What To Do When Your Clothes Smell Musty After Washing

Few things are as frustrating as musty, damp smelling clothes which is why it is important to know the right steps to take to prevent and eliminate the musty smell after washing.

This can happen if you leave them in the washing machine for too long after a cycle, or if the house is damp, or drying them too slowly. Wet clothes are extremely susceptible to aromas. 

[photo source]

Potential Causes Of Musty Smelling Clothes

There are several reasons why your clothes may end up smelling musty. An awareness of what these reasons are can help to prevent it from happening.

Chemical Detergents

Most mainstream detergents are full of chemicals. While these may smell fantastic when you open the bottle, this doesn’t mean you’ll be getting the same smell on your freshly washed clothes.

In fact, the chemicals in your chosen detergent will help the buildup of biofilms in your washing machine. These are small bacteria which grow and interfere with the natural washing process. The bacteria are similar to those that cause mold, hence the musty smell on your clothes.

You can eliminate this by choosing a natural fabric care solution. Make sure it has no harsh chemicals and you’ll be making the right steps.

Clean Your Machine

As mentioned above, your machine can develop a lining of bacteria, known as biofilm. This will reduce its ability to clean clothes and encourage the musty smell.

You may not think about cleaning the washing machine but it’s a good idea to do the following periodically:

• Add 2 cups of white vinegar to your detergent tray
• Turn on the machine, the rinse setting should suffice
• Now add ½ cup bleach into the detergent tray
• Run the machine again on the rinse cycle.
• Remove the detergent tray and scrub it in the sink, if possible.
• To finish run one more rinse cycle with no additives.

Take Your Clothes Out Quicker

One of the most common issues is leaving the clothes in the machine long after the wash cycle has finished. This allows the damp aroma to settle on the clothes because they are damp and in a confined environment.

It is also important to note that the hotter the water temperature the quicker the musty smell will appear.

You’ll need to take the clothes out as soon as possible after the machine has finished, using the delayed start may help.

The Right Amount Of Detergent

It is possible that you’re not using enough, or are using too much detergent. You may even be using the wrong detergent, although switching to a natural one as mentioned above will certainly help.

Not putting enough detergent in will prevent your clothes from being cleaned properly. This will effectively leave dirt on your clothes, even if it’s not visible to the human eye, making the clothes smell.

Alternatively too much detergent means that the machine will be unable to rinse your clothes properly, this leaves detergent on the clothes which creates the musty aroma.

Check how much detergent you should be using and use the right amount!