How to Get Rid of Mildew Smell in Towels

Towels that smell sour even right after washing usually have built-up detergent, fabric softener, and lingering moisture that let odor-causing mildew and bacteria thrive. A couple of stripping washes can usually restore them, and a few habit changes keep the smell from coming back.

Why Towels Start to Smell

• Leaving wet towels in a heap on the floor or sitting in the washer
• Using too much detergent, which leaves residue in the fibers
• Fabric softener coating the loops so towels don’t rinse or dry well
• Overloading the washer so towels can’t rinse clean
• Drying in a humid bathroom with little airflow

Step One: Wash With Vinegar

1. Load the towels without overcrowding so they can move freely in the drum.
2. Add about one to two cups of white vinegar to the drum or the fabric softener dispenser.
3. Leave out the detergent this time, since the goal is to break down residue rather than add more.
4. Run a hot water cycle, if the care labels allow it.

Step Two: Wash With Baking Soda

1. Leave the towels in the washer after the vinegar cycle ends.
2. Sprinkle about half a cup of baking soda directly into the drum.
3. Run another hot cycle, again without detergent.
4. Move the towels to the dryer as soon as the cycle finishes.

Run these as two separate cycles rather than mixing vinegar and baking soda in one load, since they neutralize each other and lose their effectiveness.

Dry Thoroughly and Quickly

Tumble dry until the towels are completely dry all the way through, including the thick hems and corners. Clean dryer balls can help air circulate in a full load. Sunshine is also excellent for drying and freshening towels if you can line dry outdoors on a warm, breezy day. If the smell is still there once they’re dry, repeat both steps. Very old or heavily soured towels sometimes need two full rounds.

Check the Washer Too

If your towels start smelling musty again soon after treatment, the washing machine itself may be the source. Run an empty cleaning cycle and wipe out the door gasket and detergent drawer, especially on front-loaders, where moisture tends to linger. Leaving the washer door open between loads lets the drum dry out and makes a noticeable difference.

Habits That Keep Towels Fresh

• Hang towels spread out to dry between uses rather than bunched on a hook.
• Wash bath towels every three or four uses.
• Use the recommended amount of detergent, or slightly less if you have soft water.
• Skip fabric softener on towels. Wool dryer balls can help keep them soft instead.
• Make sure towels are completely dry before folding and putting them away.
• Give each person their own hook or bar so towels aren’t layered on top of each other.
• If you bleach white towels, never add vinegar to the same load. Mixing the two can release harmful chlorine gas.