Smelly washing won't un-smell, what else to try?

[linspins]

I put a load of dark washing on a month or so ago, and must have left it sitting in the washing machine for a day once washed, which made it go a bit smelly. I re washed it at the time. But certain items, the bigger thicker ones like jeans, STILL smell now, every time I wash them. It's a musty moldy sweaty smell. I can still smell it on the dried items. It's driving me nuts. I've re washed on as hot as I dare but this is only at 40.
What's going on, and what will get rid of the smell? Yuk!! Help!

Have you tried drying them outside? That might help. Or, in true MN style, adding a capful of Zoflora to the wash?

You could try using something like the Dettol laundry cleanser in a normal wash. I find that it helps get rid of any lingering smells.

What detergent do you use?

I was going to say zoflora in the fabric conditioner section

You need to use vinegar or borax

I was going to say Zoflora too.

I use Persil liquid, usually the coloured clothes version on darks. The clothes have been dried outside a few times, still smelly.
Wouldn't zoflora just mask the smell rather than getting to the root cause? I'm not entirely sure if the science of smelly clothes...do they still have bad bacteria in them which is causing the smell? Maybe the detail stuff would help.

You need to wash it with biological powder. And it's cotton wash at 60.

With vinegar, how much do I add to the wash? In the drum, drawer or as conditioner?

Sorry, if it's cotton wash at 60!

Yes it is the bacteria causing the smell.

Zoflora is a disinfectant so should kill bacteria too. And try powder too

White vinegar. Either add a capful to the wash or soak the clothes in a dilute solution. It kills the mould spores causing the smell. Washing alone and disinfectant won't.

Ace (it's in a green bottle) and a hot wash works for me

Put a glug of vinegar (the cheapest you can get) in the soap dispenser and then pause the wash cycle when everything is fully saturated with the water but before the rinse. Leave it sitting in the machine for an hour or so and then restart the machine cycle. Once that cycle has finished, rewash with Persil. That should get rid of the smell.

Why is 40 "as hot as you dare"?

90, or as hot as the hottest wash available is as hot as I would dare!

Fwiw, I wash everything at 60 - tights, jeans, flimsy summer tops, dresses, towels, bedding - only excepting some wools like lambs wool - I chuck in my dh's merino wool jumpers at 60 though, they come out good as new.

You need to kill the spores. Jeans should definitely survive a 60 wash. Chucknsome if that dettol in.

Oh and silly question but you are using biological washing powder, I take it?

Use biological washing powder not liquid. I find powder works better in general. Bold is good, as is Ariel.

First you soak in a strong solution of vinegar and bicarb.

Then wash at 30 or 40 with biological washing powder (not 60, as the enzymes don't work a high temperatues). Fill the fabric conditioner drawer to the top with vinegar. There will be a vinegar scent, but it evaporates when the clothes dries (preferably outside).

Some of the smelly stuff was husbands running shorts and I wasn't sure the Lycra in them could take a 60 degree wash. But they will be fine with vinegar soak.
Thanks all for the advice, off to get supplies to banish the smell!
Think I'll put the machine on for a maintenance wash too. 😁

Laundry liquid is useless stuff. You need a good bio powder and then dry outdoors in the sun.

I'd hang them outside for a few days then rewash. Tea tree oil in the rinse compartment helps to get the musty smell out as well.

I wouldn't do anything Lycra at 60.

Bicarbonate of soda also good. Sprinkle and leave for a couple of hours then shake/brush/hoover off and then wash.

You need a powder. It's good for you machine to switch to powder once a month or so anyway. Biological powder.

I also use the dettol stuff as well for sweaty stuff.

I'm extremely pleasantly surprised by Daz powder. It doesn't appear to be fading stuff, either. It does a much better job than Ariel gel at getting the boys' greasy food stains out of their clothes.

Reading a few other threads too, it seems powder is recommended by mumsnetters overall, better for clothes and machines. I'd never considered it before, don't know why!
Picachew, thanks for the Daz recommendation, one of my other washing problems is grease marks on grey school shirts.