Smelly towels after washing. What can I do??

[jellyjelly]

I wash my towels on 30 with washing powder. I dont often wash with fabric softener.

They smell what can i do to get rid of the smell. I only use them once then wash them.

They are not that old either so I dont want to get rid of them.

Have also done a hot wash for the machine but that hasnt helped wither

do you have a washing ine...if so, hang them out......fab fresh smell

otherwise, conditioner is the key

What about a pre-rinse (put on cold cycle wash) with some vinegar in instead of soap powder. And I agree, they would dry best on a windy line - get aired that way too. Good luck (this works for my nappies - which clearly would stink if they were not getting a good clean)

I have to hang them inside but i do it upstiars so they dont smell of food.

They actually smell of sweat

I wuld wash them hotter and leave them to dry for longer. Then maybe hang them on a radiator to be sure. Don't put them away if even a tiny bit damp.

I would try them at least once on a hotter wash.

Then try hanging them over the windowsill or something, anything to get them at least partly outside.

Ooooh, if they smell of sweat, try pre-soaking them in a soda crystals, or bicarb - overnight. That is good for shifting sweat.

Do you use bio soap powder, eventually that is all that will shift stubborn sweat - the non bio just doesn't 'eat' it the same. You could buy a supermarket's own small box and wash them on that, then if you really want to avoid bio, wash them immediately with non-bio...

what a go. 60C wash?

That should have been i will give it a go.

Cripes, do others wash their towels after each use??! I just lay ours flat on radiators, (even if not on), along bath or even sometimes hang on the door .. but as long as their flat, they seem to dry ok and not smelly.

And then they get used again (family only!) for a couple of times!

Am I disgusting?

If you have to hang indoors make sure that they are drying quickly enough. heavy cotton clothing and towels etc can get a faint rancid whiff if they hang around slightly damp for too long... Could this be your problem?
Do you have a nice big radiator that a bath towel will stretch over without being folded or crinkled?

you could put soda crystals in the wash....

I wash my shower towel about once a week - am I yuk?
Hand towels used by all get changed every day or two...

I only wash my towels once a week, hand towels tend to be a bit more though as DH works outside alot and obviously doesn't wash his hands properly as he makes the hand towel visibly dirty!!

Yeah, try 60C wash for this first one. If you can get the sweat shifted, then you should be able to get back to normal, with this as a maintenance occasionally. Hope it works

I too have the same problem. Towels about 2 years old. Always washed in bio powder. Tried washing at 90 degrees but still smell of sweat as soon as they get wet again... should i try the vinegar next?

i read that sprinkling bicarb in the wash before the final rinse is good for odours, i do this with doggy stuff and so far they have all come out smelling clean. i dont use fabric conditioner either. i use white vinegar instead, and i also use eco balls so its not even that there is that powdery smell covering odours.

agree with wabbit, sounds like they're hanging about wet for too long. They shouldn't smell of sweat at all if they're used after showering.

Another reason for washing not smelling fresh is a smelly machine, I had this problem once when using liquid instead of powder.

If you wash at 90 degrees biological powder won't work - kills all the enzymes.

I think.

Napisan and a hot wash usually does the trick.

Have tried the vinegar on a cold prewash. Will report back once they are dry!

do you keep your washing machine door shut when not in use? it can get quite musty, and 'infect' the next wash. try leaving it open slightly

Try a 60 degree wash, a vinegar rinse, and a tumble or hanging out on a dry, windy sunny day (yeah, right).

30° is not hot enough for towels, ever.

Wash them at 60° with Ariel and Vanish (no fabric softener).