I’ve never tried them. Borax does it for me. I haven’t used bleach in years - it yellows and destroys fibers. I am interested to hear what solutions people offer for you. What detergent are you using?

Are your things drying too slowly? Also curious about the detergent - also what kind of washing cycles? I often set my HE washer to heavy, so things are agitated longer, and a higher water level too, so they can move freely. I use warm water mostly, and hot for sheets & towels.

I also use unscented detergents - currently Arm & Hammer sensitive.

An off-odor needs to be coming from somewhere.

Some machines have filters that need to be cleaned. Or, there could be mold/mlldew in the hoses or pump. I'd run several loads with the hottest water you can produce (run it from a nearby faucet first so that it starts hot in the machine) and include plenty of detergent and bleach. See if that makes a difference.

Or, sometimes an off odor can come from a detergent residue or dampness on clothes. Try using an extra rinse on your loads and be sure to not put the clothes away until they're completely dry and cool.

I have well water, no chlorination, and it grows mold easily. If I forget a load of clothes in the washer, even overnight (unless they are a bleached white load) they might not smell when I get them out of the dryer, but when I wear them or use a colored towel and if they get damp from sweat or using the towel after a shower, I can sometimes smell a faint odor. I have super sensitive nose; not sure if anyone else would notice it.

So, I use Oxyclean Free and Clear on colored clothes, I put them in the dryer asap and turn the dryer on HOT. I dry for a very short period of time, just until the clothes get nice and hot but are still pretty wet. I then hang them to dry on hangers, no ironing needed. Just clothes; sheets and towels I dry on hot until completely dry.

My Electrolux FL has a 'clean washer' setting that comes on to remind me to do it, once every month or so. You take out the laundry soap dispenser cups and pour a cup of clorox into that opening. Then choose the 'clean washer' setting. It fills with the hottest water (and maybe even heats it more than the tap temp) and it vigorously cleans the machine. No soap added but I am shocked to see how many suds are produced! I don't use too much soap and I always do an extra rinse on all my loads, but there is still a build up inside the machine.

Olychick, moisture evaporating from fabric holds down the temperature of it. Obtaining an effective degree of sanitization from a clothes dryer requires fully drying the load and running the heat for some minutes longer to insure the fabric is heated to maximum air temperature of the high setting for a sufficient time to desiccate pathogens. There are dryers with a Sanitize cycle, which operates as such ... moisture sensing to maximum dryness level plus some additional time.

dadoes, it was not my intention to imply I was sanitizing clothes that were partially dry, just describing the method I use and it seems to keep smells from occurring. Drying asap after washing, using Oxyclean and a quick, hot dryer to allow the clothes to be hung without ironing.

I’ve added Pine Sol when washing pet beds or blankets. It removes any odor. The pine scent disappears once dried. Only original Pine Sol is labeled for laundry use.

" I have well water, no chlorination, and it grows mold easily. "

Do you drink it? If yes, imagine what it does inside your warm body.

I have a few pieces of clothing that seem to retain body odors. I recently purchased the odor removing Febreze--no smell of it's own. It's the original product before they morphed into an air freshener and added perfumes. I spray it on these items before throwing them in the laundry basket. It has been really helping.

I used to notice unpleasant odors after washing a load of clothing or towels. When it was time to get a new machine, I got one that has an extra water setting (my previous machine did not) and now I always wash that way. It's been two years, and I've not had a problem since. My perspective is that all the reduced water usage affects the machine's ability to get the clothes clean.

I recently tried Gain liquid detergent and found that it's "famous scent" lingers terribly. Until that jug is empty, I'm also having to do a second rinse to get rid of it, as one rinse isn't enough.

I'm also on well water, and use a water softener.

Mystical, same here. I left a perfectly running set of washer dryer in our former house when we sold it, wanting to attract a young couple starting out, bought a pair of the new energy efficient machines. I was standing at my laundry room sink with a pitcher adding water to my wash loads because the washer didn't have enough water to get mud from the pants legs of DH's jeans (forester). And that was after they'd been hosed in the driveway some days.

I GAVE those to a young man moving into a rental house for the first time, son of the woman one of our nephews was dating. Gave them with the instruction to call me if he had any trouble getting clothes clean since by then I'd tried and knew every trick.

My set now has a water fill feature. I don't think I've ever run it on less than medium fill.

Original Tide powder, sometimes a little oxy, and I use Woolite for Darks on my blacks and navy.

No odors ever.

I use an Affresh tab in the washer about every other month. Preventative. I do use bleach in a load of white towels weekly. Most of our clothing, all sheets, towels are natural fabrics. We are a household with a whole lot of cotton. I'm not afraid of the hot water cycles and will add an additional rinse setting to just about anything that will be touching skin.

I need to point out that this cooler coastal climate is not ever hot and humid. And, that I don't have a 'wash day', I never have. I do laundry as needed so damp soiled things are not lingering in the hampers (one at the bedroom end of the house and a built-in in the laundry) for several days at a time.

Maybe edit your original post and cross post to the laundry forum.

I think Elmer might be right that there is something inside your washing machine that is causing the odor, and I would check the filter and hoses.

Does your machine have a cycle in which it can clean itself? Does water remain in your machine after it has finished a cycle? It does in my dishwasher, and I have not figured out how to get rid of that.

Line drying outdoors eliminates any mustiness and the washing smells lovely.

Yes. I live in a humid area, so it is a must to get them into the dryer immediately after washing and thoroughly dry them. Should that not happen, washing in really hot water and using a scoop of oxyclean and https://downy.com/en-us/rinse-and-refresh with my regular detergent gets rid of it all. It's a constant battle, but getting it super dry quickly is the most important part.

I think I've just been lucky, and/or I'm super-diligent because I've heard of these mold/odor problems and so I may go overboard to avoid them.

I wash everything in the hottest water the fabric can take, and almost nothing is ever washed in cold water. Some of my athletic wear gets foul in use, but comes out smelling clean. I rarely use fabric softener, and I keep the washer door ajar when not in use.

I too live in a very humid area, and so I never allow anything wet to sit inside the laundry machines before or after a cycle.

I'm grateful that I have zero problems with smells on either my clean clothes or in my laundry machines.

Same as Ally, I do not purposely leave a load in the washer, once it's done, and I leave the lid open to dry out the interior after emptying. I'd read that can help prevent rust, and I imagine it helps prevent mildew as well.

FWIW, when clothing is polyester, I find that the underarm area will develop a B.O. smell after even a short time of wearing - with or without using deodorant.

" Imagine what chlorine does inside your body. Humans have drunk untreated water since the beginning of time. It's tested for purity regularly. "

People have drunk and become ill from untreated water for millennia. Something's missing from your tale - if as you said it "it grows mold easily", I wouldn't be speaking so confidently about what you're describing as its purity. Or maybe damp conditions where you live facilitate a profusion of mold and mildew spores in the air and water.

I don't normally drink chlorinated water but I am much happier to do so than to drink water from a private well. The chlorine in treated water evaporates into the air for those who are concerned.

Same here Carolb, about the polyester shirts getting funky easily. I generally stick with cotton or linen if I can. I have one t-shirt that I just love which is a poly blend, and I know exactly what you're talking about.

Does your washer have parts that are removable for extra airing out and cleaning? Mine (LG) has a removable soap dispenser and bleach dispenser (I do not use bleach or fabric softener but the dispenser still gets wet). At least once a month I remove the entire mechanism, clean it out thoroughly in the crevices with a small brush and wipe with paper towels. I also remove a part of the soap dispenser after every use to dry out. You would be surprised how quickly mold can build up in those areas where water feeds through.

There are odor fighting products made specifically for athletic wear. I used to buy it for my running clothing and socks. Phew! Even though I air dried it and washed it quickly adter wearing, those articles can build up odor pretty fast. I can’t recall the specific name but you can likely find it at Amz or some larger grocery stores.

joann, do other people smell it also, or just you?

If you have ruled out your washer and dont leave wet laundry in there, what else could it be besides the water, maybe?

I see people have all kinds of problems with their laundry. What am i missing?

I have such a casual approach to the laundry . I chose an old fashioned agitator model, use only cold water and basic liquid detergent with nothing in it, supposedly. I never use hot water and very rarely bleach. Maybe I have low standards, you think?

I line dry as much as possible and have not used the dryer for my clothes is quite a while.

I worked with this guy one time who always smelled so bad. He smelled like poop and it took me a while to realize that is was probably that he was letting his wet clothes mildew. Now there is a guy with a laundry problem.!

I have an utlra sensitive nose and could probalby find my way around by smell if i lost my vision. No perfumes in any products for me and very few products, at that.

Sorry for the bad smell, joann. It has to be coming from somewhere.

I have come to the conclusion that the world is as full of smells as it is sounds.

No, just me. I have a very sensitive smell. I can smell laundry detergent & fabric softener on other people. I just don't use it. I guess its just my nose. Thanks

DD uses Lysol Laundry Sanitizer for exercise clothes and when the kids have an accident on a garment that cannot be bleached. It has quite a strong odor.

@ joann - do you hang dry clothes, or use a dryer?

Dryers can get smelly and if things hung up aren't drying fast enough, they can get a funky smell.

I have a sensitive nose also. I think that some of these “sanitizing” laundry products may actually end up bothering you (if you don’t like the smell of detergent). I am the same way - can’t stand Tide. It actually makes me nauseous to smell it. I have noticed that modern athletic wear is hard to remove odors from, but washing with borax on a longer cycle (have an he machine also), rinsing with vinegar and pulling out to dry or hang dry immediately usually takes care of it. If you had a mildew issue in your washer, I’m sure you would notice that smell.

I did see that vinegar can be a good option for removing odors, but I have read a couple of cautions about using it with athletic wear with elastic, I'm not sure that is a valid warning though.

I put < 1/4 cup of vinegar in the rinse cup. Haven’t noticed any issues with elastic in waistbands, socks or spandex.

What am I missing? I wash my clothes in simple detergent with no perfume and either line dry or in the dryer and I have never expereinced any odor problems. I hear this talk all the time but I really dont see it.

I would have a sensitive nose contest with anyone and feel certain of claiming the title as the best, but I honestly dont see how a sweaty shirt can come out of the wash still sweaty smelling.

Unless, unless......I wonder if it is maybe the accumulated and lingering odors of so many other perfumed products that people use that perhaps leaves a witch's brew of residual odor.

Even if you use non perfumed laundry products it may still be true that you might use body wash, or soaps, perfumed underarm deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, other hair products, perfumed cleaning products and perfumed lotions and even live in homes with those dreadful plug ins.

All of these smells accumulate in our environment and on everything in it.

That might not be true for you, joann, but many people live in a miasmic stew of chemicals and perfumes everday. Even some people hang these just gawd awful little smelly tree shaped things in their cars. I can smell those in cars beside me at stop lights. Just what stinks in their cars so badly that this seem like a good alternative?

I honestly dont see how a sweaty shirt can come out of the wash still sweaty smelling.

I too am not sure how or why this happens, but for some reason for many people athletic wear particularly synthetic fibers do seem to retain odors.

“Performance” athletic wear is a different animal, Claudia.

I am just talking about a laundry soap or softener odor, and what you get in towels. I have a very sensitive nose to any odors.