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will my new first floor laundry room have a "laundry " smell?

9 years ago

Hi all - We will be moving our washer/dryer up from the basement to the first floor. My husband is wondering if we will have a typical "laundry" smell - not mold, but just the smell of a laundry (I can think of a lot worse smells-- lol). I know this sounds weird, and it didn't really occur to me. But thought I would throw this out there and see if any of you have had this happen and what the solution was. FYI - we will be venting the electric dryer to the outside wall. Thanks!

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Comments (9)

suburbanmd
9 years ago
My first floor laundry room (actually a hallway) doesn't have a laundry smell, maybe because we use only unscented laundry products.
renais1
9 years ago
Our laundry doesn't have a smell; I think if you avoid piling wet clothes which start to mold you won't have a problem.
Renais
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User
9 years ago
I never really thought of it but our first floor laundry does not really have a laundry smell either. We don't even use unscented detergent, although we never use dryer sheets which to me seem to be the worst offenders, scent-wise.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
the basement laundry smell might have more to do with insufficient air movement ..... every basement i was ever acquainted with... lacked a cold air return at floor level ... so the furnace never really moved air down low .... leading to that wonderful basement scent ...

maybe its just a MI thing ...

but i am thinking upstairs.... you just arnet going to be dealing with that kind of dead air ...

also.. if it does start bugging you ... something like a bathroom exhaust fan would be simple to install in the ceiling... unless you have a second floor ...

also ... the dryer will be sucking air outside.. and it has to come from somewhere ... so it will probably exchange the air also ...

one thought for sure.. i wouldnt close the door to the cubby while doing laundry ....

good luck

ken
dave1812
9 years ago
use unscented products and don't leave wet clothes in piles to get stinky. this isn't rocket science.
Cavimum
9 years ago
Twenty years in current house, laundry room is right off the family room, and never any "laundry" smell, even when we were able to use scented detergents.
emma
9 years ago
Never a smell here. I do hang wet towels on the shower rod to dry in the master bathroom. I hate the sour smell of clothes wet to long.

I used a towel at my SD's home and it had a sour smell that even being laundered did not take away. Ugh!!!!
Don
9 years ago
Any laundry that has a smell (other than product fragrance) probably needs a dehumidifier for mold. The other significant possibility is that a plumbing trap in the basement has dried out from lack of use, and you are smelling the sewer.

I have a little used basement bath that I need to run water in the sink every month or so to keep the trap filled with water. Especially in the summer when I run a dehumidifier in the basement.

Unused floor drains also need water to seal.
practigal
9 years ago
I had the misfortune of spilling a half a cup of bleach on the floor the other day. It's the bleach that gives the laundry smell. If you're not planning on spilling it on the floor I don't think you will have any issues.

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