Smelly laundry

[Cheryl3007]

I wonder if anyone can shed any light on the fact that recently, we have noticed that our laundry is starting to smell 'sour' when we take it out of the tumble dryer, if we dry our hands on the towel a couple of times or even if we rinse a cup and leave it sitting wet for a little while?

We have not changed our practice at all, we are using the same detergents etc and did initially think it was a fairly new heat pump tumble drier (the old one was either 'hot or off' but we never had this issue), but then that wouldn't account for the cups - or anything which is left even a little damp, smelling?

We have gone through the obvious things - new towels as this is where it started - rewashing - washing at higher temperatures - adding clothes disinfectant - Calgon tablets in the washing machine - using kitchen towel instead of tea towel?

I think it must be quite a common thing as I have noticed, whenever we are in a public place I can smell it?

I believe, although I have no proof, that it is something that is in the water as opposed to one of the products or white goods I am using and I would appreciate any input other have and how they have tackled it?

These might be obvious but you haven't mentioned them, so just in case...

Have you recently done a mainenance wash on your machine. Run completely empty on as hot a wash as it does?

Are you taking the washing out as soon as the cycle has finished? Washing does smell if it sits in the washing machine for too long before being dried.

It sounds like you have tried a lot of things.

I would also try putting your washing machine on a hot wash empty with either washing machine cleaner or white vinegar. (After you have cleaned the filter and the door seals)

Try using full washes e.g. eco not quick wash and of course get the stuff straight out of the machine.

The quick wash/cool wash freshens stuff up in the short term but it doesn't clean the same amount of dirt and bacteria away as a hotter full wash so if the clothes are then wet and warm e.g. in the machine, hanging up in the house or in a warm (not hot) tumble they will start to smell more quickly.

Laundry disinfectant is a good shout. I have been able to successfully clean clothes that stank to high heaven after being wet in a bag for several days at scout camp or forgotten wet in the car, so I would say a good full wash with laundry cleanser (and detergent) should rescue your stuff. Don't overfill the machine.

Have you checked whether the seals around the door of your machine are clean or gunked up?

Even if you generally choose quick washes at low temperatures I would do a hot wash at least once a week to keep bacteria in the machine at bay. I would also sometimes wash warmer and for a full wash time rather than always cooler quick wash.

Good luck

Just another thought I remember once the laundry detergent drawer was making our hands smell every time we pulled it out to fill it. It took me a while to realise what it was that was causing the smell. So also try cleaning the drawer and touch points of opening the washer/dishwasher door as if the handle is smelly and then you touch cups that could explain why cups are smelling.

My washing machine was doing the same so I put it on a maintenance wash and cleared out the filter. Since the filter was emptied, it's a lot better

What detergent are you using?
If liquid, swap to powder for a few washes - proper loose powder like Daz. Stop any fabric conditioner.
Can you feel if the inside of your drum is clean or slimy?

When you say you can smell it in a public place - do you mean on you? Or generally on other people/in the air too?

maybe I’m clutching at straws - but could your sense of smell have been skews by a cold/infection? You seem to have done everything you can regarding your machines/laundry regime. So I’m wondering if it’s some other factor at play.

Can anyone else smell it? I cleaned every inch of our kitchen, bleach down plug holes, stripped the fridge trying to find a smell, turned out I was pregnant!

I have noticed a few people smelt bad out and about recently, more than usual. I think people are struggling to afford to keep themselves and their clothes as clean as usual.

Have you left clean wet laundry in the washing machine for a long time after the cycle has finished? It's a breeding ground for mould.
Rewash the laundry with white vinegar in the drawer and hang outside to dry as soon as its finished.
Someone suggested using a plant based fabric conditioner rather than the other types like comfort or lenor as they have ingredients that "feed" the mould . Not sure if it's true though.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond.

I have already tried all of the above - except the vinegar.

I am not the only one to smell it - my husband is actually worse than me.

We take the washing out immediately it is finished (there is an alarm to let us know) and it is put into the tumble dryer - unfortunately we are not able to hang it out and wouldn't want to as we live on the sea front and the birds ensure we have to wash things 3 or 4 times so just don't do it anymore.

I have actually worked in infection prevention control and contamination control for many years and am fastidious about keeping hands and surfaces clean so don't think it is that.

I'll try the vinegar on a boil-wash and see how I get on and let you know.😀

I grew up in the 60's when NO ONE had central heating and most homes were heated via a coal fire - the houses were so cold you actually had to wear more clothes for bed than you did outside and the washing took days to dry however, neither I nor anyone I know from that era can remember anyone's clothes smelling so bad - we are starting to believe it is something to do with the water as opposed to equipment or additives.
With regard to people struggling to maintain hygiene standards, there will always be one or two who just don't care or cant afford it but generally, I think hygiene standards are much higher than when I was younger. I truly believe it is something to do with the water - any other thoughts on this?

Also worth checking that the door of your machine is warm on a hot wash and the heating function isn't broken

Bacteria thrive in warm and wet conditions. So perhaps if the house was cold the washing might smell less even if ot took days to dry. Like cheese/meat that is fine in the fridge for days or a week but spoils quickly if left out in warm conditions.

I think you can get washing lines that are covered. Designed for rain but would also reduce bird poo. Might be worth a try. Seems a shame to not dry outside in the summer we have had.

If there was some remnant piece of food attached to some clothing it might have got caught in your dryer filter and be recirculating all around the dryer, since the heat pump ones recycle the hot air. We had this with a piece of pepper and I couldn't be sure if the smell was just the dryer, but it went away after a while. Check if there's a bit of the condenser that you have to clean, not just the lint filter next to the drum.

But a "sour" smell in general I find is caused by things that get bacteria on them during normal use - tea towels, bedding if not changed for a long time, clothes that have been weed on (potty training) left sitting before washing, these offending items then often need a hot wash, sometimes two hot washes, to "strip" them (like the process you do for cloth nappies that start to smell) otherwise they will transfer their smell to other washed items.

If you use laundry pods, they leave a lot of residue in the machine so you need to do maintenance washes more often. The best thing for the machine is plain powder, and white vinegar instead of fabric softener.

I had an issue whereby bedding was smelling like it wasn't washed. I think it was because washing at lower temps didn't dissolve the body oils or something similar.

The advice was to use laundry ammonia in the wash. I did this and it solved the problem. It's not suitable for wool, silk etc but works a treat on sheets, towels etc.

Could drape and peg an old king size bed sheet over the top? Would allow fresh air through whilst stopping the bird poo.

I'm guessing having worked in IPC you don't wash at low temperatures which might be good for the environment, but are less effective at killing bacteria.

That said the smell is often mildew. We had a particular issue with the drawer in one of our machines, so I'm now fastidious about leaving it open to air post wash along with the door. I also don't use fabric softener and add detergent to the drum and not the drawer. Finally, I do a hot wash once a fortnight.

Maybe the sour smell is because the washing has not dried properly

I think you've done everything I could have thought to suggest! Just wanted to post to say this would drive me INSANE! I can't stand a mystery when it comes to cleaning / smells.

Please update when you figure it out OP, the OCD-esque feelings I have about cleaning will mean thinking about this will make me itch until we have an answer 😂

My mother always swore by washing soda in the drawer to freshen up the machine.

if I don't clear the fluff out of the dryer filter regularly it starts to smell as you describe, musty and sour.
I find the smell of some washing powder and liquid too cloying and scenty these days too.
If anyone can recommend one that smells fresh in the way they used to before everything had to smell like perfume I'd be grateful

So.. interestingly this has happened to us too, and I think it coincides with us getting a heat pump drier. My theory is that the heat pump drier keeps it warm for a longer time than a normal drier. I've set it now to go "extra dry" rather than "cupboard dry" and that seems to be helping. I'm also very careful to make sure the loads are similar fabrics, because otherwise things don't seem to dry properly.

We did clean the washing machine with soda crystals - that was interesting and worth doing too!

You say you think it's the water - does the water smell odd straight out the tap? Or if it's been sat for a while in a glass? Does it taste strange?

Ooh, or what if you wet a piece of clean kitchen roll or toilet paper and then leave it to dry, and see if that smells?

Now that's a smart idea!