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.

It all costs to dry
I have a dehumidifier and heated airier but it's all money
Even in summer I struggle to dry stuff inside

The OP isn’t criticising, just noticing.

It’s especially easy for heavy things like jeans to smell if they dry too slowly.

A heated airer is the answer if you want one, I guess.

Uk homes are so badly designed. It's like laundry is a dirty secret and houses are designed and built without any thought as to how we will do it. I don't have a tumble dryer or an airing cupboard. I dry outside and indoors on a heated airer.

I think so too. I had a viscose top that just seemed to hold on to body odour. I won’t buy viscose anymore.

There are lots of factors.

People not using hot enough water to wash their clothes.
The time of year.
Fewer airing cupboards.

I don't think my clothes will smell. I wash nearly everything at 40C.
I WFH so can take advantage of good drying weather and (importantly) whip off the line when needed.
I have an airing cupboard.

slightly off main topic, but I think people are using far more scented type detergent and I’m really shocked when I go to peoples houses and their whole house smells of the chemicals.

I often go to a couple of peoples houses and come bank and my clothes smell of their detergent from sitting on their sofa.

also when school friend of my son comes over to play, the room they are sitting in will have a really strong smell of the detergent. Not a nasty smell but really over powering.

I got a dehumidifier at start of lockdown. Expensive but worth every penny. Dries stuff not bother and costs pennies per minute.

Agree with PPs and would add that washing liquid and pods also don’t wash clothes properly.

I’ve gone back to powder for this reason.

DH doesn’t do his washing properly. He leaves it to fester in the basket. Then loads too many heavy items in. Then had no idea how much / what detergent to use. Usually has to ask me what setting on the machine. Then hangs it all haphazardly, with socks bunched, sleeves tucked in, jeans overlapping etc… I don’t bother intervening anymore.

Mine & DS clothes are fine. So are the sheets / towels. Everything is on a drying rack indoors, with the windows / doors open.

It’s interesting you mention this. Literally this morning I was next to a guy on the tube and thought ‘oh god, why does he smell like my ex from when I was 21?’ And then I remembered that ex had no tumble drier and lived in a freezing basement flat so his clothes always smelt damp. It made me oddly reminiscent for a bit 😂

MachineBee, I’ve gone back to powder as well.

I think it's the washing as much as the drying. I've got a new machine, it's bloody awful, I used to be able to put a wash on overnight and take it out in the morning, but now it stinks. The machine and seal are clean, the soap drawer isn't mouldy, I leave the door open to air. It seems to use so much little rinse water and there is no pre wash. The filter frequently gets bunged up with fluff or hair. I'm really sick of it, my previous washer was fab (and the same make).
And now stuff doesn't always smell clean, it gets even worse if it can't be dried instantly.

I think it's a mix of things:

Lots of man-made fabrics need Bio-detergent to get the sweat smell out, I had to use disinfection on DD's school shirts in addition to it once a month.

I wash at 30 degrees, I come from Germany and never heard of using 40 degrees and in my opinion 30 is perfectly useable. A cold wash though doesn't work for everything and not every detergent is designed for it.

I can only dry outside when I wfh and can keep an eye on the weather. Even in winter I dry outside for a couple of hours but it needs additional hours indoors. So I need to schedule washing accordingly.

Houses aren't set up for laundry. Lots don't have utility rooms, no space in the loft for a clothes horse and no space the rooms either.

If a house is not aired properly and always cold the dampness will also stick to dried clothes.

Is it the drying? I know my own washing can be like this when left in the machine too long before drying. It does eventually get dried properly but it's too late to avoid the smell.

@User63847439572 it’s probably recycled polyester!

I think temp might be one of the problems with the new washer. I've always used 40C for clothes, but the new washer adds about 20mins to a 40 cycle, so I have to use 30C, it's really annoying especially as 60C is shorter time too, but too hot. It's as if they are forcing everyone to use 30C and now stuff stinks.

MorvernBlack, our washing machine is a hunk of crap too. Anything good, I take over to my mum’s or get it done in the laundromat. It basically eats the clothes. New jeans look like they’re seriously vintage after just one wash. I hate the bloody thing! Hard water really doesn’t help, either.

Mine all goes out on the line to dry still as does most people I know. We're lucky not to have had any rain for a while

I think the blunt truth here is that a rising cost of living is affecting how people are doing their washing. It’s not always possible to dry clothes outside - many people live in flats with no outside space to put the clothing, others who do have an outside space might struggle during the wet weather. Others simply cannot afford to have their heating on.

It doesn’t help that people over do it on detergent, this has been popularised by the likes of sh*t-tok videos where people fill their washers with detergent quoting “the best results” but failing to understand how detergent actually works.

Recently there’s been a huge rise in electric heated clothes airers - they only cost a few hundred quid each - the one I brought from Lakeland only cost me £225 ! They work a dream and are a fraction of the price of a tumble dryer but dry your clothes in mere hours. I think manufacturers should start reducing the prices of these electric heated airers so more people have access to them as they would do wonders for people in small enclosed spaces.

TheBluntTruth

Interesting, we do have a tumble dryer but I very rarely use it from a cost/eco point of view. I hang clothes outside as much as I possibly can but otherwise dry indoors. Recently both DD and I have noticed a damp/unpleasant smell on hoodies that have taken a while to dry. (Both have designs on which make them unsuitable to put in the tumble dryer anyway so unsure what the answer is) They were washed at 40°.

Is it the drying or people who think they can put their clothing on a quick 20 minute wash, including a 5 minute spin, and expect their clothing to be clean?

Homes are not designed with laundry in mind
so many people have no choice but to leave clothes dry for days on airers resulting in them smelling damp. It's worse at this time of year when it's colder but not quite cold enough for heating.

When renting we’ve had it in our contracts that we cannot use radiators to dry clothing on. It’s particularly tricky to dry in this weather as others have said

I bought a packet of Bond Lavender & Chamomile washing powder and it smelt exactly like damp washing that had been put away in the drawer. I had to get rid of it and re wash everything. It was foul.
Maybe everybody’s using it.

Came on to say exactly the same!