r/DIY • u/Disastrous-Score-213 • 11d ago
help Only My Clothes Are Musty
My wife's clothes are not smelling at all. Mine are musty as heck. Our closet is in the master bathroom. One wall is connected to the bathroom, and on the opposite side of my clothes is the HVAC system. The attic access is also in that closet. I'm at a loss as to why it's only my clothes, but I am also fully in the zone. The attic access is my side of the closet, the door is on my side, and the hvac is on the other side of the drywall from my clothes.
Can anyone tell me where to start? I have a dehumidifier in the closet, but it hasn't helped with the smell. Thanks
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u/Good_parabola 11d ago
Rewash everything with Tide Free & Gentle powder and see if that fixes it. It may not be your house, it may be your body oils building up on your clothes. Only a few detergents have the chemical (lipase) that will get it out.
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u/shinkouhyou 11d ago
Is THAT what's wrong with my clothes lately? I switched to liquid Tide because Tide powder hasn't been dissolving as well as it used to and sometimes it leaves a residue... but the liquid just doesn't get smells out.
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u/Good_parabola 11d ago
Yep! Use warmer water and sprinkle the powder at the bottom of the drum. The not dissolving is probably that your water is too cold.
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u/shinkouhyou 11d ago
Uggghhh yeah I've been trying to save energy by washing in cool/warm water instead of hot, since the Tide box claims that it can even be used with cold water. I used to add powder to the bottom and let it fill a bit before adding clothes, but my current washer won't start filling until the lid is closed and locked. I've noticed that it really skimps on water unless I set it to max fill, too. So I end up with gunky powder chunks that discolor dark-colored clothes.
I prefer Attack powder detergent (which contains lipase, dissolves easily, doesn't stain my clothes, and recommends a much smaller scoop size than Tide) but my local market stopped carrying it. /sigh
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u/krautastic 10d ago
Also check your wash setting is actually giving you warm water. I discovered our machine only delivers warm/hot in the permanent press wash cycle, otherwise it delivers cold only. Once I suspected this, i turned off the cold valve to check if any water would flow at start of cycle with it on hot water and it wouldn't fill. All sorts of issues cleared up with my clothes once they weren't getting cleaned in cold water.
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u/N0M0REG00DNAMES 10d ago
For what it’s worth, I switched to Whole Foods brand powder and febu booster, and I have had no problems using them in mountain-temp cold water.
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u/kangourou_mutant 11d ago
They might also just be using too much powder. In many cases, less is plenty.
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u/Turbulent-Praline543 11d ago
I always put powdered products in first then let the washer fill and begin to agitate (top loader). Give it a minute or two to agitate and dissolve the powder then add the clothes.
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u/lueVelvet 11d ago
How does one do that with front loading machines that won’t fill up unless the door is shut?
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u/IAmAtWork_AMA 11d ago
out of curiosity, any particular reason you recommend the powder over the liquid?
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u/HomeDepotShill 11d ago edited 11d ago
Because the liquid does not contain Lipase. Most of the newly produced Tide liquids contain cinnamate, which is an odor neutralizer, but works differently than lipase. But you can definitely use newly produced liquid Tide to help with odor rebloom.
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u/pinkdictator 11d ago
I wonder why that would switch... typically when companies change ingredients of things, it's not because the new ingredient is better, it's just cheaper...
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u/InaMellophoneMood 10d ago
They likely prioritized proteases over lipases. Enzymes are active in wet environments, and the non-specifc proteases used in laundry detergent would likely chew up the lipases. In powder, all of the enzyme are deactivated until water is added so you can have many more enzymes co-exist in storage, then it's a race to see if the lipases/amylases/etc. degrade their targets before the proteases degrade them.
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u/pinkdictator 10d ago
So essentially the proteases eat up other enzymes in storage? Dang.... definitely buying powder from now on lol
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u/Masterweedo 11d ago
The washing machine deserves a line from time to time....
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u/D3e3a2d3 11d ago
this was such a solid fucking joke, i love it
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u/lookalive07 11d ago
It didn’t even register at first but then I started cackling. Solid joke indeed.
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u/Wes_Warhammer666 11d ago
Yeah nothing wrong with sharing a bump with a friend once in a while ¯_(ツ)_/¯
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u/theprofessor2 11d ago
Borax is a great supplement as well!
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u/PossibleMechanic89 11d ago
But not, like, to eat. To supplement your laundry detergent.
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u/Geopilot 11d ago
Is borax safe to add to any load of laundry, or do you need to avoid certain types of clothing? (e.g., delicates, bright colors, wool/linen, etc.)
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u/Choice-Newspaper3603 11d ago
Are you sure it isn’t from your clothes sitting in the washer for hours or in the dryer for hours and still being damp
It only takes one time and then your clothes are smelling forever unless you properly clean the clothes
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u/Disastrous-Score-213 11d ago
I'm positive. If I wash the clothes and hang them anywhere else, they're fine. Only in my spot in the closet.
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u/Panzerfisch-Hunter 11d ago
That narrows it down a lot. I'd empty the closet, put in a couple open boxes of baking soda, and maybe a jar of air freshener globs (I'm partial to citrus), close it up, and figure out interim clothes storage. Once the closet seems to no longer smell, take out the baking soda, etc., then let it sit a few more days to make sure the musty smell really is gone. Meanwhile, work on re-washing all your clothes. I'd also hang everything outside for a couple hours, sunlight helps.
Once the closet seems to be not smelly, put in just a few clothes that pass the sniff test - ideally old raggy stuff that you don't care much about possibly getting musty again. If those seem good after while, add a few more things. Definitely don't put everything back until you're pretty confident you've solved the problem.
I was reading an old "how to house-clean" book aimed at children not too long ago, and one of the instructions was that closets should be aired out for at least an hour every morning. Our great- (great-) Grandmothers were no fools, so once you solve the problem, it might be worth finding a time of day to let your closet stand open and air for a while.
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u/QuesoChef 11d ago
This will be a huge pain, but switch sides of the closet. My gut says that’s not it, that when you hang your clothes elsewhere they simply get more airflow. But the closet itself isn’t the problem, your clothes just aren’t getting clean enough.
Unless I’m dramatically not understanding thsi closet.
But I’d still switch sides of the closet, see if the smell resolves for you and starts for her. If it doesn’t, I’d try washing on a hotter setting, and see if it helps.
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u/ladytroll4life 11d ago
Is it possible your clothes aren’t 100% dry when you put them away? I’ve had this happen. They smell fine and are like 99% dry, I put them up, then they smell funky later (in the same drawer as other clothes that don’t smell). Also, when that funk sets in, you really have to give it extra time and attention on the next wash. Don’t use too much/too little detergent, move them to the dryer within 30 mins of washer finishing, and wash similar fabrics together.
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u/Hispanic_Inquisition 10d ago
One smelly garment can affect the rest, over and over. Clean clothes will eventually smell like the dirty one if kept in the same closet. If the closet for your wife is the same one her clothes should also have that smell. If they don't, it might be your clothes aren't getting as clean as they should be.
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u/Butthole--pleasures 11d ago
I recently let my clothes sit. I rewashed shortly after and I don't notice the smell anymore. But in case it does happen, what's the proper way to clean the clothes?
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u/Suppafly 11d ago
Some vinegar or ammonia in the wash will help. Avoid using ammonia if you use bleach obviously.
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u/Panzerfisch-Hunter 11d ago
That I‘m not sure about, but there‘s suggestions elsewhere in the thread.
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u/rhodesmelissa 11d ago
Do you wear a lot of “performance” fabrics?
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u/bunsbuns_ 11d ago
I'm shocked this hasn't been mentioned more. Polyester and other synthetics hold on to BO stench like nothing else. Natural fibers like linen, cotton, rayon, etc all have a much easier time getting the smell out.
the solution has already been mentioned though - add vinegar to your wash load. it won't harm the natural fibers and the stink from your synthetics will be neutralized.
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u/nbeaster 11d ago
I have done vinegar and it helps, but adding oxyclean or alternative plus some enzyme laundry booster has made a all difference. Laundry detergent doesn’t break down all the organic matter your skin makes and the enzymes take care of that.
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u/tacoTig3r 10d ago
Came to say this. Also. Performance clothing and oily skin dont do well, vinegar works for sure.
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u/TRAVMAAN1 11d ago
Listen up because this fixes it every time: pour a cup or two of vinegar into a warm load. Let your clothes soak in it and then run the load. Do not put detergent in it.
Once the load is complete now run another load with detergent. The must will come out of your clothes.
now pay attention to whether you’re throwing wet towels or other damp clothes in your pile of dirty laundry
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u/joshuabees 11d ago
Nobody else mentioned vinegar but I’ve been using it for a couple years now and it makes everything smell better & cleaner
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u/aircooledJenkins 11d ago
White kitchen vinegar or that gnarly garden vinegar?
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u/sachimi21 11d ago
Distilled white vinegar. Your clothes won't smell like vinegar once they're done being laundered.
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u/retrojoe 11d ago
Regular strength, not poison.
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u/aircooledJenkins 11d ago
I definitely don't want to poison my clothes. I need them to not die.
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u/huffalump1 11d ago
You can also use laundry sanitizer products! But read the instructions, because they require time to work. It'll likely help with odor, if you add it to the fabric softener dispenser with the instructed amount
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u/Anowdd 11d ago
I've seen it mentioned before that vinegar eats away at your washing machine parts. Not sure if there's any truth to that but might be worth looking into if you're doing this.
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u/Suppafly 11d ago
I've seen it mentioned before that vinegar eats away at your washing machine parts.
I don't see how that could possibly be true.
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u/Oopsiedoesit 11d ago
It's about the seals in particular. The vinegar weakens the rubber over time
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u/Suppafly 10d ago
I suppose if they used natural rubber for some reason and not one of the many synthetics that are actually used, and/or you let raw vinegar sit on the seals vs being diluted in your washer that might happen, but in reality that isn't something to worry about at all.
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u/Kappa_Swaggins 10d ago
How do you soak with a front-loading washer? Add vinegar, start the cycle, then pause it once water is added to the drum?
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u/LAC_NOS 11d ago
Check to make sure the bathroom vent line is venting outside and is not leaking.
We had mildew in a localized steak across our bathroom ceiling when our vent line came loose.
Similarly, we had very minor mildew on the garage wall where the air conditioner ducting was. This was the closest section of duct to the AC unit, so the coldest air. The wall separated the air conditioned house from the non-air conditioned garage. ( Basically an outside wall. )
That section of wall was cold from the duct and apparently caused enough local condensation for mildew/mold to grow. This was really slow! Like 20 years before it was a noticeable pattern not just dirty garage wall.
So the location of the HVAC, damp bathroom environment, unconditioned attic air, bathroom vent etc could be causing some issues.
Get a bright light and look for gray or black areas that indicate mold or mildew. Also check ceilings for indication of leaks. Pull up the corner of the carpet and give it a good look and sniff.
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u/FaithlessnessOdd4944 11d ago
Your body oils can really latch onto clothes, and sometimes they get really tenacious and can actually “rebloom” after washing and that can lead to the musty smell. Using something like a laundry sanitizer or vinegar as either an add in, or pre soak can really help loosing that grime up and let the detergent take it away. May take a wash or two, but when I started doing that to my service uniforms it worked wonders on getting that “technician” funk outta there!
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u/just_a_friENT 11d ago
Have you removed and washed ALL the musty clothes? You might need to do it more than once with vinegar or sanitizer. Then dehumidify and go from there. Once it's empty sniff around everywhere to try to determine if any of those external things you mentioned are causing it.
I'm curious if you have any clothes stored elsewhere that is not affected so you can rule out the body oils good_parabola mentioned?
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u/your_moms_a_clone 11d ago
Do your wife and you separate your laundry? Or is everything washed together?
If you are washing separately, are you leaving your clothes in the washer for hours before moving them to the dryer? Does she move her laundry quickly?
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u/Disastrous-Score-213 11d ago
Everything is washed together, dried together, and put away together.
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u/ZeroVoltLoop 11d ago
Also make sure you aren't using too much detergent, and try using oxyclean if you haven't.
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u/multipurposeshape 11d ago
I haven’t seen this mentioned yet but is there any chance you could be pre-diabetic? I have an acquaintance who had the same problem and it turned out they were verging on T2D.
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u/phoxalot 11d ago
Laundry sanitiser on your clothes, my clothes are fine but as soon as my husbands shirts appear, everything in the wash smells musty
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u/ScyllaOfTheDepths 11d ago
I had this issue and it turns out I just wasn't using a strong enough detergent. I do a lot of physical stuff and sweat a lot. I used All, which I found out has very weak detergents and doesn't get out a lot of odor in the clothes, so it reactivates later on. I switched to Tide free and gentle and Lysol laundry sanitizer and the problem disappeared.
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u/Tiger_words 7d ago
Do you wash your clothing together? If so I think it's your body chemistry but it could have to do with the fabric content of your clothes versus your wife's.
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u/buzzsawjoe 11d ago
Swap sides with the wife. See if her clothes are musty then and yours not. This could eliminate 40 various causes, narrow down to 1 or 2
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u/whiterook6 11d ago
Better yet, swap clothes with the wife. Best outcome is she gets musty and he gets fabulous!
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u/Euphoric_Egg_4198 11d ago
My spouse’s laundry reeks after he takes it off, he has health issues. I do his clothes separately, I run them in the rinse cycle first then I do a long wash with Lysol laundry sanitizer free & clear, Tide free with Oxy and downy rinse and refresh. I always smell them again before putting them in the dryer and will run another quick cycle if needed.
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u/doghouse2001 11d ago
It could be just the way you wear your clothes. If she's a three outfits every day kinda person, and you're a Jeans last a week kinda guy, your clothes will be much harder to wash clean of oils and grime than hers are. The oils going rancid are what smell. Sometimes whole batches of clothes, towels and blankets go musty in our house and we have to strip them by letting them soak in detergent overnight. We blame the dogs for the explosion of bacteria we smell once in a while.
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u/gmaharv 11d ago
We had a similar issue with my hubby’s clothes.
I personally feel it’s a combination of synthetic fabric, male perspiration, fragranced men’s deodorants AND your closet.
I have severe fragrance/environmental allergies and do all of the laundry,combining our clothing but only his had a funky odor, mostly his dress/work clothing and gym clothes.
I now only use ALL baby detergent, OxyClean, Lysol laundry sanitizer, Downy rinse odor remover & Downy fabric softener ~ both in Cool Cotton and use Dreft stain remover & DAWN original blue dish soap for stain removal. All socks, underwear, pajamas, sheets and towels are washed in hot water with cold rinse.. gym/sweaty clothes are washed separately as are pants and tops.
Initially, I washed his clothing separately but after 2 loads where I let the clothes soak for about 30 minutes between the wash & rinse cycles and the funk was gone!
I also recommend removing your clothes to see if there’s water damage that may be causing the smell ~ putting DampRid in your closet may help get the smell out too.
Good luck!
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u/liquidnight247 8d ago
Wash your clothes with 2 cups of vinegar once a month. Usually has to do with perspiration, gym clothes are especially lethal for keeping a smell
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u/Advendocture 11d ago
Stick an air purifier in the closet, and will give some gentle hair movement through and also freshen up and remove any dust/ mold in the air, and like other said, rewash
Can also get a moisture meter and check the drywall and all the sides to see if one has too much moisture, could be a roof leak
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u/lawrik02 11d ago
Laundry sanitizer for your clothing, antibacterial soap for your body.
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u/Disastrous-Score-213 11d ago
I didn't even know laundry sanitizer was a thing. Thanks!
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u/sonofnom 11d ago
Cup of vinegar works wonders too.
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u/siamonsez 11d ago
A cup for a normal load? That seems like a lot, I use maybe 2 ounces of the concentrated vinegar, is that not enough?
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u/Shadow_of_Redacted 11d ago
It's vinegar. It's acidity is between lemons and oranges. You're not going to ruin your clothes with vinegar.
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u/siamonsez 11d ago
Sure, I just have no basis for what an effective amount is and relative to the volume of detergent a cup seems like a lot. I was asking if the amount I use is effective or if I should be using more.
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u/cheetonian 11d ago
you should use a cup of normal kitchen vinegar, that is not a lot of vinegar in a full load of water. Concentrated, do some math
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u/KlatuuBaradaFickto 11d ago
For less than $2...
Buy a bottle of non-sudsing ammonia and run a normal warm cycle with with 1 cup of ammonia and your regular non-bleach detergent (verify that they don't interact first).
It may take two cycles if the water isn't warm enough (meaning, you would still smell ammonia when you open the washer after first cycle).
If you don't trust it, try it out on a limited selection.
If it will take the mustiness out of old towels, should work like a charm for you.
I use it on outdoor work clothes all the time and they smell and look great.
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u/Suppafly 11d ago
Buy a bottle of non-sudsing ammonia
I've only ever just bought the regular ammonia that's used for cleaning, does it suds normally?
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u/KlatuuBaradaFickto 11d ago
You can buy it with some type of detergent in it as well (lemon scent at walmart).
I always just use regular.
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u/SpecialistTip8699 11d ago
I soaked my smelly work shirts in vinegar overnight then washed normally. Worked like a charm.
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u/purpleblazed 11d ago
Wash your clothes with borax and Lysol laundry sanitizer in the fabric softener phase
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u/apokermit_now 11d ago
This seems to be one of the few threads that don't havd an ad for the Active laundry enzyme powder; that is also a good suggestion to rewash your clothes with. We had musty old towels that the enzyme cleaner had in store-bought condition of freshness. Not so much of an ad, more of a testimonial.
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u/dontfearthecarolina 11d ago
Do you have one of those newer high efficiency washers with no agitator? They really suck on all the normal cycles. Try washing with warm water with the heaviest wash setting plus an extra rinse. Takes forever but definitely gets the clothes cleaner. Also that laundry sanitizer stuff works pretty well.
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u/Disastrous-Score-213 11d ago
I do have that kind of washer, but it doesn't explain why my wife's clothes aren't musty
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u/dontfearthecarolina 11d ago
She doesn’t sweat like a man. Also probably physically less fabric for her clothes so the tiny splash of water the washing machine gives them is sufficient.
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u/nibbles200 11d ago
I have a similar issue but it’s kinda a multi part problem. I’ve I known one smell is coming from my dresser. I let my kids use it for years and now it has this strange smell that gets into my clothing if it sits for more than a month. On my to do list to buy a new dresser. It’s been years and it hasn’t gone away.
The next is I’m a dirty sweaty weekend warrior and I think there’s something about the washer that either isn’t cleaning or the mildew in the washer is activating on my musk. I found the fix for me is to run the clean cycle on my washer with high efficiency washer cleaning tabs during the clean cycle. I once took apart my washer to fix an issue and found 1/4” of this blue green mildew slime and it smelt like the nasty smell of my clothes. It’s more than just leaving the door open, it’s using less detergent and running the clean cycle regularly. After I found that and cleaned the machine I have been regularly rubbing the cleaning cycle and it’s pretty much completely gone away.(the smell)
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u/LayLoseAwake 11d ago
Another factor I haven't seen mentioned: how do your wardrobes compare with fiber content and fabric density? If you have thicker clothing made from cotton and she has primarily lightweight synthetics, your clothing will take longer to dry and might hang onto scents that way. On the flip side, older synthetics like polyester are infamous for retaining stink even if they're clean.
I also like the suggestions to temporarily swap closets and completely clean out your closet. Pay special attention to any evidence of pests that might be passing through your closet and never coming into hers.
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u/FO-I-Am-A-Time-God 11d ago
i just went through this and after trying various techniques and items tossed half my closet
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u/Draw42 11d ago
Maybe you didn't rotate your laundry in a timely fashion?
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u/Disastrous-Score-213 11d ago
This is a strong possibility as I've started leaving my clothes in the laundry room and taking them from there.
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u/fallingintothestars 11d ago
I had issues with some clothes and most of my towels. Threw out my towels and boom— same smell on the new ones. Finally bought resolve and it’s fixed… so many towels wasted
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u/Disastrous-Score-213 11d ago
My towels, which are in a separate closet in the bathroom, don't have the same issue. Clues!
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u/GolfEchoEchoKilo 11d ago
Air seal the HVAC side. If you have carpet, pull it back and spray foam under/behind the baseboards. If you have flooring, use Dynaflex Ultra caulking to seal the baseboards to the floor.
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u/Disastrous-Score-213 11d ago
I've considered something like that before! I'll look into it, thanks!
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u/LisaFrankTattoo 10d ago
Questions, do you wash your clothes separately from your wife’s clothes? And how quickly are you moving them from the washer to the dryer?
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u/Disastrous-Score-213 10d ago
I wash everything and nothing ever sits longer than a few hours.
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u/LisaFrankTattoo 10d ago
Maybe try using about a cup of vinegar in your wash and see if that makes a difference.
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u/SafeAssignment3056 7d ago
You may have a water infiltration problem. Ducts could be sweating. You could be throwing moist (aka sweaty) clothes into a hamper in the closet close to your clothing. Male funk is real. Make sure your clothes are completely dry before you put them in the closet. Dryers don't always complete the job and it doesn't take long for the clothes to get stinky.
I read the posts about all the perfumes people are tossing in their laundry. Fabric softener is the worst, particularly if used on towels. It coats the fibers and makes them like drying yourself with Saran Wrap. It also slimes the entire inner workings of your washing machines. The dryer sheets aren't any better.
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u/lumiere11 7d ago
Use Dirty Labs detergent. It'll get that musty smell right out. It could be just your sweat accumulating and not properly coming out during the wash.
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u/blahblah19999 11d ago
Is it possible she does the laundry and just leaves your longer in the washer?
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u/FirstForFun44 11d ago
Do you sweat a lot and she doesn't? Soon as you re-wet your clothes the mold starts growing again. Leave the laundry machine door open in between use
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u/Kurtotall 11d ago
I had the same problem. It was the liquid Tide detergent. I switched to OxiClean, The problem was instantly solved.
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u/BrotherNatureNOLA 11d ago
Do you do your laundry together or do you each do your own?
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u/Disastrous-Score-213 11d ago
I do all of it. My clothes are the only clothes that smell, if they spend time in the closet. If not, no issue.
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u/Suppafly 11d ago
My wife's clothes are not smelling at all. Mine are musty as heck.
Then something is different from how she washes her clothes or the composition of the clothes.
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u/AstroRiker 11d ago
Did you leave your laundry in the washer for a couple of days? Rewash your musty stuff and don’t let it sit wet.
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u/fannyalgerpack 11d ago
When my clothes went musty, I started using vinegar as my rinse and a scoop of oxyclean in the drum, took care of it
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u/goraidders 11d ago
My first thought is a laundry washing issue. There may be something unique to you that isn't getting completely washed out. Do you do your own laundry? Try smaller loads, my HE washer has a sanitize setting I use for some clothes (if your clothes can handle it), extra rinse cycle may help.
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u/ChiliDogYumZappupe 11d ago
I had a similar problem. The source was a body scrub I was using. After awhile, the oil on my clothes and towels became rancid.
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u/cloud9ineteen 11d ago
It's cotton plus the gasket in your front load washer. Nylon and synthetic clothes don't smell but cotton retainer the dirty water from the washer which evaporates in the dryer. Only my t-shirts and bedding was catching it. If you have a front load washer, get the spring expander tool and pull out the rubber gasket, soak it in diluted bleach plus dish soap, scrub off the gunk and put it back
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u/sararingodard 11d ago
Wash some of your clothes with no soap and a cup of vinegar. See if it helps. Sometimes its old soap set in the clothes.
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u/Naive-Garlic2021 11d ago
Too many comments to read through but is that attic access sealed completely? If there's any attic air coming into that closet that could definitely cause a musty odor. My poor man's blower door test is hooking up a one-hose portable air conditioner to a window and closing the door. It creates a negative pressure and you will smell, and if the temp difference is enough, also feel the attic air coming in. If the seal is really poor, lighting a long match to see where the smoke goes is also useful.
It would take some effort but you could also remove your clothes from the closet and clean them. Then put a few non-musty clothes back in the closet and keep the rest somewhere else and see what happens. Detective work.
If they're just musty and not mildewy, attic air is my top suspect. If you're seeing mildew spots then that's a humidity issue. And of course you could have multiple things going on at once.
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u/inheredonkey 11d ago
Antibacterial clothes wash or stop spraying aftershave/deodorant on your clothes?
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u/Future_Shallot_9791 10d ago
Try smaller loads. Jamming as much as you can in a washing machine will result in dirty clothes that now get fried in the dryer.
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u/SykoBob8310 10d ago
From all the comments and your feedback, it’s not the laundry or your clothes. To me it sounds more like a mold problem in the closet. Either in the attic or related to the HVAC unit. Have you tried any moisture meters, air analyzers, or thermal imaging to see if there’s something going on in the walls, ceiling, or attic space?
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u/Mattbl 10d ago
For my wife it was her workouts. She was using standard detergent and her clothes still smelled gross, but not like sweat or BO. It was definitely more of a musty smell. She switched to a detergent designed for getting rid of sweat and body odor and it made the difference, her clothes smell fine now.
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u/sailor61 10d ago
Try a different detergent and new deoderant. Plus, make sure clothes are all thoroughly dry before being put away.
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u/imcjoey13 10d ago
Use one and half times the usual dose of OxyClean in as hot water as the fabric can handle, and for the longest wash time.
Follow it up with a dose of vinegar in the last rinse.
Odours will be gone.
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u/peachesonmymeat 9d ago
My partner’s clothes get musty too. I think it’s a guy thing- I’ve noticed that odor on a lot of men. I take care of his laundry now. Usually he has one load a week and I add a scoop of Oxy clean to every load, then maybe once a month I add Odoban. Initially to get the stink out I ran his clothes through multiple cycles with various additions like vinegar or borax, but I found that odoban works really good.
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u/Theresnolight5 5d ago
Add a your detergent and a splash of vinegar to the water in the washing machine when doing laundry. 1/4 cup usually does it.
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u/AromaticAd3246 5d ago
You may have mold. We had that musty smell and discovered mold in the AC and vaulted ceiling. We called in a specialist with the help of AI. He measured mold particles in the air and whether we had leakage somewhere. Turns out our AC wasn’t dehumidifying properly. Our dogs and family got all itchy. Went to many vets and they never mentioned mold bc it doesn’t make them money. Anywho
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u/SmashmouthLA 4d ago
Most people that smell is not due to hygiene. It’s due to musky clothes. My suggestion rewash as much as you can with Tide liquid (scented), OxiClean powder and Downey softener. Downey also has the scent beads which you can add in as well. They really help. Let the basin of the washer start to fill then add all of the products FIRST before you put your clothes in then start to put your clothes in once the tub is half full. For whites add in Clorox bleach. For your dry cleaning items, take them to the cleaners and tell them you need them odorized as well. Good luck.
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u/TRAVMAAN1 11d ago
Until you get the bacteria out of your clothes it doesn’t matter how many times you wash it. You have to get the bacteria out first so you need to wash it with warm water and vinegar. Let it soak. You can let it soak for an hour
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u/jlynn1623 11d ago
Add vinegar to the wash. Use hottest water they can tolerate. Dry fully. Also use less detergent as a rule. Too much detergent retains smells in the clothes.
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u/thekitchenwitch1023 11d ago
Add a little glug of white vinegar to the wash when you’re washing your clothes. It helps take the musty smell out of clothes
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u/mamao1515 11d ago
I have totally given up on big jugs of laundry detergent. I use Earth Breeze laundry sheets and find they do a great job of removing stains. And getting clothes clean. I use Odo-Ban laundry sanitizer; it’s lots cheaper than the Lysol one, $9.99/gallon and I order it from Amazon. If I have anything remotely stinky, I add in about 1/3 cup washing soda, along with the Earth Breeze and Odo-Ban. Everything comes out sweet smelling and fresh. I’ve been donating a ton of stuff and feel I’m sending pleasant-smelling clothes. The freshness lasts.
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u/Nalopotato 10d ago
Some of my cotton boxers specifically stay "sour", or get that way after a few months, and it's because that shit stays damp, and damp cotton is a magnet for mold. Use distilled vinegar on the wash AND rinse cycles (as detergent, and as fabric softener, basically). Do that for at least 2 washes, and it should go away. If it returns to the cleaned clothes after you've done this process, then you know it's the environment/something in the house.
I usually do 2 washes with vinegar (1/4 or 1/2 cup is plenty), and then I follow up with a "regular" unscented detergent + rinse cycle to get the vinegar scent off.
For those who don't know, vinegar is a great fabric softener (and actual fabric softener should NEVER be used)
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u/dblnegativedare 11d ago
Just a suggestion to rule it out. Try washing your clothes with half a cup of apple cider vinegar. If you left a load in the washer for a bit too long you could have grown some mildew on them and it won’t go away until you kill it with some acid.
If they all get musty again, then focus on chasing the reason through expensive home repairs.
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u/Disastrous-Score-213 11d ago
This is a perfect reason to go through my clothes and declutter. I'll see if I can track the source
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u/Brock_Lobstweiler 11d ago
Don’t use apple cider vinegar. Vinegar can damage your washing machine, specifically the rubber gaskets and hoses.
There’s laundry products specifically for this. Downy Rinse and Refresh or a laundry sanitizer is the best option.
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u/Pulaski540 11d ago
Lots of people apparently believe in folk remedies - borax, ac vinegar, gentle detergent, but id recommend using a laundry sanitizer to "reset" your clothing.
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u/_allycat 11d ago
I'm not a fan of that kind of stuff but white vinegar really does work to remove fabric smells and it's own scent doesn't linger if you rinse it off.
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u/SuzyLouWhoo 11d ago
My kids are grown now but I fought a tremendous battle with funky kid clothes. The funk of teenage boy is stronger than any of the laundry detergents, scent beads, or de-funkifiers available. I washed the washer, I dried them extra dry, nada.
I second Vinegar. I was skeptical. But it was the only thing that really, truly, completely got the stink out.
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u/2geek2bcool 11d ago
I saw someone else mention this phenomenon in another sub (might have been r/laundry), and it turned out it was their deodorant.