Strange Towel Laundering Question

[tink_n_pooh]

OK, so I can't believe I am asking this but my father mentioned that this has happened to him as well so I need an answer. We have a few towels that seem to have an odd smell. I don't even know what it smells like but its not good. I thought it came from letting the towels sit around without drying properly but I'm really not sure. I wash the towels and sometimes they come right out of the dryer smelling weird.

The first time I ever noticed this odd smell was at future MIL house. I thought it was because they don't hang there towels to dry after using them (they just stick them in the laundry basket) and then the laundry basket sits in the bottom of the linen closet until the laundry is done.

It's really aggreviating that I can't figure out how to get rid of this odd smell. Does any one else ever experience this? I've have to figure these things out before I become a married woman

 

[Christine]

I don't know. I know the odd smell you are talking about. I've had it happen if I've left the towels in the washer too long before going into the dryer. Or, if I've overloaded the washer with towels and they just didn't get clean enough. But the smell always goes away when they are washed again.

 

[LiteBrite]

Sounds like the towels are mildewing - happens when towels are left wet (or just damp) and wadded up (like sitting in the washing machine too long before being put in the dryer, or in the bottom of the hamper).

 

[The Mystery Machine]

This is why I think all towels should be white and be able to be bleached!

Could be many things from your detergent to your water to what was the towel used for. Oh and washing too many towels at once, as well.

Oddly enough I read the dryer is where most things are killed from dust mites to mold. Although it has to be a certain temp in the dryer to kill the dust mites. Not sure about the mold/mildew, though.

You can add a booster to your washer to get rid of smells. I know people add things from borax, vinegar, lavendar water, bleach, oxy, etc...

 

[MareQ]

Add 1 cup of white vinegar, wash and dry on hottest setting and the smell SHOULD go away.

 

[Dodie]

This is why I think all towels should be white and be able to be bleached!

...and exactly why all of our towels ARE white!

I agree with the above posters. My grandma used to say that the laundry was "sour" when it had this odor.

 

[jrmasm]

baking soda works too.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Bleach, baking soda or white vinegar (wash only - no detergent) and the smell will go away.

 

[SC Minnie]

When towels would smell like that my Mom always said they were 'soured'. I still use that term. It is kind of how it smells though.

 

[Cantw8]

I know exactly what you're talking about with two teens, I always have to go on a hunt for towels in their rooms who knows how long they have been fermenting in there....I agree with the cup of white vinegar, I also wash on the hottest setting and throw in a cup of Oxiclean ohhh, don't forget the fabric softener and you should be good to go

 

[mickeyboat]

Do you have a front loading wash machine? Mine smelt very musty after a while because I was keeping the door closed between washes. That in turn made the clothes smell musty. When I started keeping the door clightly ajar (thereby allowing the seal to dry between loads), the smell went away.

Denae

 

[tink_n_pooh]

Do you have a front loading wash machine? Mine smelt very musty after a while because I was keeping the door closed between washes. That in turn made the clothes smell musty. When I started keeping the door clightly ajar (thereby allowing the seal to dry between loads), the smell went away.

Denae

I do have a front loading washing machine. I will try to leave the door open and see if it helps.

I'm also going to try some of the other "fixes" posted above. My mom always used to call it a "sour" smell too, I forgot about that. If I wash the towels in vinegar they aren't going to smell like vinegar are they? I've tried color safe bleach but it isn't doing much. I have all colored towels so I don't want to use regular bleach.

Thanks

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

It may be becuase they went sour in the dryer at some point.

Are the white towels? If so, can you just bleach them? Have you tried the color-safe bleach?

ETA: I use only white towels for the ones we use regularly for this very reason- they are bleachable. Same with our sheets. If you're purchasing new towels, you may want to consider going with white ones so that you can bleach them clean every time they're washed.

You're not overloading the washer are you? Everything has to be able to move and be aggitated for them to be effective.

 

[pennst8r]

Altho I'm sorry your towels smell funny, I'm so glad it's happened to someone else! I thought it was just my laundry skills! I found out that my dryer wasn't really drying them the whole way, and once the mildew smell was there, it didn't go away!

I now wash my towels on sanitize in my washer, which is just a long wash with really hot water, and then I dry them on the heavy duty really high heat. Seems to be working.

I'll have to try the vinegar trick next time. The Queen of Clean says to use ODORZOUT!, but don't think I"ve ever seen that in the store.

 

[LiteBrite]

So, I was just forcing myself to get off the DIS and go do some housework, when ironically, I remembered the load of wash (with some towels mixed with regular clothes) that's been forgotten in the washer for 2 days. P-U! Yup, the washer's running again.

Ok, back to the housework now....

 

[TheDisneyTraveler06]

Add 1 cup of white vinegar, wash and dry on hottest setting and the smell SHOULD go away.

Best Advice.

 

[Mermaid02]

When towels would smell like that my Mom always said they were 'soured'. I still use that term. It is kind of how it smells though.

Yep- they have "soured" just wash them again. Throw in some Downy.

 

[ZuZugal]

I have a front-loader as well, and the plain truth is it is just a little harder to get towels REALLY clean like the top-loaders do. Front-loaders are much gentler on clothing, but I loved to "agitate" my towels in a top-loader to feel they were really clean.

If you have a sanatizing setting, use that. I do not have a sanatizing setting, so I wash on a high cotton setting, hot water, extra (second) rinse, and remove IMMEDIATELY when the cycle is done. I think that last part could be the most important.

I used to have a load or two of towels smell sour, then started the above mentioned regimen. They turn out great now.

Good luck!

 

[paigevz]

Also, if you wash greasy kitchen towels in with your bath towels, you'll get an odor............................

 

[ilovepcot]

Don't know if it's still made, but LYSOL used to put out a liquid sanitizer that was great to add to the wash. It was a *powerful* agent that killed all kinds of viruses and bacteria....great for towels and wash cloths that were used by sick people (colds, flu etc.). Especially good also if kitchen and bath towels become "mixed" in the wash.