Stale smell in washing not coming out

[GodisaDJ]

I've pulled my summer clothes down from the loft (well they've been in the hatch up to the loft) but they've been in one of those vacumn bags not sealed for 2 years (was pregnant last summer so didn't wear them).

Have just washed some of them, with other clothes on a 60'c wash (I know, not very Eco friendly) and the stale smell is still there and it's transferred on to the other clothes too.

We go on holiday on Saturday and I'm thinking fabreeze at this rate or binning them!

Any ideas to get rid of smell?

i would wash again at 60 with BIO powder, and some fabric softener and then dry outside on the line

Cheers, will try with bio today. I've noticed the difference since I started using non-bio when dd arrived last year.

I find a few hours soaking in Napisan before a normal 40 wash does the trick.

You could run a cup of white vinegar through the wash with them. It deodorises cheaply.

Where do you put the vinegar? In a ball in the drum or in the drawer? I'd like to try this

In the fabric softener drawer if there is one, and it will be dispensed in the final rinse; if not, in the detergent drawer, and a nice hot wash if the clothes will take it.

• Only use distilled white vinegar. No cider vinegar

Thanks

Halo sports wash is really effective - saw the tip on another thread not long ago. It's antifungal and antibacterial and leaves a nice smell. You can buy it in bigger supermarkets (Tesco stocks it).

Had this recently with DS' Uni clothes. Wash on as hot a cycle as the clothes will allo, bung in good scoop of soda crystals along with your regular laundry products, extra rinse and dry outside if poss.