To ask how to stop my jeans smelling?

[Ilovenyfan]

HELP! It doesn’t matter how often I wash my jeans, they all dry with a horrible smell.

No other clothes, bedding, towels do, they all smell strongly of detergent. It’s just my jeans. Washed a pair for the second time this week yesterday, this morning I’ve gone in and smelt them on the airer and they smell so bad of foisty/ mustiness. It’s driving me insane as I can’t really wear any of them atm due to this smell.

Anyone had anything similar? How do I stop them from smelling?

I think lots of people would question why someone with space for a washing line/rotary wouldn't want one, not just on MN!

I found many years ago tuble driers shrink jeans even on low

Not used one for years

I think they just aren’t able to dry fast enough on the airer. Jeans take the longest to dry cuz they’re so thick so it must be that. Have you got a heated airer? Ours is heated and I think that helps with mustiness.

Why do you hate washing lines?! They're the best and cheapest way to dry clothes.

Clothes dried inside to do smell musty as they're sat wet for a long time.

You can't tumble dry silks, woollens, cashmere etc. plus lots of sportswear, treated fabrics, anything that needs to flat dry etc.

Washing lines and pegging out washing is one of life's absolute little pleasures.

Is it a sulphurous smell? It can be the dye in the jeans and take a long time to fade no matter how you wash and dry them. I've found this particularly with black jeans and Levi jeans.

I agree apart from when there are gale force winds and you get slapped on the face with wet clothes when pegging them out (the winds do dry them better though).

😆

I can’t stand having washing hanging inside especially if it’s dry outside a washing line is definitely preferable to clothes airers inside or stuff on radiators inside tbh.

I find black jeans smell at times but rest of mine don’t so maybe it’s your washing liquid or they aren’t drying quickly enough? Not nice though can’t stand that damp/foosty smell of things that haven’t dried properly

Because it's a PITA.

I have a washer-dryer. Stuff goes in, I press a few buttons and a couple of hours later I have a load of fresh, clean dry laundry.

If I use the line, it means faffing around with pegs, hoping the weather is decent, having to rush it all back in when it inevitably rains (I live in Cumbria) and then end up using the dryer anyway.

Become obsessive about weather forecasts... If its a dry day, out it goes. Running a drier is so expensive.

Tumble dryers will shrink jeans though. It’s the thickness of jeans that causes the problem. They are really absorbent so take ages to dry.

I actually think it's a bargain considering how convenient it is, and how much time it saves over the course of a year.

We don't have a dishwasher and no children so tbh I'm not going to feel bad for running a dryer 2-3 times a week.

Grab every possible moment of breezy sunny daylight you can before the weather turns!

Then have you considered a heated clothes airer?

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/clothes-airers/article/best-heated-clothes-airers-a9kG61C6xNs1

I don't think anyone is suggesting feeling bad if you use a tumble dryer when it's actually necessary to do so. It is better for clothes and for the environment to dry then on a washing line though, so there's more than just the cost of running the dryer to consider. I was about to stick washing in the dryer this morning then when I opened the door to stick the hose out I realised that it was actually a good drying day (dull but actually a good breeze).

I mean, I do it even when it's not necessary - because it's quick and convenient and saves me time.

Is this thread a stealth boast of all who can afford to run a drier? Nowt as nice as fresh line dried stuff....

I actually don't find the drier very expensive.

There was no noticeable difference in the bills after we got one, anyway.

Washing line in the sun. That's what gardens are for. I use my tumble dryer a couple of times a year.

Guessing it’s only me that thinks you can’t use tumble dryers for jeans?

I just wash them on a hot day and stick outside on an airing rack. I’m in a hot country though, so have also found by experience the need to dry them in shade in summer or they fade to buggery.

BTW make sure you're not using fabric conditioner on the jeans, @Ilovenyfan . It builds up in the fabric and the machine and then bacteria grows on it. Also try adding white vinegar to cut through anything on the fabric already.

I use disinfectant in my wash to stop the musty smell. I can smell the difference if it isn't used, particularly on towels.

Another I swear by is pointing a fan on high at the clothes airer. I don't have a drier as normally line dry outside, however when it's raining all weekend you need to get it dry. So fans it is. Works by evaporation from the breeze. I combine ceiling fan with the pedestal fan and clothes will be dry by the next morning, even big, heavy towels. If something is heavy, turn it over halfway through to get circulation on the other side.

Just get a washing line, so much better for the environment and washing would all smell much fresher.

Jeans are the one thing I would never tumble dry as they shrink.
DD came home from uni with all her clothes smelling like this as they were hung up in a damp flat with no air circulation. It's taken several washes & hanging things out for her to get rid of the smell. Even now if she's damp her dressing gown smells.

I'd love a washing line but i have a communal garden, I put my clothes on the airer outside though. The towels are out there now, my gym kit will go out later and I'll bring it all in to finish off overnight.

My jeans were taking ages to dry indoors yesterday so I plugged in an oil filled radiator to finish them off.