You take a load of laundry out of the dryer expecting clean-scented clothes, only to discover they reek of mildew. While we expect dirty clothes to have a musty odor, cleaned clothes are supposed to smell fresh. Find out what causes musty clothes and how to get a mold smell out of clothes using simple solutions.
Mildew and mold spores create an offensive sour smell and are even worse when they are in the fabric of your clothing. The scent may dissipate throughout the day if the mildew smell is faint. Yet, strong mildew odors require cleaning, which seems ridiculous since the garment just came out of the washer and dryer.
There are several causes for a musty smell on towels, workout clothes, and other laundry items. And, sometimes, cleaning them with laundry detergent isn’t enough to remove musty smell. Fortunately, there are ways to eliminate the bad odor by using items around the home.
Ways to Remove a Moldy Smell From Clothes
Though it may seem impossible to remove a musty smell from clothing, don’t retire your garment just yet. Learn several easy ways to get mildew odor out of clothes with vinegar, baking soda, and other odor eliminators.
Why Do My Clothes Smell Moldy?
Why do clothes smell moldy even after washing them? Discover a few of the main reasons for mildew odor on clothing to help you narrow the problem and stop it from recurring.
The main reasons for a moldy laundry smell are leaving wet clothes in the washing machine for too long or damp items in the dryer. Bacteria and mildew grow in moist environments, so it’s vital to transfer your clothing to the dryer or hang them up to dry as soon as the washer completes its cycle.
However, if your clothes still have a damp smell even when you dry them promptly, the culprit may be your washing machine. Soap scum builds up in the washer over time, which leads to mold growth, and it’s essential to clean the appliance regularly to keep it from smelling bad.
How to Remove a Moldy Smell From Clothes
Vinegar has odor-neutralizing, antifungal, and antibacterial abilities. It is a cheap treatment for black mold and mildew odor. Follow this recipe for how to remove a moldy smell from clothes by washing the garments in white vinegar.
Add a cup of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar to the washer instead of laundry detergent. Allow the washing machine to fill with warm water, add your smelly garment, and clean it on the normal cycle.
Check the item for any remaining odor and transfer it to the dryer. If the smell persists, try washing the clothes in the washer with a cup of lemon juice.
How to Get a Mold Smell Out of Clothes
Another way to get rid of a moldy smell in clothing if you cannot stand a vinegar smell is to use sodium bicarbonate. Baking soda is safe for use in the washer and effectively kills fabric mold and mildew.
Pour a half cup of baking soda powder into the washing machine and turn on the hottest wash cycle. Add the clothes after the water fills and clean them on a regular wash setting. Check the item to ensure the odor is gone before drying it with a dryer sheet, and repeat the steps if necessary.
Using Oxygen Bleach to Remove Mold Odor From Clothes
If your clothes smell moldy and you prefer a commercial product to remove the odor, try using oxygen bleach. It’s safer than chlorine bleach and kills mildew when regular laundry detergent doesn’t.
Instead of adding detergent, pour the recommended amount of oxygen bleach into the washer. Then, add your smelly clothes and use the hot water setting and normal cycle to clean them. Substitute a combination of Borax and laundry detergent for oxygen bleach if needed.
Removing Mildew Odor From Clothing With an Enzyme Cleaner
An enzyme odor remover is the best cleaner to remove mold smell resulting from sweat stains if you leave damp workout clothes in the gym bag. Learn how to remove a moldy smell from clothes with an enzymatic cleaner.
Add the appropriate amount of enzyme laundry detergent and use the warm water setting to clean your clothes. Make sure the detergent contains enzymes necessary for removing bacteria from mildew and sweat. Then, check the fabric to ensure the odor is gone, and dry it as usual.
Tips for Getting Mold Odors Out of Fabrics
Getting the mold smell out of clothes doesn’t have to be complicated. Several easy methods remove mildew odors without using the washing machine. Follow some quick and convenient ways to freshen fabrics without all the fuss.
To minimize fabric odors, hang the item outside in the sun and fresh air after washing or when the clothes are dry. The sunshine kills bacteria, and a soft breeze blows the smell away.
Another way to remove a mildew odor without washing is to place the item in the freezer since cold temperatures kill bacteria. If you don’t have time to freeze or wash your clothes, spray the fabric with white vinegar and dry it in the dryer with a fabric softener sheet.
Finally, consider placing the affected garments in a large plastic bag with several tablets of activated charcoal and leave them overnight.
How to Prevent Mold Odor on Clothes
Removing a mold smell from clothing is best avoided, so follow these mildew prevention tips to help keep your clothes smelling good and your washing machine mold-free.
Never allow damp clothing to sit, whether a towel or workout gear. Instead, hang the wet items up or drape them over the laundry basket until you can wash them.
Always use the recommended amount of detergent when washing clothes since too much soap leads to excess scum. Avoid using fabric softener on workout clothes, which leaves residue on the fabric, promoting bacterial growth.
Dry your clothes as soon as the wash cycle completes, and do not store clean clothes in damp environments, like the basement or bathroom. Clean your washing machine regularly with a cup of bleach and baking soda without clothes.
Nothing is more unpleasant than wearing clothes that reek of mildew. Luckily, white vinegar, baking soda, oxygen bleach, and other mildew and mold removal methods eliminate bad smells from fabric.
We hope that learning how to get a mold smell out of clothes keeps your garments smelling fresh, and we’d love it if you’d share our tips for removing mildew odors from clothing with friends and family on Facebook and Pinterest.