Why do freshly washed towels sometimes smell so bad, even though we took them out of the machine as soon as they were washed and used a scented laundry detergent? We discover the cause of this not so rare phenomenon and what you can do in the future to prevent it from happening again!
If freshly washed towels smell when you take them out of the washing machine, there is only one reason: bacteria! These and fungus build up in the washing machine over time, leaving towels with an unpleasant smell. Another reason: the bacteria were already on the towels because we had them, for example (too) long in the laundry basket. And ordinary laundry detergent in this case will not be effective in the fight against unpleasant odors.
What helps with smelly towels is bicarbonate of soda, which will neutralize unpleasant odors. Simply add a tablespoon of baking soda to your regular detergent and wash the towels on 60 degrees Celsius or more.
5 tricks to avoid unpleasant odors on freshly washed towels/clothes
Do not close the washing machine
Do not close the washing machine drum after washing. If air cannot circulate, fungus will develop in the washing machine from the water left in it.
Do not only use the cold wash program
Maybe you prefer to wash your laundry on a cold wash program because you want to save money? You can do this with clothes, but wash towels, bedclothes, etc. at 60 degrees Celsius or higher to kill bacteria and better wash away the built-up layer of dirt in the washing machine, which can clog the drain, among other things.
Clean the washing machine filter
If you repeatedly pick up smelly towels from the washing machine, it is possible that the filter is clogged, that bacteria or fungi have accumulated in the detergent dosing container, or that the towels have been in the laundry basket for too long.
Give the savings program a break here and there
It is exemplary that you wash on an economical program, as this is better for the environment. However, this program usually fails to clean the machine as well in its last step - rinsing. So from time to time it won't hurt to run a rinse program (that is, wash at 60 degrees Celsius and above) to remove dirt and bacteria.
Pick up dry laundry only
Laundry that has not yet completely dried has nothing to look for in the closet! Towels can only be placed in the closet when they are completely dry.
