How to Prevent a Sour Smell in Towels
You finish rinsing your face and grab a fluffy towel to dry. Suddenly, a sour stench reaches your nose, spoiling the refreshing moment. Mildew, a fungus which gives off a sour aroma, often thrives on damp towels left in hampers, drawers or washing machines for too long.
Prevent mildew from stinking up your towels by drying the towels before the fungus finds a home on them. Make sure your washing machine is clean, too, as mildew can grow in the machine and contaminate your laundry.
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Instructions
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Hang your towels on a hook or towel rack promptly after you are done using them. This allows the towels to air out, preventing the growth of mildew. Do not throw your towels onto the floor; only place them into a laundry hamper after they have fully dried.
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Remove wet towels from the washing machine and place them into the dryer shortly after the wash cycle is completed. Do not let them sit in the machine for long periods of time.
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Wash your towels frequently and in hot water to prevent mildew and bacterial growth. Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle of a large load to strip excess detergent and kill mildew.
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Strip your towels of detergent buildup, which causes bad odor. Wash a load of towels in hot water with ½ cup of Borax for a medium-sized load. When the cycle is complete, run the towels on an additional rinse cycle and add 1 cup of white vinegar to the load. Dry the towels on a line outdoors if humidity is low, or dry them thoroughly in the dryer.
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Clean your washing machine gasket with a sodium percarbonate solution to remove mildew from the machine. Allow the solution to sit for 10 to 15 minutes; then wipe the solution off with a clean rag. Run the sanitary cycle with sodium percarbonate in the soap dispenser and vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser. Leave the lid of your front-loading washing machine slightly ajar after each wash cycle to prevent mildew from growing in your machine and contaminating your laundry.
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Tips & Warnings
Using too much detergent can cause mildew growth in towels. Reduce the amount of detergent you use when washing towels.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit striped towel 1 image by dana nicolescu from Fotolia.com
