Stinky towels

[Isocene]

I bought some more expensive than usual towels about a year ago and not I notice they stink even after I wash them on hot with alot of detergent.

I always leave them hanging to dry and never bundled up when wet, but that wet moldy smell is always there.

Am I alone? Any suggestions?

 

[loup garou]

Put some baking soda in the washer during the rinse cycle.

 

[The Green Bean]

Originally posted by: loup garou
Put some baking soda in the washer during the rinse cycle.

QFT

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Vinegar will work also, but then they will smell like vinegar...but that washes out after a few cycles.

 

[fire400]

if you don't wanna deal with vinegar, just drop 'em into a bucket of dishsoap, rinse and ring and throw 'em into the dryer

 

[mb]

Originally posted by: The Green Bean

Originally posted by: loup garou
Put some baking soda in the washer during the rinse cycle.

QFT

Interesting... I've never heard of doing that before. I googled it and it seems legit.


I was just gonna say try adding bleach to the wash along with trying a different kind of detergent and fabric softener... but sounds like baking soda might do the trick.
Also you said you use a lot of detergent.. maybe you're using too much and it's not being removed in the rinse cycle?

 

[imported_Imp]

Ughh.. nothing like nasty smelling towers to wipte off your face after a clean refreshing shower. We've tried throwing them in the dryer, but that did nothing. Baking soda sounds like an interesting idea.

 

[Howard]

Bleach works too, but I wouldn't use it on anything that isn't 100% white.

 

[RollWave]

bleach has a terrible smell of its own. Blegh

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: rnp614
bleach has a terrible smell of its own. Blegh

Yes, but it goes away.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: rnp614
bleach has a terrible smell of its own. Blegh

oh... it's not that bad.

 

[thirdlegstump]

I just get new towels every few months...

 

[doze]

Have you tried switching laundry detergent? I always use liquid detergent with liquid fabric softener (prefer Gain for both) and never have any problems. I also make sure the towels go straight from the washer to the dryer because if they sit in the washer wet they can get moldy.

 

[miri]

are you sure your washing machine is working correctly? when i used to use landromats, like 30% of the machines were broken so the entire cylinder would spin with the agitator resulting in no agitation

 

[madeupfacts]

boil it!

 

[BlancoNino]

Maybe you can find two methods that can semlltaneously work to restore it's freshness.

 

[Baked]

Burning smelly stuff works 100%.

 

[Tiamat]

try new dryer sheets, perhaps the dryer is not very great/too old.

 

[Amused]

You need some of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VMhXQNehio

 

[BoomerD]

Don't use softener in your towels at all...The fabric absorbs the softener and temporarily seals the fibers, making the towel less absorbent.
http://beach.lifetips.com/cat/60310/beach-towels/index.html
"Skip the fabric softener when washing your beach towels.
Remember the old riddle ? what gets wetter and wetter as it dries? The answer is a towel ? but probably not a towel that has been treated with fabric softener! While the idea of a soft, fluffy beach towel is very appealing, using fabric softener actually decreases the absorptiveness of fabrics. Fabric softener temporarily seals fibers, limiting their wicking ability, and making them much less effective in getting the water off of you. To get maximum drying power out of your towels, wash them in a little detergent and skip the softener. If insects are bothersome on your beach, skipping the fabric softener may have the additional benefit of eliminating a perfume-y, bug-attracting scent. Try unscented detergent if you think it?s still a problem. "

 

[SagaLore]

Try not hanging them to dry. Put them in the dryer on air dry.

 

[mb]

Originally posted by: SagaLore
Try not hanging them to dry. Put them in the dryer on air dry.

******, I didn't even notice that the OP said he hang dries them.

Dry them in a friggin dryer.

That and I still think you might be using too much detergent.