Four ways to stop your clothes smelling musty after washing – and the product to ditch immediately
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WITH the weather taking a turn for the worse and heating bills continuing to rise, many of us are on the hunt for quick and easy ways to dry our washing.
So if you don’t want to turn your tumble dryer on, and don’t fancy hanging your washing on the line, only for it to be freezing cold and crispy, you’ve come to the right place.
Not only this, but there’s nothing worse than spending ages waiting for your clothes to dry, only for them to smell musty.
But luckily for you, more and more people are looking for cheap solutions to get their laundry dry and smelling fresh this winter, and thanks to Facebook users, here are four ways to stop your clothes smelling musty after washing.
On , a public Facebook group with a staggering 334,000 members, Aimeé Lily asked fellow cleaning enthusiasts how to stop her washing from smelling bad.
She asked: “Someone please help me, it's driving me insane!! I’m in a two bed flat, not massive but not small (no balcony).
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“During the winter I get a proper musky smell on my washing and I cannot shift it.
“I literally got this out the washing machine at 7pm and it’s had two spins and been hung up since.
“If I use the heating it makes the smell worse.
“I saw on TikTok to use a fan and [have a] window open if you don’t have a dehumidifier.
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“Nothing works for me, it just stinks and doesn’t even smell like I’ve washed them.
“I use scent boosters, two pods, and fabric conditioner too and all I can smell is musk.
“It doesn’t smell damp or anything, just this weird smell.”
Cleaning fans were eager to share their advice in the comments, with over 600 comments left on the post.
Four of the most common solutions that were put forward to Aimeé were to clean her washing machine, use a dehumidifier, swap the fabric conditioner for white vinegar and try using a heated dryer.
One cleaning whizz said: “Try cleaning out the drain pump filter on your washing machine, it will make the world of difference.”
Whilst another agreed: “Your washing machine needs to be cleaned. Check the rim, it’s probably covered in mould.”
At the same time, someone else suggested a dehumidifier and added: “The only thing that will work to prevent the musty smell, short of having it taken for tumble drying, is a dehumidifier. It really works and it doesn’t use a lot of electricity.”
Whilst another cleaning fan wrote: “Dehumidifier. I got one for 25 quid. Brilliant, does the job.”
If you fancy trying out a dehumidifier, there’s a variety of different ones available on the market - so if you want a budget buy for under a tenner, or something that’s more of an investment, you’re sure to find something for you.
Voted ‘the best dehumidifier overall’ by the , was the MeacoDry 10L dehumidifier, which will cost you £149.99.
If you fancy getting your hands on this Meaco dehumidifier, you can nab one from a range of high-street stores, including B&Q and John Lewis.
Chris Michael, managing director of , leading UK air treatment specialist, explained that while dehumidifiers can be great to dry your clothes, they can also be beneficial to reducing mould inside your home too.
To understand how to combat mould appearing and spreading, it’s crucial to understand why it appears and what contributes to its growth.
Drying laundry naturally indoors on airers will increase the moisture in the air, which needs to go somewhere. As a result, a dehumidifier is a great option to help reduce the humidity levels at home.
While there is an initial cost, many dehumidifiers are highly energy-efficient, some costing as little as 4p per hour to run.
Using a dehumidifier to dry laundry is more cost-effective than a tumble dryer, which generally costs over £1 per load.
Some dehumidifiers also offer further benefits with built-in air purifiers, providing added value.
In the long run, the energy efficiency of a dehumidifier can save households hundreds of pounds per year by reducing moisture levels.
Not only this, but according to some Facebook users, if you want to banish grim smells from your clothes, you need to ditch the fabric conditioner and use white vinegar instead.
One user explained: “May sound crazy but it does work, try adding white vinegar to a wash. I put it in the conditioner compartment in the machine. I also wash towels with washing powder and vinegar (no fabric conditioner).”
Whilst someone else commented: “I respectfully suggest you stop using all those "scents" just as trial! Use distilled white vinegar as a rinse (a splash in the fabric softener compartment). I only use vinegar and my wash always smells fresh... Good luck.”
Finally, if all else fails, other cleaning fans recommended investing in a heated airer.
One claimed: “Heated airer - fantastic and cheaper than a tumble dryer. Keeps the room warm as well, wouldn’t be without mine now.”
As another advised: “I use a heated airer. Wash at night, dry in the morning, clean the washer regularly including the sealable rubber and leave the door open when not in use.”
So if you’ve tried a dehumidifier and weren’t that keen, or fancy ditching your tumble dryer for good, an electric airer could be the answer.
Many have recently raved about a heated airer from Lakeland - the Dry: Soon 3-Tier heated airer, which will set you back £159.99.
This dryer can hold 15kg of washing and will dry your clothes quickly in winter.
It folds down to 8cm deep and comes with a three year guarantee.
Lakeland has a variety of other heated airers available too, in different sizes, with prices ranging from £129.99 to £224.98.
While the dryer may seem expensive, the cost of using it is far cheaper and therefore much more affordable in the long run than a standard tumble dryer.
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Not only this, but it’s sure to put a stop to the nasty smell that some experience when drying clothes on a standard airer.
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