I never noticed any smell either and we fold our towels over a rack. I wash them weekly. No problems.

I wash with unscented detergent because fragrances bother me and have started using cold water lately-still use the dryer at hot setting though.

If your house is very humid, maybe a dehumidifier would help. I also leave the bathroom fan running for a while after showers in the bath without a window.

That smell comes from a build-up of simple bacteria. I used to get it on my sweaty work-out clothes when I don't wash them right away. Vinegar is a natural bacteria inhibitor so I use it in every wash and my clothes smell fine. Also, remember to dry everything completely and don't let damp towels linger in the washer or dryer for too long.

Another vote for white vinegar. I have RH towels and found out the hard way they can't be bleached :-( White vinegar as a presoak-about 2 cups and then washing works.

rockmanor, I just discovered borax and have noticed a huge improvement in the smell of our laundry - esp. towels.

I also started adding vinegar to the rinse and that's helped not only with smell but also with keeping whites whiter and lint off darks.

I was using vinegar in the rinse, but one day I added it to the washer with the water, and it worked a LOT better. Not only did it get rid of smells, but made the towels softer than if I just use it in the rinse. Maybe because it's in the solution longer? Don't know, but I now buy white vinegar by the gallon!

It is primarily the humidity in the house. We are in the South and there is no way that anything short of Warmrails would help. Humidity and bacteria are the culprit. Stop one or the other and you are good to go. $90 is a cheap price to pay ( over 9 years !!) to always have fresh linens..considering what towels cost :) Good Luck !! c

I wash my white towels in hot water and bleach. I prefer white towels over colors.
When laundry is left too long in the washer and gets sour, I rewash it- with baking soda. Works like a charm.

Hmm.. I don't have that problem with our towels but I am fighting with our workout clothes. As soon as they get a little damp, ewww.

We use our towels for at least a week and they don't smell. They hang over a towel bar that's above an air vent.

I used to use cold (for darks - probably why our workout clothes are funky!) and warm water only except for whites but since the funky workout clothes, I've started using hot with almost everything. I've also been hanging clothes on the line a lot more. I think it's helped some.

We have well water with a softener and I use Charlie's Soap. I don't think I was always using enough soap so I recently started adding more and the addition of Borax to every load. I use vinegar sometimes but only as a rinse. I'm going to try it right in the wash now. I can add all that together, right? I bought Washing Soda too but haven't tried it yet. I originally was going to add the washing soda and borax but it sounds like they're about the same thing.

Cooper - The baking soda doesn't mess up the inside of your washer?

Well water here too, with a softener and filtration system.

I would like to try the vinegar. There seems to be a divide here with regard to using it in the wash cycle as opposed to in the rinse only. Which produces the best effect?

We recently had some flooding, and many of my "rag bucket" towels were used to cover the floors at doorways to protect them from dirty boots, wet dogs, etc., now have a musty smell. I know I have vinegar in the cabinet, would love to try it!

Sorry to hijack. Just thought I could get an answer on the wash/rinse use of the vinegar. Also, where do you buy borax?

TIA

No one has mentioned the type of washer being used. I had a front loader for years and never had the sour smell problem. Know this has been discussed forever, but the new, double expensive, 2 yr old FL is dreadful. And with all the complaints, odd solutions for resolving, this issue just won't go away. What did they do to our machines? And why do we have to go to such extremes for getting rid of this sour smell.

My FL says not to use softeners. I do use Borax, or tried. Still need to keep the door ajar and make sure the clothes are immediately dried. Clean the machine once a month with a bleach solution without clothes.

Am going to try the vinegar. A reminder though to anyone with wood floors, that vinegar can turn them black in any crevises.

Does anyone remember ironing clothes with a vinegar in a bottle for spraying them? You couldn't smell the vinegar when done, but was far better than spray starch. Yes, I still iron clothes, my pillow cases and sheet trim.

I also remember my mom having a wooden spoon for years in her TL to keep the door open. She also rolled her items for ironing and put them in the refrigerator. We lived in CA and of course humidity was involved, but I now live in a very dry climate with same problems discussed here.

Nancy, since it's just the two of us, I wash our bath towels after one use. I put them in a top loader, hot water and I use ALL, I used to use Tide but the difference in cost is enormous, and I've been happy with All.

Sometimes I use Oxy Clean, but not always.

I put them in the dryer on high heat with a Downy dryer sheet.

I like All and Purex. For one thing, I can find unscented in both of these easily. They clean well also.

Someone asked where to find Borax, they carry it at my grocery store with the laundry stuff. Check Target, etc. if you have a hard time finding it.

tina

My towels hang on hooks (instead folded over towel rods) in our bathrooms to dry -- which has helped too! And our towels have been very hard used lately with our frying-hot weather (106-108 degrees hereabouts) DH has been taking four showers (at least) a day .... and our towels do not smell!

I do have an old top-loader laundry pair and wash in cold water and then dry (yes with dryer sheets and our towels still work fine)

Yes -- I have heard about the funky smell from the new machines -- and how folks have to leave them open or wipe after every use -- plus keep a fan (for ventilation and air movement) in the direct area too!

Shee- I have been using baking soda for sour clothes forever. It is a very gentle cleanser that is safe enough to use in your refrigerator and to brush your teeth! It is what my Mom used to use too and always removes that sour smell from sitting forgotten in the washer. Rewashing without it does nothing in my experience.

Towels are folded and hung on a double towel bar to dry. Use a top loader with liquid Tide and cold water. Never use fabric softener on towels. No funky smell.

A reminder though to anyone with wood floors, that vinegar can turn them black in any crevises.

That's all I've ever used and never had a problem. Sounds like the water mix is sitting too long on the floor. I dry as I do a section.

Another one who washes towels after each use. Always have. I have well water and have never had a problem with smelly towels. I notice that smell at my MIL's but she doesn't wash her towels after each use.

Love using towels dried on my beloved clothes line! The sun is a natural bleach.

Cooper - I was just doing some laundry and realized I was thinking of salt! :) I read online adding salt to laundry will help with the smell but I had people tell me it will wreck the inside of your washer.

Anyone have an opinion if Borax is better than Washing Soda?

If it's helpful, I have a top load washing machine. When we went to purchase ours I was hearing about the musty smell from front loaders so I didn't want to even take a chance.

Heavy duty, top load washer, warm water, Sam's Club Commercial Wind Fresh detergent, bleach, and the fabric softener that is the cheapest at Sam's always works for me. DH works in excavation and his clothes can get quite dusty/muddy/ at times so I just toss his white cotton T's, briefs and white work socks in with the towels and wash cloths. They all come out clean and sanitized in the end.

I really can't say enough about the Wind Fresh detergent. We haven't had "yellowed" laundry since I discovered it. Plus it save me a lot of money - a 5 gallon bucket lasts me about 3 months.

Tuesday

Shee, I've also heard that the salt can corrode your machine, but salt is a great way to kill the bacteria causing musty or BO problems in fabric. If you have a sink in your laundry you could soak towels or gym clothes in salt water for an hour before washing. If not, maybe just use a bucket for the pre-soak. HTH!

I've also never noticed a sour smell, unless I leave a load in the washer too long. I use a top-loader, with All, for the same reason as Oakley- much cheaper. We also only ever use towels once, and usually leave them over the shower door overnight before putting them in the hamper. I've never used fabic softener since I read years and years and years ago that it weakened fabric fiber. Well, that and our washer used to be in the basement and I could never get down there in time. :) But, a while back I read that the reason softener smells so good is to cover up the amount of chemicals. Don't know it it's true, but I've never missed it.
Dee

I heard fabric softener adversely affects absorbency so I've never used it on towels. That said, given DH's allergies, I don't use it at all anymore.

Wash towels in hot water with Tide - the non-perfume stuff as we all have eye sensivities to perfumes. I wash them every 3-4 days and never have odours. We hang dry them after every use and they are not allowed in my kids rooms rolled up in a ball.
For those who mentioned using vinegar = do you use it with your detergent or just plain vinegar and nothing else?

Top loader, we usually have single use towels. I switched to only white towels & washclothes for both baths & the kitchen because MIL would bring DH towels she bought at yard sales for shop towels and he kept using my bathtowels, since the laundry is in the garage. Now, no more confusion.

Ours tend to sit until I have enough for a load, so in the summer they get musty.

I use GAIN, but recently switched back to Tide. I do not use fabric softener. I was having trouble with my towels not being soft, so I tried vinegar rinse, and adding borax to the wash with soap. Then I tried borax only, then with vinegar rinse. Now I add both to the wash water and my towels are actually softer now! Plus the smell is gone.

I still use bleach every couple washes, or if they're really grungy...I wash towels in hot. I have to say, my whites GLEAM. I was folding a t-shirt DH bought 10 years ago, it's now a work shirt, and has glue all over it as well as a badly frayed collar & some holes developing, but that white T-shirt is just as white as his brand new shirts.

This is embarrassing to admit, but I don't know how to use bleach. lol. I use Oxy Clean on my whites though with good results.

What happened was when the boys were little they constantly had muddy socks which stained really bad. One time I soaked them in bleach and water.

The kids came home from school, took their shoes off and their socks litterally fell into pieces off their feet!

I haven't touched Clorox since except to pour in the toilet.

Is bleach only for whites, and I suppose you add it to the water and then add clothes?

When I mentioned vinegar on wood floors it was just a heads up. A small spill could darken the wood. I'd never leave it there without cleaning up. Actually, am very careful using it.

Oddly enjoying all information. A colaboration of reinforcement to washing/drying dilemmas with so many good suggestions.

Yes, this has been an interesting subject.

Oakley, bleach is for whites. It is also hard on fabrics, hard on a septic system and not good for the environment in general. I also hate the smell of bleach - all these add up to why I use it as little as possible. Vinegar is a disinfectant also and in my opinion, a good alternative. Of course there are times you need bleach - so I just use a little. I do keep the bleach wipes - like those in the kitchen when preparing certain foods (chicken, etc.). Also use them some in the bathroom or if one of us has been sick.

You use bleach to clean your toilets?

I was alot of items in cold water, but I use hot water on certain things - towels being one. Also on my kitchen towels, etc. but I don't wash kitchen towels and bath towels together. LOL

I'm going to try vinegar in my towels.

tina

My towels would smell good coming out of the washer, but had a bad smell when they came out of the dryer. Here is what worked for me (I learned this from the Laundry forum here): 1/4 cup vinegar added to the rinse. Very little detergent. And most importantly, NO fabric softener of any kind. Since towels are 100% cotton they don't generate static. (Yikes, didn't realize that). It took several washes to totally get rid of "the smell". And we do hang our towels to dry, so it wasn't mildew.

Tina, why don't you wash both together?

Oak, chlorine bleach is extremely corrosive so that is why the socks fell apart.

My mother used to pour the bleach directly into the washer after clothes were in the water!! Big no-no!! If you have a bleach dispenser add the bleach to that and only the recommended amount. If you don't, then add the bleach to the water, then add the laundry. I don't soak in bleach water, I'd use Oxyclean as a presoak. I've also found that Dawn dishsoap is the best stain remover I've ever tried. Even takes out stains on things that have gone thru the dryer!

Pesky:

How much vinegar (I assume white?) and how much borax do you add per load? Want to try this. TIA

Liz

Abundantblessings - Oh, I do have a sink and didn't think about doing that. I need to get a new stopper so I haven't used it in a long time.

Can a hijack a wee bit more please and ask about what everyone does with their stains? Charlie's Soap all purpose cleaner works for blood and coffee but nothing greasy, etc. DH keeps telling me how his grandma always used Lestoil.

I usually use about a cup of white vinegar for an extra large load, just pour it in when the tub is full, just before it starts to agitate. For the borax, I add it when I add the powdered soap while the water is added, about 1/2 cup. I found borax at WalMart in with the stain removers.

shee, I've always used spray 'n wash on stains- just out of habit I think. I've also used carbona (in the little bottles which name the specific stain it's for) and I've had good luck with that, it did a good job on a bloodstain recently.

I'd love to hear everyone's stain removal ideas too.

Thanks again for all the responses.

shee & nancy, I'm not wed to most brands, but here's how I tend to treat stains. Hydrogen peroxide removes blood, Dawn or shampoo is good for grease, salt paste with hot water poured over a red wine stain, salt presoak is good for smelly items though I haven't yet tried it on synthetics which IMO hold odors more than natural fibers. Everything else just gets whatever environment-friendly laundry detergent I have on hand though I tend to like ones with lavender scents. I add Oxyclean fairly often, seldom bleach but when I do use it I do a second wash without anything to remove the chlorine as its hard on fabric, skin and the environment. This steps wastes water but chlorine is toxic so that's a trade off i make the few times I use bleach. I add vinegar in the wash to generally sanitize and soften as I never use fabric softener. I've also used Borax sometimes to boost the detergent, might add Spic 'n Span to detergent when washing extra dirty cleaning cloths. I try to limit the chemicals as much as I can so usually use products w/o phosphates and with as few additives as possible.

Peroxide is great for blood stains. One of my family members is on a blood thinner and I have to check his sheets every morning just in case he scratched a mosquito bite during the night and bled. However if you've already laundered an item with blood on it the peroxide isn't that effective.

I went shopping for new towels last month at Macy's because I wanted all white just in case I needed to bleach them. I was disappointed to read the care label because most of them stated no chlorine bleach, and to launder in warm or cool water, tumble dry low to medium. And these were 100% cotton.

I think it's just a case of the manufacturer trying to distance itself from any complaints by having the consumer use the mildest possible laundry settings. Those milder settings probably help to prolong the life of the fabric. I did finally find towels at Bed, Bath and Beyond by Nautica that said you could use bleach according to the manufacturer's recommendations (which means dilute) but it did suggest to wash warm, dry medium.

I agree that Dawn (or similar other brands) dish washing liquid works well for spots/stains. Especially grease based/food stains.

I washed a load of towels last night and used vinegar in the wash. The towels were soft and smelled fresh (I used unscented detergent, no fabric softner).

Natal, it's our preference not to mix up clothing/personal use items with cleaning items. Just as I wash sheets alone, etc. I keep a seperate mesh hamper in the laundry room (off the kitchen) for dish towels/clothes, so I can just dump it in the washer. I use dish towels in place of paper towels as much as possible, so it doesn't take long for me to have a load.

I have Shout and Oxy-Clean for stains, but find Oxy is often more effective. Also agree with Dawn for the really tough stains. I keep a bleach pen in the cabinet, but only use it when absolutely necessary. No liquid bleach.

Tina, that makes sense. I wash sheets separately too, but never gave towels a second thought. I am guilty of using paper towels, so my dish cloths aren't that dirty.

I also read about not using liquid fabric softener on towels but to use the dryer sheets. Fels Napta soap rubbed on stains is pretty good.

http://www.amazon.com/Dial-Corp-04303-Fels-Naptha-Laundry/dp/B001B32NVO

Tina, I use bleach about twice a year in the toilets. We have hard water and it helps re-whiten the toilets because hard water brings rust stains really fast. I let the bleach soak for about 5 minutes, that's all.

shee, just mixing CS in a spray bottle with water makes a pretty good stain remover. I mix a single green scoop in either a small (hair size) or large (household size) spray bottle. I use really hot water so it will dissolve readily. And shake it really well, too. It's a good pre-treatment for laundry. Denims that are particularly grubby I've sprayed it on and let it sit overnight, then wash in CS as normal. It also does wonders if boots have dripped on car upholstery in winter and left dark stains from slush. I could never get that stuff out, no matter what I tried. I just spray it on upholstery stains (but stop short of saturating it), gently rub with a damp towel, maybe let it sit for a couple minutes and blot with a clean, damp towel. Sometimes it takes a repeat, but it does a really good job on car upholstery and carpet or rug stains.

I've added white vinegar to the rinse cycle in the past. My mom used to use it sometimes, I sort of followed her lead. It's supposed to cut soap & fabric softener residue build-up in clothes. I don't do it nearly as often since switching to Charlie's soap. Mostly towels, and this reminds me it wouldn't hurt to do them again. I would watch the machine, and when it was going into the rinse cycle I would add maybe a 1/2 cup or so. I would just put my hand in the tub & swish it around so it got evenly distributed in the water. Then close the lid and let the machine finish. If I was doing a load that had to have fabric softener, I'd do two rinses. First one with fabric softener like normal, then the second with just the vinegar and water.

My curiosity is peaked. Googled Oxyclean Ingredients and it is so very simple. Although there are some very small unknown chemicals in Oxyclean (probably to make it unique and a patent), the main ingredient "sodium percarbonate" breaks down in water to Peroxide and Soda. The two create an oxygen type stain release. The ingredient is available for many uses; pool cleaning, toilet bowl cleaners, etc. depending upon it's strength.

From experience, do not use oxyclean on wool or silk. It will turn the material brown/tan. I'd be leary to use their carpet cleaner on such.

There is much more to this, but basically you are all right about using soda and peroxide, much less expensive.

With all the information available I couldn't pick a site or explain what is written by those like us or the chemists on board. But it all came down to the basics. Probably best if you are interested to run your own search.

Now I'm off to check Mr. Clean scrubbers. Heard somewhere that they are only a sandpaper mixture. Doesn't make sense to me, but curiosity again.

We've had trouble with out towels lately. I read on here and a couple other sites and tried the white vinegar rinse and hot water suggestion. Towels don't smell so far but are still stiff feeling.

Some days I miss my TL washer. I think it got clothes cleaner than the FL. Also if you are using a FL make sure you leave the door and the laundry tray open to dry. I've read there is a tray under the tub that will hold water until it evaporates and that could be adding to the smell. Especially if you only do laundry every few days.

I'm curious how people are adding vinegar to the entire cycle with a FL.

I also use oxyclean on occasion. For stains I use spray-n-wash as it seems to get out everything DH can throw at it. I hate hate the smell of it and have to wash his clothes separately. I'd forgotten about Dawn being good for grease. I'll try that again.

There is a home made detergent you can make that includes Ivory bar soap, borax, washing soda and baking soda. So no, none of these things in the correct proportion will damage your clothes.

I have all white linens so I can bleach on the sanitizing cycle and I only use vinegar for softenter in the dispenser.

To clean my FL I use the Tide washer cleaner. It's fabulous and gets out old odors and dirt tha gets stuck to the back of the drum that you can't see.

I must not be doing something right because half the time my stains don't come out. I've tried Dawn a few times recently. Rubbed it in well and sometimes left it alone for a while and other times washed it right away and I'm still stuck with a stain. Sometimes I'll also forget to check if it's still there and into the dryer it goes....oops.

I'll have to experiment with different things suggested above. Thanks!

I've never heard of Dawn, but it makes sense, will have to try it.

Shee, I'm going to reference my mother again. (Although she was notorious for shrinking nice clothes in the dryer, lol, she was the queen of removing stains. Never ceased to amaze us. There were times my sister or I took something to mom to get a stain out when we couldn't. It was like she had a chemistry lab in her laundry room and knew just the right combination of products or method for particular fabric + stain source.) As far back as I can remember, once of her preferred methods on stubborn stains was plain old laundry bar soap (Fels-Naptha) and a washboard. You have to be careful with washboards, they can stretch certain delicate fabrics or t-shirt type cottons if handled too roughly on the board, but if you 'practice' on something like denim you'll get a feel for how it works. And you don't need to hunt for an antique, Amazon still sells washboards (and laundry bar soap if your grocery doesn't have it).

shee, don't forget that some basic shampoos are also good at removing oil and other tough stains. Moonshadow's Fels-Naptha soap is great even w/o the washboard.

3 things I've had in my HSW cleaning-aisle for a couple years now.
ACE has these in their warehouses, so stores can order them if they want...

1) Fels-Naptha bars (stocked these for yeeeaarrs now)
2) Arm & Hammer Washing-Soda.
3) 20-Mule-Team Borax.

People are usually surprised we have this stuff!

(See?!!? I'm not just a good-lookin' Paint guru....)

;-)

Faron

lol, faron! :) We all knew you were more than a good lookin' paint guru ;D
I love our local Ace, they have all kinds of hard to find "stuff" !

Yes AB, my whole family pretty much keeps a bar of FN with the laundry products, with or without the washboard. :)

FL or TL...I have been thinking about this thread for a couple of days. I'd bet none of us can remember having thse problems. Never had to add extra boosters, although I've had them hanging around for many other uses. And used a number of spotters for clothes prior to washing. But, even bleach isn't bleaching as once was.

What have they done to our products?

There is a huge ACE here too and it is tons of fun to just walk the aisles. Closest thing to the old hardware stores my dad dragged me to every weekend. He didn't have to drag me, I loved them. ACE employees are great, knowledgable and don't treat me like a "girl" when a project is at hand.