AIBU? To think that a lot of people aren't drying their washing properly these days?

[Oobiedoobiedo]

I notice a lot when I'm out and about people who haven't dried their washing properly *, and so it has that sour musty smell washing gets when it's wet too long or isn't getting enough air. To me it's a really "loud" smell, and I just wonder if people don't notice it? Or maybe don't care?

*disclaimer: I'm not critiquing people whose circumstances mean they can't dry them any other way, I have been there myself, but the people who could dry it correctly but don't.

It just puzzles me.

Is it "old people smell"? After reading another thread I've just gone down a "nonenal smell" rabbit hole.

I notice a smell in charity shop clothes. I'm sure the clothes have been washed but I think there comes a point where you can't get it out without destroying the item.

I know the smell you mean and think sadly it is people not being able to afford proper detergents or elec. to dry their clothes.

In terms of drying clothes
we got a heated airer and it's great for when its too warm for heating but not good enough for putting washing outside.

We also have a tumble drier that I use mainly for school shirts, bedding, pants and socks and finishing off towels make them fluffy again.

I wouldn't risk tumble drying lots of things as they shrink.

We have a cupboard that we store towels in but it's not a proper airing cupboard as it doesn't have a hot water tank in it.

The heated airer is very cheap to run.

It’s the smell of damp washing. Mine, even if I tumble dry or hang outside, if it’s been left to sit in the washing machine it then stinks. I can smell it on other people and it’s horrid. For some reason, light clothes and towels can survive a few hours waiting in the washing machine, but dark clothes if I don’t dry immediately then they smell damp. Best thing we did before a tumble dryer was get a dehumidifier and close off a room with an airer in so things dried quickly.

I've noticed the sane thing. It's always the dark loads.

Everyone needs a Lakeland Heated Airer, preferably with a dehumidifier. Obviously, if they can afford it.

SeenYourArse
It's definitely a possibility, I went into the guy who sold me it (declaring he had one himself) and he admitted he sometimes puts it on for another half hour because nothing's fully dry and he wasn't fully sure how to work it. (I had to leave before I ran at him screaming lol). My mil has a different brand and she says it's brilliant, but actually dh was saying their stuff definitely isn't dry dry either so I might just be jumping to conclusions (that all condensers =evil)😅

So glad it’s not just me! It’s so strange how I can predict which loads and which have to be done to be timed when we’re in to swap machines!

We have a cupboard that we store towels in but it's not a proper airing cupboard as it doesn't have a hot water tank in it.
We have the tank but it's so insulated nothing dries at all in there (plus it's quite small so I think there's more chance of making the sheets that are in there damp then driying what's wet ...

I've noticed in the last year or so that some people smell more in general and often have greasy hair that I can smell as they walk past.

We have a Sheila Maid above the wood burner in one room, which is invaluable in winter for all of DH's heavy outdoor clothes, otherwise I don't think we'd ever get them dry.
I line dry whenever possible and finish drying and airing with a combination of the Sheila and washing lines up in the boiler room, which has a bit of warmth.

I agree that airing in the hallway with the increased air movement also has benefits, so I often hang my clothes on hangers in a bedroom doorway to air and sometimes even drape bedding over the bannisters on the landing, when I have gone mad with lots of laundry
I sometimes put underwear and tea towels on radiators, but nothing else.

We actually have a massive dehumidifier, bought for a really damp holiday cottage, which has been sitting in a shed somewhere.
This thread has inspired me to try using it this winter, particularly as we will be economising on heating.

"There isn't really any way around it"

We don't have a tumble dryer, so we do have to ensure ventilation during the day, so windows open to create airflow around clothes drying on airers, pulleys etc. We then close the windows at night and run dehumidifiers overnight. We have ones with laundry settings, which work really well.

We bought the dehumidifiers as, in Autumn and Winter in west central Scotland, it's often so relentlessly damp that our washing was taking so long to dry that it was getting that musty smell. Since running them it's been fine. I know the smell pp speak of, and I know our laundry definitely doesn't have it now.

Oh yes, that is funny :) If you leave it outside it usually gets reasonably dry though.

Maybe but I wouldn’t have time or space to rehang everything on a clothes horse after it was dry on the line, especially as it has been nicely aired by the actual outdoor air.

I hate these artificial smells too. Sometimes I have to move seats on a train because of the smell. The same as you, headaches, and my breathing feels like its want to stop. I think its my body being very articulate about how unhealthy all these chemicals are.

I used to live in a place so damp that mould grew on my sofa. we didn’t drive so couldn’t get to a laundrette, and that was our only option for washing and drying our clothes. We couldn’t afford to move and yes I hated it and still hate the smell but we realistically didn’t have another choice

I didnt know that airing clean clothes were a thing? We hang ours mostly outside and fold them straight away into a laundry basket for ironing or put them away.
Perhaps what people dont do as much is airing clothes that have already been worn, ie on the back of a chair, because their throw it into washing after one use.

@Shadyboots23 apparently the Next door neighborhood app started a campaign a while ago for the 'Right to dry'. It's criminal that hundreds of thousands of people aren't allowed to dry outside.

There must be a government environmental / housing minister that can kick a few backsides on this issue. It's a health issue too for people in damp flats.

It's bonkers especially for the environment
I have a neighbour who reports me (although I don't think he will be here much longer) so when he goes I'll be drying outside
I haven't seen anyone from the management company in 16 years so I'm fairly safe!

I still have my toasty airing cupboard.
I store bed linen and towels in there which feel great when I take them out.

I can afford it but don't have the space. Modern houses and flats rarely have the space for items like this.

I love my airing cupboard - it's putting me off replacing my terrible boiler.

I don't have a large house and I can get tonnes of stuff in the airing cupboard.

Loo rolls and bags of stuff on a high shelf, bedding and towels on the lower ones.
Then there's room for folded laundry which is either off the line or the airer, space to hang damp jumpers and jeans and hastily washed school uniform, my soggy swim goggles, hat and wash bag live there, towels which have been used just once or twice, my hair turban.

I find that if you use powder detergent and a warm or hot wash, the laundry is very forgiving about being damp for a while before it dries. Liquid detergent is more likely to get a damp smell. I don't use fabric conditioner or heavily scented detergent due to my son's exzema, so there's nothing to mask any odours on our clothes.

I am shocked to read that some landlords/companies are forbidding drying laundry outside. I mean, why would you even think about that? And how come they are allowed to do that? Beyond my comprehension.