Why do my cloths smell?

[WAC1]

What is the best material for cleaning cloths? Mainly used for wiping surfaces.

I wash mine on a hot wash with detergent and I did they still often smell musty and unpleasant. I have a variety of cotton and microfibre
Thanks!

Have they been mouldy in the past? Unfortunately, if they have, it'll be hard to get rid of the smell and the best thing to do will be to replace them.

How do you dry them? If you live where there's a lot of moisture in the air, maybe they're not drying properly and developing mould (which might not even be visible but may manifest as a musty smell) when they're in the cupboard?

Another thing to consider is that certain fabric can smell weird no matter what.

I have a dehumidifier and use it to dry all of my laundry as well as keep the moisture content of the air down. I wonder if you'd want to consider getting one.

Try giving them a good soak in bleach, and rerunning them through a hot wash again and fully drying.