De-Stankifying Smelly Laundry
Here’s something I learned this weekend: if you have a towel that just can’t shake that sour-towel odor (you know, where it smells okay when you pull it from the dryer but after exactly one use it hangs there in your bathroom pumping out wave after wave of BLECCCH), throw about a cup of baking soda into the washing machine next time you wash it, and voila! The smell, it is gone.
This also works nicely on smelly laundry that you washed two days ago and left to fester, wet and reeking, in the machine. Not that I would be intimately familiar with that issue or anything.
Posted: July 16th, 2007 under House & home, How-to, Personally recommended by Linda.
Comments: 20
Comments
Comment from Swistle
Time: July 16, 2007, 11:31 am
It works on toddler barf, too!
Comment from laughing mommy
Time: July 16, 2007, 1:06 pm
Thank you thank you. I’m going to try this. I used to think Oxyclean would do the trick, but I forgot some baby washcloths that were damp out in the hot garage for a few days (weeks?) and I was about to throw them in the trash because the Oxyclean? It didn’t work this time. Oh the smell!
Comment from Ashley
Time: July 16, 2007, 2:03 pm
I desperately want to try this, but I must be an idot because I can’t figure out how to put baking soda into a front loader wahing machine! Can I dump it in the little pull-out drawer? Boy do I feel dumb.
Comment from sundry
Time: July 16, 2007, 2:19 pm
Comment from serror
Time: July 16, 2007, 2:42 pm
Ashley- I assume you could just put it in with the clothes or in the little drawer with (or without) the detergent. Both would be fine me thinks.
Comment from Brenna
Time: July 16, 2007, 2:56 pm
Borax is a good deodorizer, too. I started using Borax because it makes detergent more effective if you have hard water (which I do). I noticed the “freshness factor” soon afterward. Or maybe they smell better because the detergent now works better….hmmm.
Comment from lynn
Time: July 16, 2007, 4:25 pm
Strange - my husband and I were just standing in the supermarket about an hour ago trying to find something that would take the funk out of the funkified towels. We used to use ammonia, which worked, but is not so environmentally friendly. We’ll give this a try.
Comment from Maria
Time: July 17, 2007, 7:44 am
Oxi Clean can get the job done too.
Comment from wealhtheow
Time: July 17, 2007, 9:31 am
I don’t know about stank, but a dash of white vineager helps to get rid of the grunge on your whites, and I’ve found it really softens the laundry as well.
Comment from Mimi
Time: July 17, 2007, 5:43 pm
Following up from the last post - White Vinegar DOES de-stankify the laundry as well. I always find this odd, b/c the smell of vinegar itself is nasty to me - but everything just comes out smelling like nothing, which is often better than how it went in. I do more thank a dash - maybe a 1/2 cup or so depending on the issue I’m trying to remedy.
Comment from Anonymous
Time: July 18, 2007, 4:15 pm
Sunlight is the best thing to kill the bugs that cause that grody mildew smell. We have an abundance of the stuff in Australia…I’d send you some if I could!
Comment from andrea
Time: July 18, 2007, 9:55 pm
What a great tip. I am notorious for letting laundry fester a day too long in the washer. I must try this next time around, guessing it works better than my usual solution, adding 6 dryer sheets.
Comment from Heather
Time: July 19, 2007, 12:09 pm
Front loader instructions… I just put the soda in the washer, turn it on to let a bit of water in, swish it around, add clothes and turn back on. Seems to work fine. You may be able to just put it on top of the clothes but I use cold water so better safe than sorry.
Comment from Donna
Time: July 20, 2007, 1:17 am
Wow, this is the best tip ever. I’ve literally thrown stuff away because of the molded smell that stays even after repeated washings.
Comment from Kate
Time: July 22, 2007, 5:43 pm
I’ve had good luck with white vinegar before, but either had to put up with vinegar smell or wash everything again. I’ll have to try baking soda from now on. Fortunately, the evil community washer in my old apartment building that seemed to stankify my stuff is no longer a part of my life and my own personal washer in my new place seems to clean things without making them smell moldy.
Comment from Lesley
Time: July 28, 2007, 10:52 am
Vinegar is a great natural softener. It gets the soap out, too.
Arm & Hammer makes laundry soda - it’s a bargain.
Comment from kirsten
Time: August 16, 2007, 2:22 pm
Dude, I think you just saved my marriage. Thanks yo.
Comment from aj
Time: August 22, 2007, 10:16 am
this is the greatest news ever!!! i thought i was going to have to throw out my old work out clothes and towels. i am going to try this as soon as i get home!
Comment from Susan
Time: October 14, 2007, 11:15 am
thank you so much for this information… i was on the verge of THROWING ALL MY TOWELS AND WASH CLOTHES OUT THE DOOR… i will most def. try this… hope it works…
thanks… Susan
Comment from Samantha Cole
Time: February 10, 2008, 10:43 pm
How do I get the baking soda into the front loader - do I put it in the little drawer? and how would I get vinegar into the front loader? in the drawer? how???? I have never used a front loader and I am struggling…
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