3 Ways To Remove Mildew Smell From Towels

For now, leave out detergent or fabric softener.

You can either select “extra spin cycle” if your machine has this feature or restart the spin cycle after the first one finishes.

Wear gloves to protect your hands as well.

Leave the towels in the bucket and let them soak for about 48 hours.

You can also add Oxiclean to the washing machine when you wash your towels. [2] X Research source

If your towels still smell like mildew after this treatment, then you may need to replace them.

Consider using an old toothbrush to get hard to reach places of the gasket. Make sure to get all areas of the gasket. You may need to pull back sections of the gasket to get into small rubber folds. [3] X Research source

If the dispensers cannot be removed from the machine, do your best to clean inside the dispensers with a rag or pipe cleaners. [4] X Research source

1 cup of bleach. 1 cup of baking soda. 1/2 cup of powdered enzymatic dishwasher detergent 1/2 cup of a commercial washer cleaner 1 cup of vinegar

A certified repair professional can assist you with diagnosing what is wrong with your machine, and may be able to dismantle the machine to find the source of the smell if need be.

Airing out the washing machine. Leave the washing machine door open between washing uses. However, be aware that pets and young children could become trapped in the machine. [8] X Research source Using detergent wisely. Use detergents that create a small amount of suds, and are specifically made for highly efficient machines. Powder detergents usually tend to be less sudsy than liquid detergents. Also, don’t exceed the recommended amount of detergent. Sometimes, even less detergent works better for cleaning your clothes. [9] X Research source Avoiding fabric softener. Fabric softeners that come in liquid form tend to leave a residue that supports mold growth. Instead of using liquid fabric softener, consider using dryer sheets or dryer balls to give your clothes a softer feel. [10] X Research source Drying the gasket. Use a rag to wipe everywhere surround the gasket, and inside the grooves of the rubber gasket. Ideally, you should try to wipe the gasket after every washing cycle. If you’re not going to wipe and clean the gasket after every wash, you should try to regularly wipe the gasket every week or so to remove trapped mold. [11] X Research source Doing a bleach cycle. Run a hot water and bleach cycle once a month. This is a good opportunity to disinfect your washer, but also to wash heavily soiled items like work cloths and grimy towels. [12] X Research source