After about 2 weeks of sitting in the linen closet, my freshly washed sheets smell bad. I live in a very dry climate and the sheets are the only things that smell bad. The blankets are fine. I've tried leaving dryer sheets or bars of soap in the closet, but the sheets still smell like strong minty-pine.
2007-09-22 05:51:20 · 26 answers · asked by AKwoman 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Cleaning & Laundry
Sounds like a combination of things, the closet itself and the sheets. You said the blankets don't smell. Do you store them differently ? What is your closet made of.. sounds like pine or cedar. If its cedar/pine, I wouldn't paint it. Try storing sheets in the individual room closets, on hangers. If it's a cheaper wood, try painting the interior, or use a sealer to keep the wood look . Are the shelves lined with anything, so the sheets aren't sitting on the wood ? Open the door of the closet when you aren't home so the odors don't have the chance to become so strong (when you aren't home, less likely running into it at every turn). Have you tried another detergent, try a perfume free type, some of the cheaper brands with all the perfumes tend to get stronger when sitting over time. The sprays and the dryer sheets can be good choices for a quick fixes, but if you have allergies, all the extra perfumes will only make the problem worse..
good luck
2007-09-22 06:15:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keep a box of baking soda in the back of the linen closet, in the back of the shelf or drawer where your sheets are. That might help. (Open part of the box top as well). Other than that all the other ideas people have mentioned are good. Cedar is a good idea, it smells good and also will help as a moth repellent (not that you have a problem with those but still, can't hurt). Other air fresheners will also help.
2007-09-22 06:02:09 · answer #2 · answered by Mike R 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Even when clothes smell fresh when they come out of the dryer doesn't mean they are.Sheets are the worst for retaining odors. Your best bet would be to wash even white sheets with color safe bleach (It's not as hard on the fabric) and store them in a closet. Bins tend to trap odors as well. Plastic ones will even take on some odors and allow them back into the sheets stored in them.If you must use bins for lack of space, tape a ziploc bag with small holes to the inside of the bin lid, and place dryer sheets in them. The ziploc bag will prevent the dryer sheeets from yellowing white sheets.
2016-03-18 22:10:32 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would put a few lumps of charcoal in a container on the floor. (Do not use the kind that has been pretreated with charcoal lighter!) Charcoal absorbs odors. I have tried this in a refrigerator, car and even the outside trash tote. I would then use drier sheets or fresh lavender around your linens. I grow lavender in my garden. It is easy to grow and you will have an endless supply. I read somewhere that lavender will keep birdbath water fresh, also. I hope this works.
2007-09-22 06:05:45 · answer #4 · answered by Conway S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I thought that was going to be easy...just use a drier sheet. Well it seems you already tried that and it didn't work. The term Strong minty pine has me curious. That is not a smell you usually have in a closet My guess is that the shelving is made of pine and is leaking the odor onto your sheets. I would try sealing the smell of the shelves by painting them with a clear polymer sealant.
2007-09-22 06:03:41 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Storing Sheets In Pillowcase
2016-11-10 09:59:16 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I put potpurri in the linen closet to keep everything smelling fresh.
2007-09-22 06:09:36 · answer #7 · answered by Maura L 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah! Cover them with plastic or a pillow case that you will not use. I thought it was great to have lots of changes of sheets for my bed till I took a set out that I hadn't used in awhile. It was musty smelling and full of dust. The ones on the bottom didn't have that problem. Now I know why people cover their furniture when they leave their house closed up for a long time.
2007-09-22 06:03:37 · answer #8 · answered by Rachel M 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Taking a cue from another answer here, I suggest you remove everything in that closet, including shelves and paint a layer or two of a mildew retardant paint. Then top coat with white gloss paint. When you put your clothes back in, make room for a few shoe boxes with holes punched in, and filled with cedar chips.
Keep the area as dry as possible and sachets are good, Fabreeze fabric spray helps a little...
Good luck
Help me with moths!
2007-09-22 05:58:23 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have done this for years and it works.buy hefty jumbo multi purpose plastic bags....2 1/2 gallon, they are like the regular zip lock bags only big enough for a set of king size sheets. making sure that the sheets are good and dry enclose them in one of the plastic bags. you can add a dryer sheet if you want but it isn't necessary. we have a cabin in the pines and some times don't get there for months and the sheets are always nices and fresh also no spiders living in them. the bags are a little expensive but you will be able to use them over and over.good luck ........jeanne......p.s.....you can buy the bags at safeway and wal-mart
2007-09-22 06:22:48 · answer #10 · answered by Jeanne S 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋