Bringing back freshness: what to do if towels smell unpleasant after washing?

Many housewives often wonder why only washed towels do not smell fresh at all.

In fact, this phenomenon is not uncommon, since towels are a real breeding ground for bacteria. This is due to the fact that kitchen towels strongly absorb food odors, and bath towels absorb moisture.

In order not to face such a problem, you should correctly approach the washing and drying process, as well as listen to a number of useful recommendations. This will be discussed in the article.

Why do they stink of dampness, mustiness?

Why do towels smell after washing? Among the main reasons for the unpleasant smell coming from towels after washing, the following can be distinguished:

• selection of low temperature mode;
• malfunctions of the washing machine;
• base washing powder or its lack;
• drying textiles in a room with high humidity;
• poor quality material from which the towels are made.

In warm and damp conditions, textiles dry longer, which contributes to the intensive reproduction of pathogenic bacteria in them... This is what causes the unpleasant odor.

It will be ideal to dry the washed towels in the fresh air, where the sun exposure will simultaneously serve as a disinfection.

What to do and how to get rid of the smell at home?

No one wants to use towels that give off a not very pleasant aroma. But, this is not a reason to throw them away.

Some time-tested folk recipes will help to cope with the problem.... As a result, textiles acquire their pristine purity and freshness.

Repeated wash

Sometimes it is enough to rewash the towels in hot water with a double dosage of washing powder. This will help to neutralize the bacterial microflora. It is not recommended to add conditioner.

Vinegar

Vinegar is considered a universal means for disinfecting linen.

Front washing towels soaked for half an hour in this solution: 200 ml of table vinegar is diluted in 8-9 liters of water... You can replace vinegar with citric acid, in the amount of 2-3 tbsp. spoons for the same volume of water.

Another option is not to soak the textiles, but after completing the main mode, when washing in the machine, add vinegar or citric acid to the special compartment and start another rinse.

A dirty filter in the washing machine can be a source of unpleasant odors from washed laundry.... Therefore, it should be cleaned at least once a month. To do this, pour vinegar into the drum, set any mode and turn on the machine (without laying the laundry).

Soda

Instead of the usual laundry detergent, use baking soda, or in combination with vinegar. It is poured into the compartment of the automatic machine (30 g is enough). Vinegar, diluted with water in an equal ratio, is poured into a rinse cell.

Boiling

Boiling helps in solving the problem of unpleasant smells from washed towels, but not all fabrics are suitable for this procedure. So, terry products become tough... But you can fix the situation with a good conditioner.

If you resort to the old method of boiling, then they act like this:

1. They rub the laundry soap on a fine grater or prepare a special agent for boiling the laundry.
2. Water is poured into a large saucepan and, putting it on the stove, wait for it to boil.
3. Add soap or powder.
4. Immerse the towels in water and boil over low heat for about 2 hours.

In the case of a machine wash, select the highest temperature setting with a long time interval.

Only natural fabric towels are allowed to boil. Even colored textiles will not shed if they are of high quality.

Bleaching powder

Bleach has always been used as a powerful antiseptic. But it should be used wisely.

How to proceedTo give your towels a fresh scent:

• dilute the required amount of bleach in water;
• towels are soaked in the resulting solution for several hours;
• after the expiration of the prescribed period, rinse the laundry in cool water.

If you want to use bleach in the washing machine, you must not put the product undiluted. Exceptions are tablets, which can be placed directly in the laundry drum.

Liquor

This option is more suitable for villagers, due to the technology for preparing liquor:

1. Fill a small container by a third with wood ash and add water to the brim. Anything that pops up is immediately removed.
2. Then the mixture is left to infuse for 2-3 days or immediately boiled until the ash becomes translucent (this takes about an hour).
3. They wait until the composition has settled and the water is drained. The sediment remaining at the bottom is called liquor.

Since the lye has no cleansing properties, then the towels boiled with it must then be washed.

This ancient product is completely washed out by rinsing, unlike modern powders and gels... As a result, the textile becomes soft and fragrant.

Microwave

A microwave will help in the fight against unpleasant amber. Towels are placed in it for 30 seconds, then washed. As a result of such a maneuver, there will be no trace of the stench.

Tells about washing towels in the microwave this article.

Special products for removing aromas

All kinds of household chemicals are now on sale, including odor-removing agents. Here are the most successful ones:

1. Top hygia - liquid detergent concentrate of Japanese origin with antibacterial effect. Suitable for hand and machine washing of any type of laundry.

   The manufacturer assures that the product is completely rinsed out the first time.Has a convenient dispenser lid. The price of one 450 ml bottle varies between 290-350 rubles.

2. Nanox Lion - liquid environmentally friendly powder for washing with a vegetable component in the composition (ethoxylate).

   It is he who contributes to the dissolution of sebum remaining on textiles and is a favorable environment for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. It also contains tea tree extract, which has an antibacterial effect. The cost of one package is from 400 rubles.

3. Oxiclean - universal detergent for washing white linen. Available in gel, granular powder and capsule form. Ideally removes stubborn stains and makes laundry fresh. Designed for washing in automatic machines. Packing price - from 600 rubles.

How to properly wash, dry and store your garments so they don't smell bad?

Competent care of towels, especially bath towels, guarantees their freshness and long life. This includes washing, drying and storing textiles.

How to wash and dry properly:

1. In the case of pre-soaking, this is done exclusively in hot water. It is not recommended to soak your laundry for more than 30 minutes, otherwise it will inevitably smell musty.
2. When washing, do not overdo it with powder, since in large quantities it has a destructive effect on the fibers of the fabric.

   It is preferable to use gel products and set the high temperature mode.

3. For hard water, a softener is added to make the terry towels fluffy. In this capacity, regular baking soda is suitable, which simultaneously deals with dirt and bacteria.
4. Dry textiles indoors with good ventilation or outdoors. Before hanging, the towels are shaken to straighten out the fibers. You can use an automatic dryer.

To use towels for pleasure, you need to take a responsible approach to their storage. Here are some good tips:

• do not put bed linen and towels together;
• for aromatization, they put bags with odorous grass, toilet soap, dried peels from citrus fruits, cinnamon sticks or other incense (commercially available) into the wardrobe;
• systematically ventilate the cabinet;
• Do not stack the laundry tightly so that there is free space for air circulation.

Advice

In addition to the information received, it will not be superfluous to take into account a number of useful tips:

• personal hygiene products are washed as often as possible, without waiting for their severe contamination;
• wash towels after each use, or immediately hang them out to dry, otherwise the appearance of an unpleasant odor cannot be avoided;
• it is unacceptable to add two chemicals at the same time during washing (for example, bleach and stain remover), which contributes to the release of harmful chlorine gas;
• do not overdo it with bleach, otherwise the machine may fail;
• undesirable wash terry towels with air conditioner, which makes it difficult to rinse them;
• try to keep the washing machine clean with regard to the filter and sealing rubber;
• after unloading the washing machine, leave the door ajar so that the unit dries out from the inside.

Useful video

What to do to prevent the towels from stinking, video tips:

Conclusion

If you adhere to elementary preventive measures and rules for caring for textiles for personal hygiene, then unpleasant odors will go into oblivion. Towels will always delight you with their fresh look.