What should you do if your towels stink after washing?

After taking a bath or shower, you want to wrap yourself in a soft towel and feel its pleasant smell in order to consolidate the positive emotions from “bathing.” However, sometimes the mood is spoiled by the repulsive aroma emanating from the thing - an amber of dampness, mustiness. I want to immediately wash a fresh towel. Let's figure out why this happens and what to do to avoid such disappointment.

Looking for the causes of the smell

Why do towels stink after washing? In fact, there is a simple explanation for this. But before analyzing the reasons, I would like to voice the main rule: do not delay cleaning the towels. This is important because they are almost always wet and particles of skin, hair, and dirt accumulate in them. Products require regular maintenance.

If the towel waits “in the wings” for several days in the basket for dirty laundry, the repulsive smell, even after spinning in the washing machine, cannot be avoided.

So, the main reasons that towels smell unpleasant:

• bacteria. Harmful microorganisms quickly multiply in fabric fibers; their “food” is dead skin flakes remaining on the fabric after wiping the body and hair. If the “smell” remains after washing, it means the towel has not been washed;
• oleic acid. It ensures proper metabolism, that is, human metabolism. This component of sebum gives a nasty odor to both towels and sleeping accessories. The acid gets deep into the fibers of the material, after a while it begins to decompose, hence the disgusting “aroma”.Fat also helps the spread of microbes, acting as feeding material for them;
• improper drying. Just the option when it would seem that only a towel pulled out of the closet stinks. Perhaps it was dried in a closed room where there was no air circulation, or in a room with too high humidity, which is why the product hung damp for a couple of days. To remove the mold smell, you will have to re-wash the item and dry it properly.

So, there are several reasons why towels stink. To avoid such a problem, you should wash the products as often as possible and dry them in a well-ventilated area. But what to do if a stale “aroma” has already appeared? Let's figure out how to get rid of the smell of dampness and mold.

Methods to get rid of stench

No one will like using a foul-smelling towel, knowing that it is a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. However, “smell” is not a reason to throw away an item. You can try to wash the product to return the canvas to its former cleanliness.

You can refresh your towel and remove unpleasant odors using:

• boiling;
• bleach;
• lye;
• use of modern laundry detergents.

Our great-grandmothers used the first method. Although boiling can make terry towels tougher, it is the most effective method of fighting bacteria. It won’t be difficult to soften the item – just rinse it afterwards with the addition of conditioner.

Moreover, you can boil towels not only on the stove, in a large saucepan, using laundry soap, as was done several years ago. Today, most washing machines have a “Boiling” mode.If there is no such program, you should start another one, lasting about two hours and heating the water to 90-95 °C. This method is only good for towels made from natural fabrics.

Another option for dealing with unpleasant odors is the use of products containing chlorine. We are talking about “Whiteness”, “Duckling”, “Chlorine tablets”. To understand the dosage of the composition, you should study the information on the packaging. For example, for 10 liters of water you will need one measuring cap of whiteness.

The instructions for using chlorine-containing detergents for washing towels are always the same:

• fill a basin with water at the desired temperature;
• pour the chemicals there, mix the solution well;
• soak towels in the resulting liquid;
• Wash items by hand or in a machine.

Some products can be poured directly into the washing machine. You need to carefully read the recommendations for using the composition and strictly follow the instructions so as not to harm the machine or things.

The smell of bleach will disappear when dried, leaving the towels clean and fresh.

Lye will help remove the musty “aroma”. This folk remedy does not smell of anything, is completely rinsed out of fabric fibers, and makes things soft. You will have to make the mixture yourself. To make lye:

• fill a third of the jar with wood ash;
• pour water to the top of the container, stir;
• remove all floating particles;
• leave the ash for three days or boil the mixture until it is almost transparent and soft to the touch. When preparing lye by boiling, it will usually take an hour to an hour and a half;
• Carefully drain the liquid, making sure that no ash gets in there. This “water” is the disinfectant we need.

Next, you can boil the item with lye in a saucepan, or add the mixture to an automatic washing machine. There will be no trace left of the disgusting “darling”.

Lye has several advantages:

• absolutely harmless to humans;
• gives things softness, like after a rinse aid;
• maintains color and returns brightness to fabrics;
• does not damage the fibers of the material, but only strengthens them.

Lye has its disadvantages. Firstly, it combats odor only, without removing stains. Secondly, you need to prepare the mixture in advance.

And finally, you can always resort to modern detergents. Now in stores it is easy to find gels and powders that help remove odors, carry out antimicrobial treatment, restore color, and remove old stains. To clean towels you can purchase:

• Concentrated washing liquid Top Hygia. This is an antibacterial agent that destroys harmful microorganisms that have settled in the material. Can be used for both manual and machine cleaning. The manufacturer guarantees that the components are washed out of the fibers in just one rinse cycle. An important advantage of Top Hygia is that the composition inhibits the growth of bacteria after washing the towels.
• Nanox LION Gel. The composition contains a substance that helps destroy oleic acid accumulated in fabric fibers. Also one of the components of the product is tea tree extract. The additive is famous for its antimicrobial properties. The liquid does not contain phosphates that are harmful to the environment.

There are plenty of ways to deal with the damp, stale smell of towels. You shouldn’t immediately put a cross on the product and throw it away.Try boiling the item, washing it with a special product, or treating it with chlorine-containing compounds.

Bamboo or linen towels

I would like to pay special attention to the most common types of towels. Let's figure out why linen and bamboo products can smell unpleasant.

Any natural fabric is an excellent basis for the life and reproduction of harmful microorganisms.

Therefore, you should not think that linen towels are not threatened by a repulsive smell and mustiness. This is wrong. Natural materials require regular, timely care and proper drying. Then things will not disappoint you with an unpleasant “aroma”.

Manufacturers of bamboo fiber claim that it produces a powerful antiseptic that prevents the growth of bacteria and mold. Towels made of such material are considered the most hygienic, however, they can also be haunted by a “smell.” Over time, housewives note that bamboo products begin to stink.

Perhaps, after a long time of use, the antiseptic properties of bamboo are lost, and bacteria still settle in the fibers of the fabric. It may also be that there are few pure bamboo towels; they usually contain an admixture of cotton. It is because of the additives that the disinfecting effect may not be so obvious.

How to get rid of moisture?

The main reason for “musty” towels is their improper drying. To avoid unpleasant odors, here are some tips to consider. So, things will smell fresh if:

• do not dry them in the kitchen, and especially not in the bathroom. The humidity in these rooms is always high, this will affect the drying result;
• After washing, hang the towels in the fresh air, under the sun's rays.Ultraviolet radiation will provide additional antibacterial effect.

If it is not possible to hang towels on the balcony, you need to straighten them on the dryer and place the structure in a room with open windows.

There is a secret “weapon” that will help your products smell good. Place cotton pads generously moistened with aromatic oil under the dryer. By using this life hack, you will put things in your closet that already exude a delicate aroma.

Fragrant addition

And finally, the products must be stored correctly. To ensure that you enjoy drying yourself with a towel and that it is pleasant to hold it close to your body, it is recommended to place natural shock absorbers on the cabinet shelf. This is about:

• bags with fragrant herbs. You can make them yourself or buy them at the supermarket. For example, lavender will smell for years, transmitting a delicate aroma to clean linen;
• delicious smelling toilet soap. Just remove the “block” from the packaging and put it in your wardrobe. A wonderful aroma will be provided to things;
• incense sticks. Place them in the desired section of the closet to spread a delicate amber.

You can also pay attention to artificial fragrances intended for installation in washing machines, fragrant plaster figurines impregnated with a special concentrated composition. Also today, a huge number of aromatic devices for the home are produced: bottles, sachets, aerosols.

Don't forget the basic rules for storing things. The closet shelves should not be filled to capacity with linen; be sure to ensure free air circulation inside. It is ideal to order wardrobe systems with mesh, perforated shelves.

Now it’s clear what to do when the towels smell bad even after washing.What household chemicals and methods to use to neutralize the smell is the choice of the housewife. It is also important to remember that frequent washing will not harm towels; it is better to load them into the machine every 3-4 days of use.

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