Towels smell after washing due to detergent/softener buildup trapping bacteria, low wash temperatures failing to kill microbes, or not drying thoroughly, leading to mildew. To fix this, deep clean with vinegar (rinse cycle) and then baking soda (second wash), use hot water, skip fabric softener, avoid overloading, and always dry towels completely and quickly.
Wash your towels in hot water with a cup of white vinegar (no detergent), then run them through another hot wash with half a cup of baking soda. This removes detergent buildup, kills bacteria, and gets rid of the smell. Make sure to dry them completely, preferably in the sun. No more musty towels.
To help get odor out of towels, it's best to wash them separately and using hot water. Towels are thick and have many fibers to absorb water, dirt and residue in their everyday use. Hot water penetrates the fibers best and helps your detergent do its job.
Smelly kitchen towels are caused by bacteria, moisture, and detergent residue, but the good news is they can be freshened up with the right care routine. By washing in hot water, using vinegar and baking soda, and ensuring they dry properly, you can keep your kitchen towels odour-free and hygienic.
When towels remain wet for extended periods, bacteria, mold and mildew begin to form and can multiply fast, quickly causing your once-fresh towels to smell sour. Other possible causes include detergent buildup or fabric softener residue.
This two-cycle washing method is the most effective way to strip mildew odor from towels completely. The key is using vinegar and baking soda in separate wash cycles—never together in the same load.
Towels are prone to bacterial growth for several reasons.
First, they're used in bathrooms, which are naturally rife with moisture, and bacteria grow in wet places. Second, they're very absorbent, and they can stay damp for quite a while after use – particularly in those humid bathrooms.
Cold-water washing means clothing is less likely to shrink or fade and ruin clothes. Cold water can also reduce wrinkles, which saves energy costs (and time) associated with ironing.
Here are a few extra ways to get the musty smell out and keep your towels fresh: Don't Forget the Baking Soda: If you're combating mildew smell by washing your towels with a cup of white vinegar, it might be helpful to wash them for one more cycle with ½ cup of baking soda in place of your normal detergent.
Freshness comes from frequent laundering, thorough drying, and subtle fragrance techniques like essential oils or scented sachets. Softness is preserved through gentle detergents, fabric conditioners made for towels, and proper storage in dry, clean spaces.
If the dryer isn't regularly cleaned or properly ventilated, mold can develop inside, causing a musty smell that then transfers to the laundry. Lint filters and the condenser, which are not cleaned regularly, can also trap dust and detergent residues, contributing to the unpleasant odour.
Helping your clothes stay vibrant and last longer - Washing with a warm water temperature − on cycles at 40°C or higher – is more suitable for heavy soiling, but can come with a few downsides such as colours fading and shrinking fabrics. Washing at 30 degrees can help keep your colours vibrant an minimise shrinking.
Things You Should Never Wash in Cold Water
There are clear benefits to washing machine hot water use, especially when clothes need deep cleaning: Better stain removal – Hot water works well on food stains, grease, and heavily soiled garments.
Adding vinegar directly to the wash with your laundry detergent may compromise its cleaning performance. Laundry detergents are formulated for specific pH levels, which may be disrupted by the acidity of vinegar, leading to less effective cleaning. It's best to avoid mixing them to ensure optimal results.
But eight places you should never use vinegar include:
Try as you might to keep your towels clean, they can often end up smelling less than fresh. One of the main reasons for this is the build-up of detergent; soap residue can collect in the fibres of your towels over time and prevent them from effectively absorbing water.
“When somebody feels like they're still smelly after the shower, typically it's someone who is more prone to sweating and may have a buildup of bacteria on the skin in conjunction with the sweat,” says Marisa Garshick, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Cornell NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Center in New ...
"Wash your towels in hot water with a cup of vinegar, and then run again in hot water with a half-cup of baking soda. That will strip your towels from all of that residue and mildew smell and will actually leave them feeling fluffy and smelling fresh."
Once you have added your towels, add laundry detergent in its respective drawer, and add about 250ml distilled white vinegar into the fabric softener drawer. If your towels have already been washed in detergent, just mix some water into the vinegar to dilute before you add it to the detergent drawer.
You should use vinegar as a softener, putting it in the fabric softener slot of the machine.
Towels should be washed in the warmest water appropriate for the fabric according to the care label. Generally, warm or hot water is recommended for washing towels. Use a cycle specifically for towels or a normal/regular cycle.