Clothes smelling musty

[Princesa]

Hi!

I have a dress that smells musty every time I wear it. Other things that go in the wash with it come out smelling fine. I tumble dry things, but I’m wondering if it needs a lot longer than the other things and therefore it’s still damp when I take it out? It’s only ever this one dress, so it’s weird. I’ve never used tumble dryer sheets before, would they help?

[pinkstargirl]

I had this with a pair of jeans and one of my work polo shirts - they'd always smell damp even though washed and dried with other similar items that were fine - I don't use a dryer though, they get hung on a clothes horse. I now wash them at 60 and they smell fine. It might be risky with a dress but it's one option!

[JoJo88]

DS has a thing with his school jumpers, however with him, they’re fine when he leaves the house, but when he gets home his jumpers are really musty. Poor kid, I sniff him whenever he comes in! We think perhaps it might be the school bus, but I’m having to stop myself sniffing his mates too to see if they’re the same

He also has a drawer of football shirts and some of them develop a funny smell, yet his brother’s shirts don’t. It’s very frustrating not knowing why!

[archibald]

Try white vinegar in the softener bit of your washing machine. My son's fleece onsie developed an 'interesting' aroma which was zapped by vinegar.

[Minnie18]

I don't have a tumble dryer and dry my washing in front of my log fire. I swear by home bargains little pearl balls/or Tesco own brand. they make your clothes smell lovely.

In home bargains it was Lenor un stoppable for a few pounds.

[mouli1]

Dettol do a spray for clothes .I just used it on a dry clean only skirt and it really smells lovely
Maybe try one of those

[wanye]

lenor dryer sheets. use them in the dryer, but also put them in your drawers with your clothes to make things smell fresher for longer!

[megaflyer]

Originally Posted by pinkstargirl

I . I now wash them at 60 and they smell fine. It might be risky with a dress but it's one option!

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I wash at 60 where I can or 50 lowest - high temps needed to activate all the enzyme things in wash powder I read somewhere. Can’t be doing with cool washes - dry clothes thoroughly and then iron hot and air again for 24 hrs before putting away in wardrobes. All my clothes smell fresh )I have a lavender bags in my wardrobes too - deters moths and I love the smell when I open the doors )

[paw]

We have a problem with clothes stored in 2 of our 5 wardrobes, both on internal walls. Certain clothes hung in them always had a musty smell. Went through drying them longer; washing with the little balls; lavender bags hung between clothes and lots of tumble trier sheets in pockets etc and putting those little damp collectors in (wow the amount of moisture they collected, coats are now hung to air for a few hours after wearing). Have now solved it with adding Zoflora to the final rinse. Clearly bacteria was surviving the wash on just a few man made materials.

[mrs rcch]

Not clothes but towels in our house. As others have said, it’s all connected to doing your wash on a cool programme.
I washed all the towels in a 60 wash, and no conditioner, they are fine now. 👍🏻