Clothes smell sour

[Mumhelp2]

Help! My clothes are smelling sour after a wash. I am not cramming my clothes drier and keeping windows open (if it is not raining I will dry them outside). I wondered if they were taking too long to dry but I’m not sure. I don’t want the heating on when it’s not cold indoors but I can’t bear the foul smell from my clothes anymore. Any ideas?!

Is your washing machine clean, including the drawer and filter? Do you have a dehumidifier. I use it all year round as its still humid even when it's warm outside. I wouldn't be without mine.

Try doing a few washes at 60 and see what happens.

I’d put your washer on a hot wash with a bottle of white vinegar in the drum, and wash out the soap drawer. Always keep the soap drawer and door open when not in use.

Put your washing machine on the 90 degrees wash with soda crystals in monthly to clean the machine.
I personally prefer soap powder(surf) as liquid or pods make my machine stink.
Lastly get decent fabric softener and don't leave clothes wet in machine they need hanging up straight away

Either your washing machine is dirty, you are overloading the washing machine, or your place is damp and the water is getting stagnant before they are try.

Check and clean the machine, make sure there is a vertical hand space at the top of the machine.. if that doesn’t work get a de-humidifier to use while the clothes are drying.

I second putting white vinegar in on a hot wash. (I pour it on the drawer). You could also use a commercial machine cleaner. Make sure your drawer is clean too.

You need to dry the clothes quicker. Dehumidifier is a good call.

I chuck my towels through on a 90 once a month with a big glug of white vinegar. I also alternate bio and non bio detergent. Even drying inside my stuff always smells good! (And I don't use softener !)

The sour smell is bacteria. In my experience, once your clothes get that smell the only thing that removes it is either a 60C wash, or if the clothes aren't suitable for that then a couple of capfuls of dettol laundry liquid.

If your clothes are wet/damp for a long time then this is a nice environment for bacteria to grow. Your best bet would be a dehumidifier. Shut the window and door to the room while it's on.

Recently had the same issue and filter/drawer were ok. Turned out the pipework (where the hose drains into) was backed up with hair/grey soapscum gunk. Clearing that solved the leak and the slight funky smell from supposedly clean washing.

Your machine needs a deep clean. Do you use softener? It's really bad for washing machines and causes build-up.

Thank you all! I hang clothes up straight away and have tried using bicarbonate in a 60 wash to clean the machine. I’ll get a dehumidifier and check the machine’s filter. I washed some towels last night and tumble dried them and they smell fine - it seems to just be the stuff hanging up to dry (particularly the waistband in trousers - so sour smelling!)

Yeah, you are not drying them for long enough then. The waistband will be denser and take longer to dry than the rest. You are putting them away damp, which will mean that they will stink after a few hours.

They are sour at the waistband while still hanging to dry.

Its about how you dry them. I dont think Ive washed a washing machine in my life, Ive only read about it on here

You need to dry things more quickly because if they sit around drying and damp for a while they tend to get a smell, then make sure you dont put them away with any damp bits

Use a dehumidifier in a room where you can close windows if you need to dry them indoors, but try to dry outdoors as much as you can

Does it happen when you dry outside? There is a heatwave next week (here in East Anglia anyway) so you will get a chance to dry outdoors.

if you have cleaned filters, put on a 90 wash, and left the door open between washes, then maybe try using washing powder if you use gel and something like dettol laundry detergent or halo, that will get rid of stink.

I wash stuff with a capful of Zoflora in the softener section if it's smelly (like my running kit or stuff that's got a bit whiffy) and that seems to get rid of smells. But then I dry everything outside come rain or shine (sometimes it's out for a fair while) because I've got the world's tiniest house and nowhere to hang wet washing.

A dehumidifier helps a lot
I have a Honeywell and was really surprised how much water it pulls out at first
Mine will dry a load, including jean's overnight
Obviously hang things with a waistband at the bottom.
It could be residue sticking to the pipes too so I'd clear that and hot wash with machine cleaner monthly

Don’t put the bottle in though! Put the contents of the bottle in, and put the bottle in the relevant bin.

Can you fry clothes outside?

Use a hotter wash, that should be all that's needed. I'm nearly 60 years old, wash my clothes at 40 or 60 degrees with old school powder and never ever had a problem with smelly washing. My daughter was washing everything at 30 with liquid and her stuff started to really honk. Easily solved her laundry problem by changing to doing things my way!

I know it's hot but it's not that hot.

They're drying too slowly inside or you're putting them away slightly damp. Thick things like jumpers and trousers waistbands take ages to dry- I have the same problem when trying to dry things inside. You can't cram too much on an airer and thick things need hanging over more than one bar, if they hang double they won't dry properly. I can't be arsed with it and if the weathers shit and I can't dry outside I tumble dry everything