Mildew Smell in Towels

As mentioned, when towels are unclean or stay in a closed space for long, they have all chances of developing a mildew smell. This symptom clearly indicates that they are unclean and have remained damp for a very long time. The concern is not only about the smell but using such towels may affect your health, as well. Getting rid of mildew smell is not an easy job. So, keeping towels from getting damp is the best you can do to save yourself from all the cleaning and drying you would have to do later. But when it is too late for preventing the mildew, here are some home remedies you can consider to put to use.

Getting Rid of Mildew Smell

The very first step is to get the smelly stuffs thoroughly washed in a washing machine. Get hot water and add one or two cups of vinegar, instead of detergent or the like. Now after the towels have been washed, it is time to give them a second trip of washing. This time you may use normal detergent. Even here, make use of some hot water. Take care not to use any kind of fabric softener. After the wash, turn the setting on high heat and let the towels dry up thoroughly. Alternatively, if your place receives a good amount of sunlight, then hang the towels outside for the whole day, until sunset. Sunlight is a natural exterminator of mold and mildew.

This treatment usually gets rid of the mildew smell and stain as well. However, if not, then you may use a mixture of 2 tbsp. of chlorine bleach with 1 qt. of warm water in order to give the towels a bleach treatment and for a complete mildew stain removal. But first, place a drop or two of the solution onto a small area of the corner of the towels. This is to see if the towels are color safe. So, if there is no color change then you can proceed with the bleaching treatment. Apply the solution to the mildew-affected parts of the towels and let them sit for 15 - 20 minutes. Thereafter, give a hot wash to the towels once again using laundry detergent. Hang them out in the sun for the final removal of the mild stains and smell. And that should give you mildew-free, fresh smelling and as-good-as-new bath towels.

Some More Tips

This method involves the use of ammonia. First, wash the towels in a washing machine using a normal detergent. Always remember to use hot water and avoid any fabric softener. Now, when the rinse cycle initiates, simply add a cup of clear ammonia in the washer. Give it a wait for sometime until the washer is done with its work. Once done, hang them out in full sun immediately or get them dry using normal dryer settings.

Remember to smell the towels after they have been washed. If the smell seems to be stubborn, then you can use the bleaching treatment, as described above. Or, you may soak the towels overnight in the washer. The amount of hot water to be used must be enough to cover the towels. Also, add a cup of ammonia. The following morning, wash the towels using normal detergent and get them dry thoroughly under the sun or in the dryer.

It is likely that your towels may not be completely mildew-free from the first wash. But with repeated attempts, they will be, as I said, as good as new!