There are few things as annoying as spending hours doing laundry, only to discover that your clothes are left with a funky smell afterwards.
And this despite using heaps of that expensive fabric softener that is meant to leave your clothes with a delightful odour of a blossoming meadow.
No, you’re not being ripped off by laundry detergent brands – but there is a reason why your clothes have an odd scent.
Unfortunately, the musty or sour scent you’re noticing won’t go away with more washes – so putting the washing machine on repeat will not help.
Equally, avoid investing in super expensive fabric softeners for the sake of masking the smell, because it will not work, explains Kegan Kimball from the 24-hour dry cleaning delivery service, Laundryheap.
There are three main reasons why clothes smell, according to Kegan – all of which have a solution that doesn’t involve having to buy yourself a brand new wardrobe.
Reason one: Smelly clothes, smelly washing machine
‘Often, the most likely cause of smelly clothes is a smelly washing machine,’ says Kegan.
‘It’s dark and damp interior makes for a perfect environment to harbour mildew and other bacteria, which will only cling to clothes and leave a tell-tale smell.
‘To avoid this, regularly get your machine checked and cleaned, either by yourself or a professional. They may seem like pretty low maintenance appliances, but the right upkeep can make a huge difference to your clothes.’
Usually the issue is due to a build-up of detergent, dirt, limescale or mould in the machine.
Before you spend money on expert advice from a professional, you might want to attempt handling the problem on your own.
Wipe the door seal, clean out the detergent drawer by taking it out and soaking it in hot water and check if your machine has a self-wash setting.
Alternatively, you can try washing machine cleaning products, available at most big supermarkets.
Top tip: For a household hack, pour a few cups of white wine vinegar into the detergent drawer and run an empty cycle with hot water.
These fixes should help, however it is possible that the issue goes much deeper, such as a faulty or clogged drain pipe.
Reason two: Too much detergent
Kegan says: ‘Many may believe the answer is to up the detergent dosage, and I don’t blame you.
‘But in fact, whilst we know not enough detergent won’t be enough to kill off all the bacteria, too much is counterproductive. It causes a build-up of suds which then cling to clothes and trap bacteria there, instead of lifting it away.’
Basically, stick to the recommended dosage and use the measurement cup.
You can also purchase pre-measured detergent (capsules) to avoid the issue altogether.
‘And if you think your water hardness is having an impact on its effectiveness, experiment with a little more detergent if you have hard water, and a little less if you have soft,’ Kegan adds.
Speaking of water hardness, temperature can also make a difference.
Certain fabrics – like white towels – can handle higher temperatures without damaging the clothing, and hot water is more likely to eliminate bacteria and odour.
Check the labels on your clothing and see which of them might be able to deal with cranking up the heat a bit – but be careful so they don’t shrink.
Reason three: Not hanging the clothes up in time
Another reason clothes tend to get a musty scent is if you leave them in your machine for too long.
Regardless if they had a sweet-smelling scent when the cycle was finished, wet fabric left inside this moist environment will attract bacteria.
‘Allowing your clothes to sit in a damp, warm environment only invites bacteria to multiply, so try to take them out as soon as the wash has ended,’ Kegan says.
‘If you do forget to take it out of the machine straight away (easily done), just put your clothes on an extra rinse cycle and pour a cup of distilled white vinegar into the washing machine drawer.
‘Whilst fabric softener works to mask smells, vinegar will neutralise them and work as a great natural disinfectant.’
Set an alarm or avoid doing laundry at times where you know you’ll be out of the house for a few hours, like right before you head off to the pub for Friday night drinks.
Because, let’s face, it, after a few rounds of drinks you’re probably not going to be as bothered about making it home in time to empty the washing machine.
Additionally, don’t overfill the machine.
Sure, you might save an hour by stuffing in all of your whites into one load, but odds are that they won’t be cleaned properly.
If none of the above solutions work, it’s time to call in the pros – or send the clothes off to a dry cleaner (though it can become a very expensive habit and won’t solve the core issue).
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/13/clothes-still-smell-funky-washed-12035477/
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