O.K., I have front loading washer/ dryer (6 mnths. old). I use the Affresh tabs once a month and my washer does not smell mildewy. However, I have had a problem with my towels smelling mildewy for a while. I just bought new ones a few months ago and now they are smelling. We reuse our towels a few times and hang them up after every use to dry. I have seen a few solutions on here, but am wondering with my front-loader which is best. Also, any suggestion on why they are doing this. Now my bathroom is downstairs with no windows (we put it in after I became disabled so I did not have to use the steps as much), we have a fan to pull out moisture and run it religiously. Can someone help me with this? I appreciate any suggestions and your time. Thanks.
Hi S.,
I was having the same problem. It did not make any sense that it was only my towels that smelled that way. I ended up changeing my detergent. I had always used gain for about 14 years. I changed to a cheaper brand (all) and my towels do not smell that way anymore. I have no idea why it made a differense but it did. I hope this is some help to you. Good luck!
I use white towels also, just so they can be bleached. Wash them right away and/or hang them so they can completely dry and try washing them in vinegar. The smell will be strong when they're wet, but once the towels are dry there should be no vinegar smell
good luck
Your towels are not getting completely dry. Sometimes they might feel dry & not quite be there, especially if it is really humid.
I would use the white vinegar & baking soda trick & soak in the washer for, I dunno, 20-30 minutes? (I usually eyeball it - maybe 2 cups of vinegar & a cup of baking soda. I dont think you can use too much-it doesn't make suds)Then run through the pre wash cycle to get the vinegar water out, then regular wash again.
Get them immediately into the dryer, (Smell them first -if they are still funky soak them again with vinegar & Baking soda and you can add detergent, too) Once in the dryer, make sure they get completely dry.
Happy Laundering!
p : )
we had the same problem...it's not your bathroom... At first I just made sure to use bleach with each load of towels...but I hate using bleach...so I have just begun using the sanitary wash cycle on the washer, changing the wash load to heavily soiled, adding an extra rinse, and running the prewash too. Problem solved! Also...I make sure to use the full amount of detergent and add some to the prewash cup.
I have a front loader also and had the same problem. Use bleach EVERYTIME you wash your towels, no matter what color they are. My towels finally do not smell like mold and the bleach does not discolor them at all...trust me, I was about to throw all my towel out!!!!
I guess my first question would be do the towels smell mildewy after they come out of the dryer? If so, are you drying them thoroughly right out of the wash? Are you taking them right out of the dryer when they are dry? If they smell fine out of the dryer, then I would assume it's something in your practice of reusing. They aren't drying adequately after use.
Good luck and let us know how it turns out!
I would try putting half a load of towels in the washer and still use enough detergent, fabric softener and oxifresh for a full load and SOAK them first. Make sure you are taking them out in a reasonable amount of time.
I have had the same problem, S.! We also re-use our towels too. What I do now is every time I wash my towels I throw in about 1 cup of vinegar in the washing machine with my detergent and wash the towels on hot water. I don't have that smell any more and they don't smell like vinegar either. I buy white vinegar now by the gallon and keep it by my machine.
I can't give answers but I can say that every other wash I pour vinegar into my towels to cut any build up on them and to keep them from being smelly. I do this with my husbands gym clothes too and it works great!!
Hi,
That is an odd situation you have there. My idea would be not to reuse your towels before washing. I have front loading washer and dryers. I have never heard of nor used that affresh stuff you mentioned. My towels, clothes or anything else have ever smelled mildewy. My washer or dryer are only 3-5 months old, but yours isn't that old either. If that doesn't work, i'd try not using the affresh for a while. It might be blocking up somehting that lets air get to the clothes. Also if your bathroom don't got a window, i'd suggest hanging them up in a room that does, so air can get to them. But probably would be best to wash after each use. I do that and me and my family use 5 towels in a days time. A. Bellomo
Use bleach when you wash your towels. 1/2 cup to 1 cup should be enough.
I have owned my washer/dryer for 15 years a MayTag! My grandmother always taught me to use vinegar instead of bleach for smells. I faithfully pour vinegar in my washer once a week to clean it. You can look even online queen of clean and get old remedies. I have even used vinegar with my Tide to do my towels. My towels are old too. I use Wamsutta towels or Worth. They are high but the best. YOu can find them on sale at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Good luck!
I had the same problem with my towels and I noticed that my white towels did not smell bad but my colored towels did. I converted all of my towels to white towels and have not had a problem since. Not sure of the difference but for some reason colored ones hold smells in them. Good luck!! Hope this helps.
You should leave your washer door open between washes with a front loader.
Sometimes different soaps and/or detergents can make towels smell weird (when coupled with different types of water, different people's sweat and skin oils, etc).
Try Purex (reg or ultra) powdered detergent w/Renuzit deodorizer for a few washes and see if that helps. If the towels are a light color, you can also use a little chlorine bleach in the washload (add when the wash cycle is 2/3 done. It kills germs, whitens, and eliminates odors). Dry them outside if possible in the sunshine.
That's all the suggestions I can think of (and I know I'm late, but I worked 15 hrs today).
this happened to my mother's front loading washer...
turns out it had to do with the washer itself... check your warranty... something about it was holding water underneath... it was an issue with several of the brands of front loading ... there is a part that has to be replaced... maybe even a recall...
her towels all smelled that way ... did not matter what she did with the soaps... she even bought some speciality soap that promised to take out the odors... but to no avail...
so they had the repair man come and it was the washer ...
maybe just double check that before you spend anymore money on soaps/detergents...
Hi,
I had this problem as well...even though we often do not end up reusing the towels as we are lazy. But we used to let them sit in the basket or in the basement for too long before washing them. This used to happen more in the summer with the humidity. I now wash them pretty quickly after using and n matter what color they are, I wash them in hot water. If I can not get the smell out in a few washed I toss. I think I will stick to white towels so I can bleach them.
Good luck!
we have that same issue, and it is due to the closed in bathroon, I feel. We just wash every 3rd shower, and that is pushing it. Maybe too much iron in your water?? I dont think it has anything to do with your washer or dryer, just products and habits. Good luck and God Bless.
Had a similar problem with my front loader, and if you check your drain usually at the bottom of the washer you may have some trash etc collected where the water can't drain all the way and some stays in there. if you do put a towel to catch some of the water that drains out if this may be your problem
you might also want to check the dryer vent going to the outside it may have lent build up.do this before spending money on a lot of different items.
We now live in an apt. since moving to Knoxville. Our bathroom does not have a window only the exhaust fan. We use our towels for a few days also and hang them on rods to dry. When we first moved we hung 2 towels on each rod. After two days they would smell so we hung a towel rack in the boys bedroom and they put their towels there now. We can usually get 4-5 days out of a towel now. I got in the habit of putting vinegar in with my laundry detergent. If the towels smell really bad then I use baking soda also. If your towels are not fully dry they could smell from that as well. Do you leave them in the washer all day or overnight? Bacteria can start to grow shortly after the washer has finished it's cycle. If you do leave them in for a while try taking them out as soon as the cycle has finished. Good Luck!
Try putting a cup of plain vinegar in full load of water and turn it on without clothes once a week for a month then continue once a month. I had same problems with towels and they were brand new. Hope that helps.
Be sure you are using a high quality enzymatic HE detergent like Tide. Add to your wash a oxyclean detergent additive. These chemicals are more important than you think. The enzymes chew up the mold and other germs and the oxyclean sanitizes everything. I have a HE front loader too and every time I've used anything other than Tide and Oxiclean I've been disappointed.
