Why do my clean clothes smell after awhile? I rewashed clean clothes because they smelled and now they smell again after being in the laundry basket. Please help
By Barbara from Youngstown, OH
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When you go to wash your clothes, towels, etc., put 3/4-1 cup white vinegar in the water with the detergent and fabric softener. This will get all the leftover detergent out of your items and keep the fabric softener fresher, longer in your clothes. And it doesn't hurt the items at all.
Seasonal temperatures and humidity changes in your home will cause clothing to begin to mildew much quicker. I've had to rewash clean clothes to get rid of the smell as well. I started adding 1 TBS of baking soda to the wash and that helped; transfer to dryer immediately and dry thoroughly.
You must be new to TF or you'd know this is a problem many, many people have. I used to have this with my towels which smelled clean after washing and drying, but smelled like mildew when they got damp again. Now I use vinegar in my wash instead of fabric softener and make sure they're dry before removing from the dryer. This cured it for me.
It could be the temperature. Cool washes don't kill bacteria. Put it through a hotter wash and it may sort the problem (it may also shrink your clothes but you can't wear smelly clothes, so take a chance)
I have a feeling that the problem is in the washer. I ran the washer with half a bottle of clorox yesterday. I read a suggestion for that, someone also suggested taking the wringer out, but at my age that is impossible. The washer is old don't remember when I purchased it. I also removed that part where you put fabric softener in, after cleaning it in clorox it still smells.
I use 1/3 cup borax in my frontloader. No smells ever.
Also, you can clean your washer by running a load with just water and a cup or two of white vinegar.
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