Unfortunately, doing laundry is a necessary evil, and there are certain steps that need to be taken or else your clothes (and ultimately you) end up smelling like a musty old rag.
Step #1: Separate, separate, separate - Loading everything together is the biggest mistake of all. It is always best to wash like clothing together. For example: towels only with towels, whites (rags, dish cloths, socks, etc.) with other whites, etc. It’s even a good idea to separate your kids’ clothes from your own. Kid’s clothes tend to have paint, glue, dirt, and Lord only knows what else, and well, ours typically don’t.
Step #2: Do not overload - If you find yourself squishing in those last few left over items—don’t do it! How on earth are the clothes going to get clean if they are squeezed into the washing machine and fighting for the water that is in there? Less is definitely better. This goes for the dryer as well.
Step #3: Use hot water - I realize this method isn’t very environmentally friendly, but hot water is a must for certain clothes, especially dish rags and men's stinky socks. Hot water kills bacteria far better than cold water does, no matter how much “cold water” soap you use.
Step#4: Use Bleach - Bleach should be a staple in your laundry room for all your whites as it will kill off any bacteria that has collected on those stinky rags. Baking soda also does the trick for non-bleachable items. Just sprinkle a bit of it on top of your clothes before starting the washer.
Step#5: Take wet clothes out of the washing machine promptly - We have all done it…we do a load of laundry and then forget about it. This is another huge culprit for stinky clothes. If you forgot about that last load of laundry you put through over six hours ago, I am sorry to say my friends, those clothes will need to go through the wash cycle again. No dryer is going to get the stank out of that mess!
Step#6: Make sure clothes are dry—really dry - One of the main offenders for having musty smelling towels is that they aren’t 100% dry before you fold them and put them away. This is especially true for towels which are wonderful for holding in moisture. Always dry towels on high heat and for the full-time allowed. When in doubt, just give them a few extra minutes in the dryer to be sure.
Step#7: Hang to dry - Make use of your drying racks whenever possible and preferably outside. The sun is the best way to kill nasty-smelling germs and bacteria lurking in your smelly clothes, for it is a natural bleacher of all things bad. Besides, there are few things that smell better than clothes which have been hung out in the fresh air and hot sun!
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