary!
Oooh, great tip!I’m going to save this for future use when I get my own place 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Absolutely! Have an amazing day!
Good to know. My dishcloths smell like death way too often. I usually opt for bleach but this is such a better solution and not as harsh on my cloths either. Thanks!
Seriously! What is up with those dish rags? They are the WORST. I actually read that they house a ton of bacteria. Lovely. I know bleach is great for disinfecting, but vinegar does almost as good, and I’m fine with vinegar killing, like, 99.6% of bacteria vs. bleach that does 99.9%- especially because vinegar is so much safer. Hope you have a wonderful day!
Great tip. I will have to try it out sometime.
Wonderful! Have a great day!
Great tips, Erin! We’ve had a front load washer for a few months and I know exactly what you’re talking about with it getting a little funky sometimes. Good to know your tip works to freshen the washer too!
Thanks Amy! Everyone seems to experience the same thing with that smell. I get why is happens, but it sure would be nice if the washing machine makers could come up with a solution. Hope you’re enjoying your weekend! Thanks for stopping over!
Great tips!! I use baking soda in my wash about once a month and it seems to help. Just a note though- if you have extremely hard/limey water – vinegar will only exacerbate your problem so avoid it! (I learned that the hard way with cloth diapers) 🙂 I’m enjoying checking our your blog!
Interesting about the vinegar- I’ve used it to get rid of hard water stains on my faucet before, so I would have thought it would be helpful… good to know. Glad you’re enjoying the blog! Have a great day Teresa!