It’s quite odd to be greeted by smelly laundry after they’ve just been in the washing machine. It is reasonable to expect to get fresh-smelling clothes after a cycle, but if you are committing the following mistakes, you are likely to encounter stinky laundry even after you’ve put them in the washing machine.
Why does my laundry smell even after they’ve been in the washing machine?
1. Dirty Washing Machine
Depending on how much you load and how often you use your washing machine, it is highly recommended to run it on a cleaning cycle once a week or at least twice a month. Neglecting this crucial maintenance measure will allow laundry detergent and fabric softener to build up over time. The soap residue could block the filter and play host to odor-causing germs.
2. Using the Wrong Amount of Laundry Detergent
There is a recommended amount of laundry detergent to be used, depending on the weight of your laundry. Guessing how much detergent you need each time you load your clothes could be the cause of smelly laundry.
If you put in too much laundry detergent, your washing machine will be forced to work doubly to rinse off all the excess suds, and in some cases, it won’t be able to get rid of the suds at all. This could then cause bigger problems such as blockages in your washing machine’s draining system.
On the other hand, if you put in too little, your washing machine won’t be able to clean your clothes thoroughly, and as you could imagine, you will just end up with smelly laundry.
3. Overloading
Each washing machine has a maximum capacity, and you must not load your washer past it. Your clothes need space to spin around and get cleaned. If you stuff clothes inside as long as you see space, there won’t be enough room for your laundry to move around the washer when you run the cycle.
4. Leaving Your Clothes in the Washing Machine Too Long or Taking the Laundry Out Before They’re Completely Dried
Clothes need to be unfurled and given ample time to dry. Leaving them in the washing machine where there is virtually no air circulation for an extended period after a cycle is a sure way to get smelly laundry.
The same is true when you take out your clothes before they’re completely dried. When clothes are folded and kept while they are still damp, they start to exude a musty smell that’s hard to get rid of unless they’re thrown back into the washer for a second time.
How to remove odors from clothes in the laundry?
The above-mentioned factors for smelly laundry are avoidable. Here are some laundry odor removal tips:
Clean your washer regularly.
To iterate, run your washing machine on a cleaning cycle once a week or at least twice a month. Here are some tips on how you can do this depending on the model of your washing machine:
Front-load Washing Machine
- Spray the washer drum with white vinegar and wipe it with a clean cloth.
- Wipe the rubber gaskets.
- Put 2 cups of white vinegar in the detergent drawer and run a hot water cycle in the longest setting.
- Add ½ cup of baking soda into the drum and run it again.
- Spray vinegar onto the microfiber cloth and clean the door.
- Air dry by keeping the doors slightly open for a few minutes.
Top-load Washing Machine
- Add 4 cups of vinegar into the detergent drawer and run a cycle using the hottest setting.
- Once it’s filled up, pause and let it sit for about an hour.
- While waiting, spray vinegar onto a piece of clean cloth and wipe the outer parts of the washing machine.
- After the first, run another cycle with a cup of baking soda on the hottest setting.
- Once done, use a toothbrush to clean the detergent drawer.
- Wipe with a dry cloth and leave the door open for a few minutes to air dry.
Do not mix sweaty clothes or damp towels with the rest of your dry laundry.
Air dry damp laundry before putting them together with other clothes in the hamper. This will prevent the sweaty, musty smell from clinging onto the rest of your laundry.
Air dry clean clothes under the sun or a well-lit room.
Drying clothes under the sun is the best way to get rid of odors, but if you do not have the space or the facilities for this, you can air-dry your clothes in a well-lit room.
Try a different laundry detergent or fabric conditioner.
If the fresh smell doesn’t last long, consider changing your laundry detergent or your fabric conditioner.
Use natural laundry odor removers.
There are also natural laundry odor removers such as vinegar and baking soda that you can use. Here are some tips on how to remove odors from clothes depending on the cause of their smell:
- Sweaty Smell – When ordinary washing can’t get rid of the smell of sweat on clothes, try pre-soaking them in a solution of one part vinegar and four parts water for about 30 minutes. You can also try pre-soaking them in a baking soda solution.
- Vomit Smell – Scrape away solids, rinse with cold water, and ash in a high-temperature setting. If the odor remains, leave a paste of baking soda and water on the smelly patches for 30 minutes and wash again.
- Smelly Workout Pants – Add half a cup of baking soda to the wash cycle and half a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.
- Smoke Smell – Stash clothes in a bag with baking soda and fabric softener sheets for one to two days. Wash with detergent and white vinegar.
- Smelly Towels – Soak in hot water and vinegar, then wash with hot water and baking soda.
Get the help of professionals.
If you do not have time to wash your clothes on your own, bring your laundry to Kelly’s Dry Cleaners. We offer the best eco-friendly laundry services in Durango. We also do pick-up and delivery for your convenience. Call us at 970-903-1642 today.
