Why Do My Clothes Smell After Drying?
Have you ever noticed that your clothes smell a little strange after you dry them? Or that despite a full tumble dryer cycle your clothes have a musty smell? It’s not just your imagination- there’s actually a reason for that. In this post, we’ll explain what’s causing your clothes to smell and how to prevent it. Keep reading to learn more!
Why Is There A Damp Smell In Your Clothes?
Now, there are several reasons why you end up with smelly clothes. You can easily work out to eradicate these points and get a fresh laundry basket. With little effort, you can observe a significant change.
Let us talk about these reasons in detail. Along with each reason, we will also talk about how to stop clothes smelling damp, specifically associated with each factor.
Little Or Excessive Usage Of Laundry Detergent
Do you measure out the quantity of detergent you use every time, or do you just throw a glug in and hope for the best? Excess detergent won’t wash away properly and may be trapped in the cloth, causing waterlogging and mould to develop, which in turn means your clothes smell damp when they come out the wash.
On the other hand, insufficient detergent might prevent your clothes from properly being cleaned during the washing cycle.
How To Resolve?
Make sure to see the detergent drawer or bottle for dosage instructions. They’ll generally focus on a 6 or 7 kg load, so if you have a bigger machine, you’ll probably need to add extra soap powder or liquid. You may reduce the amount of detergent you use by 50% simply by cutting out a few articles of clothing. If you only clean a small quantity of apparel, however, you might not need as much detergent powder or liquid.
Handy dosing balls are available from several laundry brands. If yours isn’t, it’s worth investing in a measuring cup. Alternatively, you could switch to pills to make life simpler. Choosing a fragranced detergent or adding a fabric conditioner will also help to make your clothes smell fresher for longer.
Your Washing Machines Need Cleansing
Washers have a terrible habit of retaining stagnant water, accumulating limescale, germs, and mildew, as well as clogged filters.
How To Resolve?
Fortunately, there is seldom a need to contact a repair service. Cleaning your machine isn’t as difficult as it sounds, and there’s not much elbow work involved.
Go through a washing machine cleaning guide!
Your Washing Machine Gets Overloaded
Now, when you’re showering, we’d guess you move around a bit to ensure that you’re thoroughly clean. You don’t wrap yourself up in a ball. Clothes also require room to breathe, or else they won’t be completely clean and which could be the underlying reason your clothes smell bad.
How To Resolve?
So, it’s possible that the washing machine is not emitting an unpleasant odour; you’re just not allowing it to do its job properly.
We all know how enticing it is to pile things as full as possible in order to minimize loads but resist the urge (unless you want to wander around smelling like sour milk from your clothes).
Your Damp Clothes Are Taking Too Long To Dry
Do you want to know how to stop clothes from smelling damp? Dry them as soon as possible. It might take longer for laundry to completely dry if you air dry it a damp place with poor ventilation, this can lead to the wet clothes developing a damp smell.
How To Resolve?
If you don’t want to wait for your laundry to air out after drying it indoors, consider buying a dehumidifier. It will also assist in keeping all of that water from going into the air in your house, which can cause damp issues and make your house feel colder.
If you’re using a tumble dryer, don’t overfill it and try to dry similar-weight items at the same time. This will also keep your tumble dryer from smelling and in optimal working condition.
Damp Clothes Have Been Put Without Drying
Finally, the requirement to dry laundry promptly comes into play. Even if you only slightly dampen sheets, wet laundry, and towels before putting them away, they will soon acquire an unpleasant odour and start smelling damp.
Because the excess moisture will not find its way out properly. Spread your clothes properly until they are completely dry.
Clothes Have Been In Storage For Long
Clothes that have been unused for a long period of time can begin to acquire a damp smell.
How To Resolve?
If you don’t have the time or energy to wash them daily, hang them outside on the line for a couple of hours to revitalize them. The scent of mildew is often sufficient by itself, even if it isn’t sunny out. Fresh air can do wonders for the human race.
If that doesn’t work, give them a spin in the machine for a minute or two with some fabric conditioner.
Place a tiny scented lavender bag in with your clothing the next time you’re keeping them for an extended period (such as storing winter attire in the loft over the summer).
Your Clothes Need A Hot Wash
If you’ve followed the guidelines above and your clothes still smell after washing, it’s possible that they need a complete wash with warm water in your washing machine.
How To Resolve?
Lower temperatures assist to preserve textiles, but they aren’t very effective at removing sweaty aromas. Wash your clothes on a long wash at the maximum temperature recommended by the garment’s label.
You may also use a couple of teaspoons of white vinegar in the detergent compartment. It won’t give your clothes that fish and chip shop aroma, we can promise.
You Leave Your Clothes In Washing Machine For Long
If your clothing smell damp after washing, it’s likely that you should remove them sooner.
The more time you leave them in the washing machine, the more they’ll smell stale. Consider setting your washing machine to “delay start” so that it finishes at a more convenient hour.
Your Clothes Require Decluttering
When air isn’t able to circulate around your clothes, they will soon acquire a musty odour. If you can hang them instead of folding them.
And leave space between each item if possible. If you do need to fold them, avoid packing your drawers to the brim – it might be time for a little declutter.
Wrapping It Up!
Now, you know why you get damp smells from your clothes. Moreover, you know how to remove those damp smells from your clothing effectively. All of these steps require little effort and should help you to get your clothes smelling just the way you like them!
