Causes and consequences: what to do if the laundry smells musty after washing?

Clean, washed laundry should smell fresh. However, this is not always the case in practice.

Sometimes things give off an unpleasant musty smell. There are several reasons for this.

Read about why, after washing in the washing machine, the laundry smells musty or damp, how to cope with the problem, read the article.

Why do things stink of dampness, rubber, chemistry?

There are several reasons why the washed laundry can give off an unpleasant smell. They must be installed, otherwise, it will not be possible to cope with the problem. Factors that contribute to a musty odor include:

1. Stagnant water in the drum or rubber cuff... To prevent this from happening, you must not close the door tightly immediately after washing.
2. Storing dirty clothes in the washing machine... In conditions of high humidity, bacteria and molds begin to multiply actively. Regular washing will not help to cope with the smell they cause.
3. Improper care of the washing machine... Unpleasant odors can come from elements such as: drain hose, detergent drawer, water filter.
4. Incorrect connection of the hose to the sewer pipe... In this case, the characteristic smell of waste water will emanate from the laundry after the first wash. Another reason for this "odor" is the rotting of the old valve, provided it has been in use for many years.
5. Non-compliance with the dosage of detergents... A large amount of powder does not have time to rinse out, covering all the elements of the washing machine with a film. This mucus becomes a reservoir for the storage and growth of bacteria.
6. Long-term joint storage of dirty items in the basket for linen. Microbes and fungi in such conditions feel great, rapidly increasing their numbers and provoking the appearance of a rotten smell.
7. Long stay of things in water... If you leave the laundry soaked in the basin for 2-3 days, it will start to rot, emitting a sour smell. Also, things can turn sour in the machine if there is a sudden power outage.

Chemical odor is a consequence of the use of large amounts of washing powder or other detergents. Wearing such items is dangerous to health, especially for young children and pregnant women.

When an unpleasant plume stretches from things after each wash and comes from all the laundry, the reason is hidden in the washing machine.

If this problem occurs once, it is most likely related to the prolonged storage of dirty clothes in the basket or drum.

Sometimes a person discovers an unpleasant smell not immediately after processing things in a typewriter, but after drying... It can appear if moisture has remained in the fibers of the fabric for a long time.

This happens when things are hung overlapped, at a small distance from each other, which prevents normal air circulation. Drying in a room with poor ventilation and low humidity levels is aggravated.

How to get rid of bad smell?

Dealing with unpleasant odors takes an effort... In no case should you put foul-smelling things in the closet. This will provoke the transfer of the rotten smell to other fabrics.

How to fix the problem depends on the cause that triggered it.

Reprocessing clothes in the washing machine

Repeated washing is necessary if the cause of foreign odors is not a malfunction of the washing machine, but improper drying or long-term storage of the laundry.

If it was not possible to cope with the problem, things should be washed in hot water and dried thoroughly. To prevent the appearance of an unpleasant odor, the linen is ironed.

Popular ways of fighting

If ordinary washing turned out to be ineffective, then folk remedies come to the rescue. The most effective recipes:

1. Soda. She is poured into the second compartment of the machine. The first compartment should contain washing powder.

   3-4 tbsp is enough for one cycle. l. soda. After completing the wash, rinse the garment 2-3 times. Dry your laundry in the fresh air.

2. Vinegar dining room... You need to soak problematic things in it. To prepare the solution for each liter of water, take 1 tbsp. l. vinegar 9%. Things are soaked for an hour, after which they are washed as usual.
3. Vodka. It is poured into a spray bottle and the thing is processed. You need to carry out the procedure in the fresh air. Under the influence of alcohol, bacteria living on the tissue will die. Together with the fumes, an unpleasant plume will go away.
4. Boric acid... To prepare the solution, you will need 10 g of powder, which is sold in a pharmacy, and 5 liters of water. Things are soaked for 30 minutes, after which they are washed as usual.
5. Brine... Products are soaked in it for 2-3 hours. For each liter of water take 1.5 tbsp. l. salt. You can enhance the effect by adding hydrogen peroxide (1 tsp) to the solution. However, this composition is only suitable for washing light or strongly colored fabrics.

The use of household chemicals

You can deal with the problem with a fabric softener. It is best to use flavored formulations, eg:

• Vernel Summer morning freshness or Vernel Aromatherapy of serenity, their cost is about 200 rubles per 1 liter;
• conditioner Porinse Aroma with violet scent for 300 rubles;
• concentrated fabric softener Lenor Alpine meadows, its cost - 160 rubles.

If the source of the "flavor" is a machine

If the “root of all evil” is the washing machine, take the following measures:

1. Clean the detergent drawer... Normally, it is taken out with each wash and washed thoroughly under running water.

   If it is heavily contaminated, then it is soaked in vinegar solution (3 tablespoons per 1 liter of water), or cleaned with soda.

   You can treat plastic with bleach.It is convenient to use an old toothbrush to remove mucus.

2. Cleaning the drain filter... It is located on the front panel under the flap. To get to it, the hatch is removed, the filter is twisted and washed with hot water. Then all the elements are put back in place.
3. Cleaning the heating element... The procedure should be carried out at least 1 time per month. To do this, use one of such means as: citric acid (150 g), table vinegar, a mixture of baking soda and water in equal proportions.

   After pouring or pouring the selected agent into the powder compartment, turn on the idle wash cycle at the highest temperature.

4. Flushing the drain hose... A single wash helps to cope with the problem. If the odor persists, the hose must be replaced.
5. Disinfection of the drum and rubber cuff... To do this, use a vinegar solution or hydrogen peroxide.

Helpful information

To avoid the appearance of an unpleasant smell from the washed things and get rid of it completely, the following information should be taken into account:

1. Dispense detergent and fabric softener correctly. Exceeding its quantity will not improve the quality of washing, but it may cause deterioration in the operation of the washing machine with all the ensuing consequences.
2. Before washing or soaking things in any solution, you need to test it on an inconspicuous area of ​​the fabric.
3. It is not recommended to store dirty laundry for more than a day. You need to start washing as soon as possible.
4. Do not leave dirty things in the drum of the washing machine.
5. After each cycle, wipe the gum and drum with a damp cloth and ventilate.

It is possible to prevent the appearance of mold and microbes if you wash clothes at a temperature of 90 degrees once every 2 weeks.

You can find some more helpful tips on what to do with laundry that smells unpleasant after washing in the washing machine. here.

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Conclusion

The reason for the appearance of a musty smell from the laundry may be hidden in improper washing or drying. Sometimes it comes from the washing machine itself. Dealing with a problem is not difficult if you know what caused it.