6 Fantastic Ways To Get Smell Out Of Cloth And Towels

Ms. Alpha

 23 April 2024

 5 mins to read

The fresh smell of clean laundry is wonderful. Whether it's freshly laundered towels and the sweet, clean smell of washing or just the crisp, metallic smell of clothes and pants, it's truly special!

But what happens when you get an unpleasant odor on your clothes or towels? This lingering, unpleasant odor can make you feel uncomfortable. Fortunately, we can quickly eliminate this nasty smell with simple methods.

Why do my clothes develop odors?

Many factors can contribute to unpleasant clothing odors, but the most common culprits are bacteria and mold. Bacteria, living organisms, thrive in damp conditions and feed on skin cells and hair on your clothes. They chew on the fabric when they grab clothes or towels and shred it to pieces!

Mosquitoes are another villain that can thrive in various environments, especially in damp conditions like bugs. This caterpillar-like creature uses enzymes to break down your clothes into tiny fibers that absorb as food!

Both things are responsible for damp and moldy smells in your laundry room. Other common causes of bad clothes are sweat, dirt trapped inside and outside your clothes (such as in a pair of shoes), and the presence of pets.

6 Ways to Eliminate Odors On Your Cloth and Towels

Now that you know why you have that lingering smell in your laundry, let's dive into a few easy ways to fix it!

1. Use baking soda and white vinegar to get rid of smells

A cup of baking soda is a fantastic way to eliminate odors; it is one of the best. It absorbs smells by using its porous structure and neutralizing them.

White vinegar is a handy household item that removes stains, odors, detergent, and hard water buildup on fabrics. It's also good at tackling nasty smells like mildew.

The best way to eliminate odors with these two products is to add them to the wash cycle. Another way to eliminate odors by using baking soda is to rub it on the problem areas of your clothes. The same goes for white vinegar - spray any smelly areas and leave until dry, then throw it in the washing machine!

2. Hang your clothes outside. 

Airy clothes can help eliminate odor! Natural UV radiation can release a lot of odors, especially from sweaty clothes that contain odor-causing bacteria. Leave them on a windowsill or hang them near a fan if you can't access fresh air.

3. Enzyme Odor Removers

Since dirty clothes and towels are caused by sweat and body odor, you can use an enzyme cleaner.

Most local farm store products have heavy smells like spices. Bioclean is a good choice if this bothers you because it is fragrance-free.

4. Avoid mixing dry and wet clothing

Clothes smell when mixed with other types of laundry - especially wet clothes like gym clothes and bath towels. When you have a load in dry, wet clothes, the water attracts bacteria that live on sweat and dirt. This keeps all kinds of smells out of your clothes!

Keep them as close as possible to get the best deodorizing results.

5.20 Mule Team Borax

Experts recommend treating dirty, dry towels and lots of clothes with borax first.

Soak clothes in warm water and ½ cup of borax for an hour before proper washing.

6. Do not add too much detergent. 

Adding too much laundry to the laundry is another reason clothes smell bad. This allows the residue to seep into your clothes, causing an odor - especially if water and moisture are added. If you rinse water, fill it halfway instead of adding the entire cap! This will eliminate the excess fudge in your laundry while removing stains and odors from your clothes.

How to Get Sour Smells Out of Towels the Germoff Way

Step 1

Add detergent

If you're looking for a more convenient way to remove bad smells from your towels, you can use a high-quality laundry detergent liquid instead of just experimenting with vinegar.

To ensure your towels come out of the machine odorless, soft, and residue-free, use Germoff 2 IN 1 Liquid Detergent + Fabric Softner, complete with color protection and odor-removal technology.

For regular or large loads, simply throw one Germoff 2 in 1 Liquid Detergent Liquid into the washing machine's empty drum before adding the laundry. Add 2 p for extra-large and heavily soiled loads. 

Step 2

Put your towels in the machine

Place your musty, smelly towels in the washing machine.

Step 3

Start the wash

Wash your towels on the cycle and warmest water temperature indicated on the fabric care labels, and let the wash run its course.

Step 4

Let your towels dry

Remove your towels from the machine, then place the towels in your dryer to give your laundry freshness, softness, and static control. Alternatively, you can dry them on a clothesline or a rack and then enjoy the invigorating smell of freshness! Always make sure towels dry completely before storing.