How to Get the Smell Out of Soured Laundry

Mildew causes laundry to smell sour.

Forgetting about wet clothing, sheets and towels in the washing machine or leaving a pile of wet clothes in a laundry basket leads to sour-smelling laundry. Packing laundry into a washing machine to avoid washing extra loads of clothes also produces sour-smelling laundry. Clothing that lacks the room to move about the water freely inside the washing machine holds dirt, undissolved laundry detergent and odor-causing bacteria. Some smelly laundry problems have nothing to do with forgetfulness or overly large loads of clothes; the problem may lie in the washing machine.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Bucket
• Snake or stiff wire
• Chlorine bleach
• Laundry soap or detergent
• Baking soda
• White vinegar

Instructions

Clean the Washing Machine

1. Remove clothing from the washing machine.

2. Pull the washing machine plug out of the electrical socket. Turn off the washing machine's water supply and move the machine away from the wall.

3. Unscrew the screws holding the panel onto the back of the washing machine with a screwdriver. Look for the thickest hose, which is the drain hose. Ensure the drain hose does not have a kink in it. If the drain hose has a kink, straighten the hose.

4. Place a bucket under the drain hose. Disconnect the drain hose from the drainpipe and drain pump with a screwdriver.

5. Push a snake or stiff, straight piece of wire through the drain hose to remove lint and clogs. Improperly draining washing machines cause sour smells in laundry.

6. Reconnect the hose and screw the back panel in place. Slide the washing machine back against the wall. Turn on the water supply and plug the machine back into the wall socket.

7. Fill the empty washing machine with hot water. Add 2 cups of chlorine bleach to the machine and run it through a full wash cycle to kill mildew, mold and odor-causing bacteria inside the machine.

Wash with Baking Soda

1. Set the washing machine to the hottest water setting safe for your clothing. Let the washing machine fill with water. Read the clothing labels to determine safe water temperatures.

2. Divide the laundry into small loads.

3. Add laundry detergent or soap to the water according to the manufacturer's directions. Pour 1 cup of baking soda into the washing machine. Let the laundry wash as usual.

4. Remove the clothing from the washing machine immediately after the wash cycle is complete.

5. Dry the clothing in a clothes dryer set at the appropriate dryer setting based on the clothing care labels, or hang the laundry to dry. If you are hanging laundry to dry, hang it outdoors on a breezy day or in an area of the house that has a low level of humidity.

Wash with White Vinegar

1. Fill the washing machine with the hottest water that is safe for your washables based on the fabric care labels.

2. Add laundry soap or detergent to the washing machine. Put the clothing in the washer and pour 1 cup of white vinegar into the wash water.

3. Separate the clothing into small loads, so the clothing has enough room to move about the washing machine freely. Put the clothing into the washing machine.

4. Measure 1/2 cup of white vinegar and wait for the washing machine to begin the rinse cycle. Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the rinse water.

5. Take the clothes out of the washing machine as soon as the final spin cycle ends. Hang the clothes to dry in a dry, breezy area outdoors or inside the house or dry the clothes in a clothes dryer.

Wash with Chlorine Bleach

1. Fill the washing machine with the hottest water that is safe for your clothing based on the clothing care labels.

2. Pour the appropriate amount of laundry detergent into the water based on the manufacturer's instructions. Add 1 cup of chlorine bleach to the water. Typically, chlorine bleach is safe for white clothing, but read the clothing care labels before using bleach.

3. Sort the clothing into small loads.

4. Place the clothing in the washing machine and allow the machine to run through a wash cycle.

5. Remove the clothes from the washing machine immediately after the wash cycle is complete. Place clothing in the dryer or hang them to dry in a breezy, dry area.

Tips & Warnings

• Wipe excess moisture from the inside of the washing machine after use to prevent the growth of mildew, mold and odor-causing bacteria.

• Leave the lid or washing machine door open when the washing machine is not in use to increase airflow inside the washing machine, allowing the inside of the washing machine to dry completely.

• If water always remains in the washing machine after the washer finishes the cycle, the drain pump is not functioning properly. Replace the drain pump.

• Do not allow the washing machine's plug to fall into water when you disconnect the drain hose.

• Do not use chlorine bleach with colored clothes; bleach will strip the clothes of their color.

References

• "New Fix-It-Yourself Manual: How to Repair, Clean and Maintain Anything and Everything In and Around Your Home"; Reader's Digest Editors; 1996
• "2,001 Amazing Cleaning Secrets"; Jeff Bredenberg; 2004
• "Heloise from A to Z Updated"; Heloise; 2004