How to Clean Stinky Towels

The last thing anyone wants when he climbs out of the shower is to dry off with a dirty or unclean smelling towel. Like any fabrics, especially those that are used to dry off moisture, towels are prone to accumulating odors and hanging on to them. Cleaning unpleasant smelling towels is a simple task that requires very little effort to reach the desired end goal; towels that don't stink.

Things You'll Need

• Launddry detergent
• Vinegar
• Scented fabric softener sheet

Instructions

1. Place the towels in the washing machine with a scoop of laundry powder. Be careful not to overload the machine as this will only diminish the effectiveness if all the towels are crowded together. Wash only about three towels at a time, four if they're small.

2. When the machine fills up with water, add a cup of white vinegar and turn the machine off.

3. Allow the towels to soak in the water for at least half an hour before turning it back on.

4. Add another cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle.

5. Take the towels out of the washing machine as soon as the cycle ends. Leaving them to sit in the washing machine too long will make them smell unpleasant again.

6. Dry the towels by either hanging them outside in the sunshine, which is great for eliminating odors in fabrics, or place them in the dryer with a scented fabric softener sheet.

Tips & Warnings

• Washing towels with baking soda is also very effective, but do not use baking soda and vinegar together. They react to each other, causing a big foamy mess and, in the process, cancel each other out, rendering them both ineffective.

Resources

• Read this Article in Portuguese