Horrible smell in laundry

[BettyBi0]

Is there anything that gets rids of that horrible ?damp smell in laundry? It's almost as if one particularly smelly old top has infested the last load I did and now it all stinks.

I've tried re-washing it all at 60 with loads of vanish and then tumble drying but it still reaks.

Does anyone know the smell I'm talking about?

[Sarah961]

You could try hanging it all outside - that often works.

The only time something like this persisted, with me, was when I had unknowingly washed a dead mouse inside some clothing.

Ended up throwing it away as the smell would not go.

[NigellasGuest]

I don't really know the smell in particular but have experienced a variety of laundry smells over the years (!!!) and my suggestion is to run the washing machine on the highest temp it has, BUT completely empty of laundry, to clean the washing machine itself. It could be the smell you mention is actually in the washing machine IYSWIM.

[whitehandledkitchenknife]

Try placing a cup of white vinegar in the dispenser drawer (with nothing else) and running the clothes through again.
Also, try this with an empty machine to give it a good wash out.

[BettyBi0]

Thanks. Will experiment and report back. I wish I could just hang everything outside but it's been cold and drizzly for days and I think that is half the problem - clothes just taking way too long to dry one time and they've somehow got a mouldy smell stuck in them

[wowfudge]

If it's washing which smelled fine when you got it out of the machine, it smells like wet dog if it takes too long to dry. So if it isn't spread out enough for air to circulate effectively to dry it quickly enough. You could get an additional airer, try hanging some things up if you've got space or wash and dry a load at a time rather than putting several loads through and piling it all on an airer at the same time.

An effective way to dry clothes indoors without causing damp and mould problems is on an airer over or standing in the bath, with the bathroom door closed and the extractor fan on. Extractors don't cost much to run and the sucking out of the air and moisture in the air creates air flow which dries the laundry. Or buy a tumble dryer.