Help! My jeans smell like mildew

[Strawberry Lemonade]

I machine wash (cold) and air dry my favorite jeans because I don't want them to shrink. They fit perfectly. I must have left them under a drafty window the last time and they took too long to dry. Now the waistband smells mildewy, even after washing them again. Is there anything I can do?

 

[Cindyluwho]

Rewash them with a cup of vinegar added to the water. That should do the trick. When I worked in the fish cannery (stinky, ewww) we used either vinegar or a can of coka-cola in the wash with our clothes. I'd think for mildew the vinegar would work best. In the future, put them in the dryer for 6 minutes with the other clothes then hang them to dry. They'll be softer but won't shrink. DO NOT forget to set a timer or if you're like me you'll forget them.

 

[ZachnElli]

I was gonna say vinegar also, use it like a fabric softner. It should work.

 

[luvdzne]

Vinegar I just had to do this!

 

[shep]

Can't you put them in the dryer with the setting 'No heat' ?

 

[Strawberry Lemonade]

Thanks, everyone! Vinegar it is.

Can't you put them in the dryer with the setting 'No heat' ?

My dryer doesn't have a no heat setting. It's old and basic and pretty much just has 'on' and 'off'.

 

[Shere_Khan]

I am having the same problem right now. So do you wash them in vinegar along with the laundry detergent then? Also I don't want my pants to shrink either, should I still not hang them out to dry to avoid them getting the smell again?

 

[mommaU4]

I can't help you but it sounds like you already got good advice. And I wanted to say thanks for reminding me to put my clothes into the dryer! I am always forgetting them in there and having to rewash.