Laundry should be straightforward. Put the clothes and linens in the drum, load it up with detergent, and press start. This means that when laundry comes out smelling musty, it can be hard to put a finger on why.
resulting in lingering odors and sour smells.
again.
Why do my clothes smell sour after washing?
From dirty washing machines to the wrong detergent, there are several reasons why your clothes might smell sour after a laundry cycle.
1. They took too long to dry
. ‘Ensuring that you're using effective drying methods and checking for clothes to be completely dry before you put them away will also help fight these musky odors.’
).
2. Your washing machine is dirty
in a while, then it is likely the culprit behind musty lingering odors.
Temecula and Murrieta, says, ‘Trust me when I say that the inside of a washing machine drum can harbor a nightmarish kind of ick. If your washing machine is not cleaned regularly, dirt, grime, mold, and mildew can accumulate exposing your clothing to being washed in contaminated water.
to the hot water. Run the machine through a wash cycle.
‘If there is excessive debris (it looks like crumbs) left in the machine, repeat the process once more. Wipe out any remaining debris you see and leave the lid or door open to air dry.’
3. You used too much detergent
is an easy fix.
Trish Duarte, a professional cleaner, continues. ‘Sour smells can be the result of allowing bacteria to feed and multiply on all the organic matter that is still trapped in our clothing from using too much soap.
‘Using too much detergent makes it so the washer won't rinse out all the soap, leaving a residue on clothes. You may have felt that stiffness in your clothes or noticed a lot of suds during a wash. Perhaps even a white or gray film in the drum or on clothes. This residue traps dirt, oils, and body fluids, providing a breeding ground for bacteria.
‘Check your detergent’s instructions and use the recommended amount for your load size.'
4. Your clothes sat too long before washing
and your laundry is sealed in with a lid.
.
5. You overload your washing machine
not only prevents your clothes from being washed thoroughly, allowing dirt and detergent to remain trapped between your clothes in the machine but can damage your washing machine drum as wet, heavy clothes bang around and risk throwing it off balance.
6. You didn’t take your laundry out soon enough
While it can be tempting to leave your fresh laundry in the washer for a few hours when you have settled down cozy on the sofa, it is a common cause of sour smells on fabric.
, says that leaving clothes sitting in the drum for just one or two hours can be enough to undo the hard work of the previous laundry cycle.
to prevent musty smells from settling in your machine ready to muddy the next load.
7. There are lingering bacteria
If you have a clean washing machine and dry your clothes properly, but they still smell sour, then it might be a result of lingering bacteria, Trish Duarte, a professional cleaner, warns.
‘We all know that if clothes are left damp for too long, bacteria and mold can develop. But did you know that in ideal environments, they can double in number every 20 minutes? That’s going from a few hundred when the wash stopped, to millions within four to six hours. This rapid growth is why it’s important to remove clothes from the wash right away, as they can become a breeding ground for bacteria and mold within a very short period.’
and kill lingering germs.
8. Hard water
Trish Duarte, a professional cleaner says, ‘In areas with hard water, minerals can accumulate on clothes that can trap dirt and bacteria. These minerals can also bind with detergent preventing it from being able to do its job.’ This then causes sour smells on clothes.
Trish continues, ‘Think of it like a swimming pool. Maintaining a pH-balanced pool is crucial for creating a clean and clear swimming environment that minimizes the growth of bacteria, sludge, algae, and mold. It’s important to create an environment where your washer can perform at its best to allow clothing to come out of each wash fresh and clean.’
, is an eco-friendly detergent formulated to be effective in various water conditions, including hard water.
‘When selecting a detergent for hard water, look for labels that mention "hard water" or "water softening" properties,’ she adds.
, getting rid of sour smells in clothing isn’t too tricky. Fixing the main cause of the problem before washing the clothing with the right amount of detergent, the right kind of detergent, and allowing it to dry fully will help freshen it right up.
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