Why do my clothes smell?

[Weirdfan]

Not freshly washed stuff, things that have been in the wardrobe a while and not a musty smell, really unpleasant, like a sour, dirty smell? Is my washer just not getting things properly clean and once the detergent smell has faded the 'real' smell is noticeable? My washer is old but the drum doesn't smell and it's still removing obvious marks and stains so really not sure, would switching to anti bacterial detergent help? Currently using bio powder so would hope that was powerful enough but maybe not? Keep having to rewash stuff if it's been in the wardrobe more than a few weeks, happening with DD's stuff too so not the wardrobe either, any ideas anyone?

Suggestions:
Try using baking soda along with your laundry powder. White vinegar will work too (not alongside baking soda though, as the mixture will fizz). It doesn't leave a smell.

Check your washing machine thoroughly for mould.

Your drying process is taking too long? Dry them faster and air them in a way that doesn't involve stacking them up all together.
Maybe you need a dehumidifier to dry out the interior air in your house.
Ironing might also help solve your problems, horrible as it may sound.

Maybe paint the interior of the wardrobe with mildew resistant paint? Or give it a thorough cleaning with white vinegar.
Check the wall behind the wardrobe for mould.

Do you overload the washing machine? The clothes won't all get washed if they're too tightly packed.

Are the clothes packed tightly into the wardrobe?
They need dry air circulating.

My young sons laundry smells off if he really overfills the machine then puts it on a quick wash. Which he does quite a lot.

Really careful with load sizes, have assumed for a while now my machine is struggling so only ever do small loads. Tried both bicarb and white vinegar (separately) and no change

Not sure how I can speed up drying, clothes go on line or on airer by back door which is open if not raining or opened every half hour for the dog to pee, again! Stuff dries on the airer in a day or so this time of year and then is finished in drier so it's properly dry before it's folded.

No sign of condensation in my house and I have the gel dehumidifiers on every window sill just in case. All windows on night-lock and/or opened frequently so really don't think damp in the house is an issue.

No mould on any visible parts of washing machine, seal, drawer and filter cleaned regularly. Wardrobe not tightly packed and no sign of mould or mildew inside or behind, it's happening to clothes stored elsewhere as well anyway so pretty sure it's not wardrobe-based. Ironing is not the answer, even if it is the answer it's still not the answer

I'd also recommend the Dettol antibacterial laundry cleanser in each wash. I has this issue with towels going smelly and I used 2 capfuls of it in a wash and sorted it out.

By the way? How do you check if your washing machine is reaching correct temperature?

No idea! I just check the door glass is warm while it's washing so at least I'm sure it's not cold

I use Unstoppables and never have this problem.

I agree with PP who says use the Dettol laundry cleanser or similar. Fabulosa do them abs lots of the supermarkets do own brand versions. Also don’t use softener.

I’d get a new machine
Or get it cleaned properly.
Put powder in the drum.

I used to get this occasionally and it's definitely when I use too much fabric conditioner and washing liquid/powder. It's when the clothes can't rinse properly. Try without fabric conditioner and don't go too mad with the washing powder for a few weeks and see if it makes a difference.

Ironing is not the answer, even if it is the answer it's still not the answer

I like yer moxie missus!

@mathanxiety

Ironing is not the answer, even if it is the answer it's still not the answer

I like yer moxie missus!

@vickylou78

By the way? How do you check if your washing machine is reaching correct temperature?

Core body temp is 37deg, so on a 40deg wash the glass will feel just a touch warm. 30deg a touch cool. Other than that dunno!

I do know that the drum clean session is too hot to touch.

Thanks for the tip about Smol @Chocolatebuttercream. Will investigate.

I honestly don’t think you need a new machine, if it’s that “sour milk” sort of smell? Almost cheese-like? We’ve had this, and it’s grim but usually it is traceable to something that’s been lying slightly damp in the dirty washing basket for a while.

I’ve found that if I wash the affected clothes at 90 (60 doesn’t do it), they’re fresh again. We use bio powder and no softener.

Most things like pyjamas, plain cotton t-shirts casual/soft house clothes etc., will survive 90 as a one-off even if 40 is on the label.

If you don’t get it sorted, the sour smell transfers from the affected items to other things stored beside them. I’m sure it’s some sort of bacteria.

My sister has this problem, and it's due to her living in an old Victorian house with not particularly good air circulation. She found mould behind her pictures on any outside walls, and also can't store clothes in any built in wardrobe that sit on external walls. She also has this issue with clothes in drawers but not all badly as the wardrobes.

Do you leave clothes in the washing machine for very long after the cycle has finished?
I forgot a load that I'd left in the machine for 24 hours and despite line drying it the whole lot stunk to high heaven.

Could be the machine drawer or the machine needs a good clean

@Weirdfan

I dry pretty much all our clothes on the line or on an airer in a well ventilated area and then chuck in the dryer (instead of ironing, I hate ironing!) when dry or very nearly dry to finish off. They then tend to sit in a folded pile on top of the tumble dryer where it's warm for a day or so before I get round to putting them away but everything feels properly dry and smells fresh when I'm putting it away and will still smell fine if used again in the next 3-4 weeks, it's stuff that's been there longer than that which has the bad smell.

I do wash mainly at 40 but it's all stuff that says 40 on the label, will I not ruin them if I wash at higher temperatures? Towels that haven't been used in a while have also had the smell come to think of it (kept in airing cupboard not wardrobe) and I always wash them at 60 so not sure it can be that either

OP, I can't swear to it but I think some washing detergents have in-built bad smell release after a few days, to get you to wash clothes more often. I used to get this problem when I switched to a new powder because I was bored of the old one. Forget what I switched to (it was ages ago) as I started to notice this and switched back again.

Try changing your laundry detergent and see if it still persists. Also, I know lots of MNers think this is OTT but I always add a a capful of linen fresh Zoflora with the main wash now and that helps too.

Here I’ve found a great site for you to look at… it was quite interesting!

www.dettol.co.uk/expert-advice/areas-of-home/how-to-clean-your-washing-machine/

I've just seen you do small loads. This isn't the best idea as clothes need lots of friction from rubbing against each other. Small loads plus lots of powder will just create a bubble 'buffer zone' and could stip things getting clean.

I wash cloth nappies so I looked into how to wash things properly. Do you want to tell us your wash routine? Ie load size, temperature, cycle length etc...

Odours from elsewhere in the house migrate and collect in wardrobes and cupboards. It doesn't necessarily mean the items stored are causing the smell. The longer items are left in the wardrobe the more odour they pick up. The usual housekeeping recommendation is to clean the inside of wardrobes once or twice a year with bleach. The other things you can do are leave the doors open so the space airs ( open the windows too),don't crowd clothes together, and if you know clothes will be lying for a while,put them in a box or clothes cover.

try a dehumidifier in the wardrobe (one of the small non electric ones).

Are your wardrobes against external walls?

Stop using fabric conditioner. Clean out the filter. Run a hot wash with white vinegar instead of powder and bicarb of soda in the Drum.

I also find putting bicarb in with the clothes sometimes really helps this out.

Try cleaning your washing machine with dishwasher tablets- Google how to do it (they need to be the cheaper powder type not the gel ones) it should clean any bacterial residue.

I had this problem but only on dark coloured clothes- it literally took me 2 years to work out why. I used to use liquid detergent on darks and powder on the rest, the liquid detergent was causing the smell. They would wash, dry, iron & put away fine then would stink when it came to wearing them. I finally worked it out after trying everything previously suggested eg white vinegar etc. I now NEVER use liquid detergent, only powder. Doesn’t make a difference if bio or non bio. However you said that you use powder so it can’t be that.

Oh i had this about a month ago out of the blue. All the wash loads i did on one day.

The clothes smelt - well - like you'd been sleeping on the streets in them without washing for weeks. Enough to make you gag and made your fingers smell of it almost immediately! And yet i didn't notice it when i put it all away on the day...

Every time i discover an item from this dodgy wash day it's horribly obvious straight away and i chuck it back into the laundry basket. I think actually i've rewashed it all now.

No.idea.why