My husband was trying to be helpful while I was gone. He washed some towels and put them in the dryer, but did not turn the dryer on. I came home 2 days later to very moldy smelling towels. I have washed them twice. They still have like a sour moldy kind of smell, but not nearly as strong as when I first discovered them.
Help!
2007-02-08 05:23:15 · 17 answers · asked by Piano girl 4 in Home & Garden ➔ Cleaning & Laundry
Obviously you still have mold and or mildew on your towels. You want to first wash them with a the HOTTEST water possible so you can kill the mold/mildew. I would try this combo. (or as many as you can afford to invest in, remembering towels can be expensive.) Use a Baby laundry detergent like Dreft or generic Dreft. Dreft contains enzymes to boost cleaning power. I find it's powerful as it is made for clothes that little ones may have had accidents (urine, diarrhea) Or use what you have, combine 1/2 -full cup of Borax (this is great if you have hard water and prides itself as a deodorizing and you can use it all over the house for powerful safe cleaning) 1/2 cup Biz laundry booster, if you can find it, it's an awesome all around cleaner too.They have a website of where in your area to find it and if you have lighter towels you could use 1/4-1/2 cup Oxyclean or generic. If you have to, you can actually boil them a few at a time. The trick is to get it hot enough to kill off any mold/mildew spores still left and the products help boost that capability. You can use all of these along the line in your household again, believe me! Also, as you know, dry them this time in the HOTTEST AND LONGEST setting your dryer has and make sure they dry completely. Odor should be gone. If not repeat the process again. Never letting them sit wet again will help that horrible smell not to return,
2007-02-08 06:21:55 · answer #1 · answered by Jules H 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I actually answered a question similar to this not too long ago..... Go to the store and buy Tide Simple Pleasures Rose and Violet... Get the detergent, the liquid fab. softener, and the dryer sheets all the same kind.... The soap is Tide, the fabric softener is Downy... Trust me it will work wonders,... Only put the towels like halfway up, and use hot water on the largest cycle.... And use 2 cups of soap instead of one... it will work the first time, adn it will smell great!!! in the bottle, the soap may smell a little strong, but don't worry.... it won't be as strong when the laundry is done... But use Rose and Violet scented nothing else.. Especially NOT the lavendar scented... it will make your towels and clothes smell moldy!!!
Good Luck!!! And you won;t have to hurt your hubby or throw out the towels... lol... :)
2007-02-08 13:34:17 · answer #2 · answered by Mommy of 2 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
How sad, he tries to help and it still doesn't work out...
Wash the towels using your normal detergent in the hottest setting possible, and then use vinegar in the rinse cycle.
Check you area to see if you can find any stores that sell the extra strong vinegar meant for cleaning (rather than for cooking). If you can't find any, then use a full cup or two of white vinegar. It's important not to use vinegar in the same laundry cycle that you use bleach, because together they make some pretty toxic fumes.
Bleach does work, but it's bad for fabrics, and it'll leave your towels feeling stiff. Vinegar actually softens your fabrics, so you'll find that your towels will both smell better and feel better.
2007-02-08 13:44:48 · answer #3 · answered by radiofreetoronto 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I had that happen recently.My dryer messed up and some of my laundry didnt get dry, and the towels smelled pretty bad.I washed mine in hot water then before I put them in the dryer, I sprayed them with febreeze, then I put them in the dryer with a couple of fabric softener sheets. That might work for you.
2007-02-08 13:33:04 · answer #4 · answered by dynamite136 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Try Baking Soda added to the wash about 1 cup and then white vinegar to the rinse about 2 cups for a regular load....
If you could air dry them it would be helpful but not necessary
2007-02-08 13:37:52 · answer #5 · answered by dreamingone39 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wash them again and add vinegar to the rinse cycle. if you can, hang them outside in the sun. The fresh air helps in removing unpleasant odors. After drying outside, run the towels through the dryer just enough to soften them up.
2007-02-08 13:29:20 · answer #6 · answered by Gary S 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I would try leaving them outside in the fresh air for numerous hours or even a full day. Then washing them again and drying them in your dryer with a bounce pad. If that still doesn't work you might have to simply use them and hope that with time the smell dissolves.
2007-02-08 13:29:21 · answer #7 · answered by jules 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Wash them again and put some vinegar in the rinse water. Then put a dryer sheet in with them when you run the dryer and they should be fine.
2007-02-08 13:29:57 · answer #8 · answered by Roberta 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Put vinegar in the rinse cycle or run a wash (without soap) with vinegar and then the rinse with vinegar. I would then put the out on the line in the sun to dry.
2007-02-08 13:32:36 · answer #9 · answered by chrylmichell 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
You will be surprised that if you put a dryer sheet in the dryer and dry the towels the smell will go away.As long as they are wet they will smell.
2007-02-08 13:29:41 · answer #10 · answered by darlene100568 5 · 0⤊ 4⤋