Do your towels smell after washing them? Mine used to smell awful too. I had to figure out how to get the mildew smell out of the towels!
I tried adding scented laundry beads and using scented dryer sheets, but those ideas only masked the mildew smell that lingered.
It didn’t matter what I tried, I still had stinky towels!
So then I started adding a cup of vinegar to the wash with every load of towels. That worked for a short while, but soon I noticed the smell coming back.
The vinegar wasn’t working.
Since becoming a mom I’ve started using more natural cleaning products. A couple that I use are Borax and Super Washing Soda.
One day I read on the sides of both of these boxes and found out they both help with odors in the laundry.
That is when I discovered the secret of how to get musty smell out of towels!
How to Get Mildew Smell Out of Towels Without Vinegar
1. Make sure towels are completely dry.
Before you wash your towels make sure they are completely dry. It’s easy to throw a damp bath towel into the laundry basket, but that only makes it worse and allows the mold to grow.
I have a few hooks on the wall in my laundry room for towels. As I sort the towels out from the rest of the laundry, I hang up any damp towels so that they are completely dry before I add them to the washing machine.
2. Add 1/2 cup of Super Washing Soda or Borax to the towel load.
You don’t need both. Choose one.
I believe super washing soda (my affiliate link) works the best, but if you don’t have it, Borax (my affiliate link) works well too.
Both of these natural cleaning products help eliminate odors and provide a cleaning boost to your laundry.
You’ll still need to use your regular laundry detergent. The Borax or washing soda is in addition to your detergent.
You can find these cleaning products at places like Target and Walmart or your local grocery store too. These boxes are sometimes hard to find, but look high and look low in your laundry cleaning section.
3. Don’t overload the washer.
The more towels you put in your washer, the less detergent and laundry booster to go around.
I know how tempting it is to fill up your washer to the very top, but be sure to leave room for the towels to move around in order to get agitated enough for removing the moldy residue.
Putting the right amount of towels in the washing machine also means your towels will get enough detergent.
4. Use hot water.
In order to get your towels completely cleaned, you’ll need to use hot water. This will help kill the bacteria that has grown on your towels’ surfaces.
Use the hottest setting that your washing machine has and the highest washing level. My setting is called “heavy duty”. This will ensure a thorough cleaning.
5. Dry Towels ASAP.
Once your load is done washing, check their smell. Do the towels still stink?
If they still have a moldy smell to them, throw them back in washing machine and run a second cycle before adding them to the dryer.
However, if the towels no longer smell bad, add them to your dryer as soon as possible. If you leave your clean towels in the washing machine all day or overnight, the mold will return!
So watch the time, and be sure to transfer the towels to the dryer as soon as you can.
Dry the towels completely. I like to use the highest and longest setting on my dryer.
Once the towels are completely dry, store them in a dry closet that gets good circulation. If the closet is too crowded and damp, that will encourage mold to grow.
Why Do Towels Smell Musty?
Now, that you know how to remove musty smell from towels. Let’s talk about how. toprevent the smell from coming back.
There are a few reasons why your towels may get a mildew smell to them. Once you understand what is causing it, you can learn how to prevent it.
Damp Towels Before Washing Them
Do you leave your towels in the hamper for days while they are still wet or damp? This is causing mold to grow on the surface of your towels.
When you wash them, the moldy towels will not get completely cleaned especially if there is a lot of moisture still on the towels.
Try to hang your towels up until they are completely dry before throwing them in the hamper. Your towels should be completely dry before you throw them in the washing machine.
Damp Towels After Washing Them
Make sure your towels are completely dry before storing them in your linen closets. If there is still some dampness to your towels, that moisture will cause mildew to grow.
If your towels don’t get completely dry in the dryer, pull them out and lay them flat to dry completely.
Another option is to hang your towels up on a clothes line.
Not Washing Often
That may seem like an obvious reason for stinky towels, but it’s good to remember that your towels should be washed after 3 uses.
If you allow more time to pass, the towels will get dirtier and moldier. It will be harder to get them completely cleaned after only one load of laundry if they are extremely soiled.
It helps me to have “towel days”. I change out our bath towels twice a week: once when I clean the bathroom and then again 3 days later.
This ensures that the towels get washed often enough.
Not Washing on Hot Water
Another reason your towels stink, could be that you’re washing them on cold water. Be sure to wash your moldy towels on hot water.
This will help kill the bacteria that has built up on your towels.
Not Drying Towels Right Away
Another way that your towels may be smelling bad is that you’re leaving them in the washing machine too long. This allows the mildew to grow and spread on your towels.
Be sure to transfer your clean towels to the dryer as soon as possible once the load is done washing.
If you are way behind on the laundry, be sure to read what to do with too much laundry.
I hope you have found this helpful as you get rid of the mildew smell from your towels!
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