How to Avoid Musty Clothes

There’s nothing more disappointing than taking your clothes out of the wash to realize they’re still releasing an unpleasant odor. Why does that happen? Let’s dive into some ways to prevent that horrid smell and get your clothes back on track to smelling fresh and clean. 

Dry Thoroughly

Allowing moisture to linger in your clothes can be what’s causing the musty smell. In order to avoid that, make sure you allow your clothes, towels, etc. to completely dry before placing them into your hamper. For example, sweaty clothes from your hike or a wet towel from the pool should be dry before placing them into your hamper that already contains dry laundry.

 

Wash Hot to Eliminate Bacteria

If the smell tends to be more sour-like, it’s best to wash your laundry in hot water. Hot water has shown to eliminate bacteria the best. Additionally, it’s recommended to do the smelly clothes as a separate load than the rest of your laundry. You don’t want the bacteria to spread to clothes that don’t already have it! For extra peace-of-mind we offer sanitizing laundry pairs at Colder’s! Clothes can easily become contaminated and sanitizing laundry pairs can fix that with the click of a button. It’s important to note: Check the labels on the clothing items before placing them in a hot water cycle. 

Cut Down on Detergent or Switch Detergents

Oftentimes people switch detergents because of allergies, rashes, etc., but your detergent could play a role in the smell as well. Typically, you’d know if your detergent is causing the problem if your clothes smell fresh right out of the dryer, yet gradually begin to smell while not even being worn. Though your detergent might smell normal, it doesn’t quite mean that it’s doing its duty cleaning correctly. If you’re doubting your detergent, it’s time to switch it up!

 

Clean out Washer

If you’ve had your washer for a long time or your laundry continuously doesn’t smell fresh and clean after washing, it might be time to give it a good scrub! Detergent, fabric softener, etc. can build up in crevices, block filters, and can cause a boost in bacteria. As a result, you’re exposing your laundry to the bacteria that’s within the water. 

 

Steps on how to clean your washer:

1. Pour in two cups of vinegar into the detergent drawer

2. Run your washer completely empty on the hot water cycle on the longest setting

3. When finished, use a sponge and clean out any residue 

4. Run another hot water cycle on the longest setting in order to fully eliminate any vinegar traces

 

Eliminate the smell now, to have fresh-smelling clean laundry later! If you’re in need of a new washer and dryer set, look no further! Colder’s is here to help make your home the best it can be! For more information, visit www.colders.com.