Stinky Bath Towels

[ReadyForSeason]

I wash them roughly every other day and allow them to dry before uses, so they are not festering damp. But even after a wash, the moment they have been made damp after first use, they stink.

Reading up online, this is due to bacteria (gross). There is Dettol antibacterial wash but it’s pricey for regular use.

Has anyone come across this and saved / found the way to get rid of the stink?
Or do I just replace them?

Never happened before but these are 2 sets, one Asda, one IKEA and both are funky.

Do you wash them at a high enough temperature?

I would wash them on the highest setting and then make sure you wash them at 60 after that.

Wash then on a longer, hotter wash.

I'd wash them HOT with a cup of vinegar in the machine.
Then if you really want to deal with them, I'd wash HOT with half a cup of bicarbonate of soda in the machine.
Dry well - ideally in a tumble drier, or outside so they are done in less than a day.

See if that makes a difference.

Fabulosa in Home Bargains do an in-wash disinfectant too that is cheaper

IMO it smells nicer than the Dettol, as it comes in various floral scents, rather than just "fresh, vaguely hospital" smell!

Do a hot wash with this .

Towels definitely need a hot wash-no matter how many chemicals you throw at them

I throw them in the dryer for ten mins to freshen up between washes so I don't have loads of damp towels hanging around.

If you can afford it buy new ones

Are you washing them at 60° and tumble drying them?

Hot wash is needed, for both the towels and the machine itself. If you never do anything over 30degrees then it’s probably festering all sorts. I’m in a very hard water area so do a monthly 90degrees cycle with an empty machine plus some citric acid and it keeps it fresh.

They may not be drying fast enough to beat the stinky bacteria.

I don"t have a tumble dryer and even when I wash my towels in very hot water they always smell funky when hung on a rack to dry as they just can't dry quickly enough.

Only outside or next to an open window/door does the trick. When it's raining I usually bung the rack next to the open back door and keep it closed off from the rest of the house

Half a cup of bicarb in with your washing powder and half to a cup of cheapest vinegar, not malt, in your fabric softener slot. Dry thoroughly.

I boil wash towels, socks, pants, bath mats and bedding! But towels are aren't done more than maybe once a week. I'm sure the MN massive will come for me on that one.

Clean the washing machine first then boil wash them.

You can get antibacterial wash from most supermarkets for much less than the Dettol version.

Towels also need to be washed on a hot wash but they shouldn't need washing every two days. I put ours in the dryer for half an hour after use to dry them off properly.

@ReadyForSeason I always put towels and bedding on at 90 degrees!!! never get smelly. dont leave them in a heap on the floor . pick them up and hang over heated towel rail or radiator and they can be used again without smelling.

You need to wash them on at least 60 every few washes and if they’re really bad chuck a capful of Zoflora in the wash with them.

Stop washing them so often. They need to be really dried out regularly.
I have a towel which hangs on my aga - don't often wash it but it is bone dry thanks to heat - no smell.

Never use fabric softener on towels, it builds up and causes this stink. Use ginger and bicarbonate as PPs said, and hot washes.

Use washing powder rather than liquid and a nice long wash, I don't find mine need boil washing, just 60 is fine.

Ditch the fabric softener. Wash in regular detergent with one cap white vinegar. Towels will smell nice. If you read the label on the towel and follow that they will be fine. Usually says don't use fabric softener!

Learned the hard way!

Are you using biological washing stuff? If not, you should. Also wash at 60 degrees but maybe an initial boil wash to start you off right.