What is your laundry technique, both for kitchen towels and your other clothing/items?

My towels don't smell. I just use ALL Free And Clear detergent, normal "towel" cycle. DH fries three eggs in olive oil every morning, using the kitchen towels to dry the skillet. So....our towels ARE exposed to oil....

I have cotton flour sack tea towels, cotton terry cloth & linen towels and knit dish cloths and have never had a problem with towel odor. These are the things I do. I do make sure they are dry before they go into the hamper and wash at least weekly. I do not wash any other clothes or bath towels with the kitchen towels. Because I have a water softener, I only need & use a Tablespoon of powdered detergent per load and always wash them on Hot. I use a fresh dishcloth, a bar rag and a fresh towel every day. I do run a cleaning tablet thru my washer every month or two. I don't get much oil on my towels as I usually use paper towels if I need to clean up a bit of oil. If your towels have a lot of oil on them you may need to pre-soak in Biz or Dawn liquid before washing. I also wonder if the water temperature or detergent could be the issue.

Likewise. Never had tea towels smell. I just put them in with the rest of the whites at 60c. 90c if very dirty. I don't find detergent brand makes any difference.

Do other people smell the same oily odour? Could it be something to do with your personal sense of smell?

Yes, and not in all the towels and dishcloths. All are used and washed the same, but only certain ones smell. It is a rancid oil smell. I think it has something to do with the cotton. Everything I buy for the kitchen says 100% cotton. I never had this problem before the last few years.

Curious about laundry settings too. Despite all the recommendations I've seen, I always wash towels and sheets in hot water and dry on high too - no fabric softener, ever. I never have a smell problem.

And I do not use my towels to absorb anything greasy either - might that be the issue? I use paper towels for greasy oily stuff.

^Exactly what Carol posted for me, too...hot wash, high heat dry, no fabric softener and always paper towels for grease. Never a smell.

We have to find an answer for you, Nancyjane!

ETA - One more thing…I let any damp towels air dry on a rack in the laundry room before putting them in the wash.

So few of us have experienced what OP Nancyjane has. It's a thing, though. Lots of people do. New (this year) 100% cotton towels shouldn't stink after laundering. I did some searches to see if there was some new finishing chemical that was breaking down or something, and found nothing, so if there is, the news isn't well known on the web. Fabrics in general, at least in the 20th C., were finished with VOCs, but those smells were when brand new, and they washed out.

I did find more about general towel stink. It's said to be from bacteria and maybe fungus/mildew, more than oxidizing fats. All of the let the towels dry before putting them in the hamper, using a separate hamper for kitchen towels, etc., help prevent that. So does changing towels often. But all of these preventions don't answer what to do about present stink. Vinegar didn't work, which is troubling. The other recommendation is 1/2 cup, up to 1 cup, of baking soda, with nothing else, per washer load. Also, not to pack the load, or set the water level too low. Let them float around a bit. Further, some recommend the load with just vinegar, then that load with just baking soda. I saw a message board post from someone whose mom does two vinegar washes, then a baking soda wash, followed by detergent. I'm thinking that might be a bit excessive, unless a dear one is using the tea towel for auto parts... :D

Just had to go smell my kitchen towels. LOL No smell and they hang on our range door. They are the William Sonoma Pantry Towels. I will add that we only use the towels to dry clean dishes. We use old kitchen towels for messier things. Just smelled those and they don't smell either.

"It is a rancid oil smell. "

Could it be the washer? Do your clothes smell?

This is very interesting reading :-)) But I have nothing to add as I have never experienced smelly-after-washing dish towels. Never sniffed them before washing, however........

I am not too picky about my dish towels. They come in a range of fabrics and finishes. Many were gifts and some I purchased myself. I use them primarily for wiping my hands while busy in the kitchen, drying a few dishes, maybe wiping down the counter now and again and often to grab a hot pan, etc.. Generally have several active at one time. They get washed with other towels and linens as needed. When they get too groddy, they get recycled into car rags, window washing cloths or garden rags before heading off to dish towel heaven.

Well, #1 I rarely use the hot setting on the washer, #2 I have all sorts of towels ranging from the grocery store to Sur Le Table (those are actually the stinkiest!)

I think I'm going to start with a long soak along with our robes in oxiclean. Then a wash load in HOT water! Hoping for the best!

I only use hot water for whites, and I have no white kitchen towels. Most of my towels are pioneer woman towels, and are from walmart. I have some others that came from Dollar General. I wash them always in cold water. I never have stinky towels, so I dont think, the water temp has anything to do with it. Most are over 1 or two years old. I havent bought new ones for a long time.

FWIW, Borax is a good deodorant, and washing soda helps cut greasy dirt. I use them separately...

I always use a hot wash for kitchen cloths, towels and bed linen. It's a question of hygiene imo.

I use All Free and Clear laundry soap, no issues.

I have not had this issue either, but if I were you here is what I would do after you try any tips and tricks from below.

Wash a load as you normally would (hopefully on at least warm water), then hang dry. Is the smell still there? If not, then you've pinpointed the dryer as the culprit.

If you still smell it, then take your towels to a laundromat and wash/dry them there. Is the smell still there? If so, then who knows.

But my guess is that either your washer or dryer is imparting this into your towels, if you have done everything else and you've been unsuccessful.

"nancyjane_gardener: Well, #1 I rarely use the hot setting on the washer,"

As I suspected. Even the warm setting nowdays is basically tap cold in the machine, 70°F to 75°F (unless the tap-cold temp is higher). Hot on the designated Normal cycle is usually 85°F to 95°F, less than typical shower/bathing temperature. IMO not conducive to fully flushing greasy/oily soils (including skin sebum) out of the clothing (and machine).

I had in 2012 cleaned up/refurbed an old-style 1999 Kenmore toploader (so 13yo at the time) for my mother to use. It was pristine. Six years later it needed a common transmission repair that occurs with aging. I found this at disassembly. She washed primarily in cold water because "that's what you're supposed to do." I showed her the evidence of why it's bad. She still washes in cold. SMH.

She does not use liquid softener so that's not the source of the residue. None of that greasy smutz was visible at normal view of the machine (photo 1). The clean spot in photo 2 is where I had wiped off some of it before the photo was taken. And lest the claim be "that's detergent residue" ... detergent residue would reasonably generate sudsing. There was none when the spin basket and outer tub were sprayed with water.

What's the deal with people only washing in cold water? Why is that "what you're supposed to do"?

I totally missed that she rarely uses hot water. I use the sanitize cycle (extra hot) on my kitchen rags & dog towels, and normal cycle (warm) on virtually everything else except delicates. I honestly don't care one whit about what it does to the fabric, if that's the concern people have. I want my kitchen rags to be scorched in there, and I want the sweat and grime out of everything else.

If people wash on cold to save energy... well we all have energy star washers now that use less water and less energy so one hot cycle isn't going to blow the bank there. I'm confused.

"What's the deal with people only washing in cold water? Why is that "what you're supposed to do"?

I learned from this board that washing in cold causes a lot of problems. In my case, the biggest problem was perma-stink, there was a constant musty smell on clothes, towels, and bedding. Re-washed everything in hot (added boiling water to the loads because my washer sucks and hot = lukewarm), and viola! perma-stink gone. Except one set of sheets that I can't seem to get rid of the mustiness, but it's much fainter.

I just bought new machines (delivery pending), and one of my requirements was an on-board heater/sanitize cycle. I'm with you -- I want my towels and bedding washed in scorching-hot water. Cotton can take it.

"If people wash on cold to save energy... well we all have energy star washers now that use less water and less energy so one hot cycle isn't going to blow the bank there."

^^ Yep.

My problem is not being answered. My OLDER dishcloths do NOT smell. The newer one do. They may look ratty, but do not smell. The ones from 70-80-90's do not smell. I bought some for our camper in 2000 and they do not smell. . I brought them home in 2022 and use them here. They do not smell.

The new ones I bought to replace the ratty ones in probably 2019 or so, DO! Hot water, bleach, extra rinse, etc. They still have a rancid oil smell.

They are all used and washed the same. They are all 100% cotton, (supposedly).

ETA: I would like my dishcloths to look nice and not wore out, but I cannot stand the icky smell.

I am astonished at the number of posters with oily smelling towels. What are you using these towels for? (If my husband used one of my good dishtowels to wipe up grease/oil it would be the last time he touched one.) In my kitchen, paper towels are for stinky, icky messes. Cloth dish towels are for drying hands and clean dishes. Maybe for drying a clean, wet countertop.

I cook everyday. I wash the stove top and counters. I wash what does not go in the dishwasher.

It is a dish CLOTH, not a towel. It is used to WASH pots and pans, aluminum pans, and cast iron pans.

My husband does not clean or cook ever.

I have dish towels for drying. They are not used to wash with, they are for drying the clean that the CLOTHS washed. A dish cloth is usually 12”x12”. A dish towel is larger.

Still how come the old ones do not smell and the new ones do!

I wash my towels on the sanitize cycle. I rarely use cold for anything. I believe even the warm setting is actually barely warm with these new energy saving type machines. I also rarely use the normal cycle as warm and hot on it are not actually warm and hot. I guess maybe I could use normal cycle on hot to get warm water.

What is the fabric content of the stinky cloths? I have some bathroom hand towels that are not 100% cotton, and they never smell completely fresh - not stinky but not as clean and fresh-smelling as my 100% cotton towels.

AS I said above, they ALL say 100% cotton.

Sherry, I hear your problem but don't know the answer. The only thing I can think of is perhaps a new spin on the threads in the weave that's supposed to be more absorbant trapping the nasties that stink. Unless they've smelled bad frim the start? If the cloth were transported here by sea and got smelly on the way, it's probably a lost cause.

Pillog, they were fine to start. I am going to go into the rag box and dig out my old ones with holes and throw the new ones in, lol.

Hah! I don't blame you! Maybe the same problem as Nancyjane's. I wish we could solve it. Have you tried the vinegar or baking soda wash? Have you hung them up in the sun for five hours? It might be worth begging sunny yard space from a friend if you don't have it...

"AS I said above, they ALL say 100% cotton."

Ooop, I missed that.

I am not investing any money in new ones until I fix the current ones.

I am am buying a small box of Tide original powder. (I use All Free and Clear for asthma) I read a hint to boil a big pot of water and add one cup vinegar, boil for 15 minutes and let cool.

I will then rewash in the Tide and dry in the sun. Good idea about the sun. I did that with diapers and it worked for diaper rash, we won’t say how many years ago, but the baby is 52..

I do use hot water, and my water is hot. I also use the extra rinse cycle.

Yes, there has to be something different about the newer cotton.

FWIW, 100% cotton on a label may not be true these days, I understand.

OMG! Ask the wrong question, you might get the right answer! I was trying to find out about the spin in the threads and landed in a gaggle of handweavers making their own dish towels! In trying to kick them out of my search, the AI came up with they're now finishing cottons with silicone!!!!!! The AI (which is just a talkative very fast search engine) even knew that this was counter to absorbancy! It also said this:

"Some products marketed as silicone may be poor-quality or blended with other materials, such as vinyl or polyurethane, which are more likely to have an odor.

• Absorption of other odors: Over time, silicone can absorb strong-smelling oils and odors from detergents or food. "

This bullet point could be the answer for both Nancyjane and Sherry.

CAUTION! AI is like a small child. It will invent answers trying to please you. It has no discernment and can't detect BS nor evaluate truth vs, fiction or lies. That said, this is what it says about removing a silicone fabric finish. It says "for absorbancy" but it should remove the odor as well, if the issue is silicone, though the remedy is what we've been talking about all along. I don't know if it's because it's universal, or if it's stupid AI tricks hoping for a cookie. I haven't found the source material.

"To remove the manufacturer's silicone finish from towels and increase their absorbency, you should strip them of the silicone coating, which is also known as sizing. The process involves washing the towels with a stripping agent, then rewashing with detergent to remove any remaining residue.

Steps for stripping your towels

1. Wash with a stripping agent

Place your towels in the washing machine without any detergent or fabric softener. To the wash cycle, add one of the following stripping agents:

• White vinegar: Use about one cup of white vinegar to break down the coating.
• Baking soda: For a milder approach, add about a half-cup of baking soda.
• Grease-cutting dish soap: A small amount of a grease-cutting dish soap can help break down the coating.

2. Re-wash with a small amount of detergent

After the initial wash, run a second cycle using only a small amount of your regular laundry detergent. This will clean the fibers and remove any lingering stripping agent and residue.

3. Tumble dry without a dryer sheetDry the towels completely in the dryer, but do not use a fabric softener sheet. Fabric softener sheets leave behind a waxy coating that will reduce the towels' absorbency.

Tips for maintaining towel absorbency

• Avoid fabric softener: Never use fabric softener or dryer sheets on towels, as the residue can build up and make them less absorbent over time.
• Separate towels from other laundry: Wash towels separately to avoid lint transfer and to keep them at their softest and most absorbent.
• Repeat the process occasionally: If your towels lose absorbency again over time, repeat this stripping process to refresh them. "

Heating, btw, is one way of getting silicone stains out of fabrics, so if the culprit is silicone finish, the hot washes and/or sun, are likely to help.

I soak all towels for the kitchen and cloths in washing soda for 24 hours. Then wash normally. Not a stain or nasty niff in sight! LOL

I sometimes get odors, so I wash all towels on hot with detergent and a little bleach.

Any item with a lot of oil/grease will need something like dawn dosh soap to bind with the oul to remove it. I buy the 100% cotton towels from to the automotive section at Costco. They are very inexpensive and come 45-60 to a pack.

I wipe off the stove after frying bacon, chicken and other greasy thigs. I usually use a little dawn dish soap or dawn power wash. Rinse the towel in the sink and then wash.

Wash is a hot (140F/60C) cycle in a washer that has an internal heater (Miele). I use Tide Purclean and they always come out clean and odor free.

I have had some cotton items get that weird smell that you describe as rancid oil, GOOD description BTW! :) Not sure why but it is usually things that are 100% cotton and are packed away that don't get much use. I went to get out a box of old dog bandanas from being packed away and they smelled like that really BAD! I washed them and the smell did come out but I have no doubt that if I need them again after having been packed away, they will once again smell like that.

If the OP uses the old holey dish cloths for a month or so, and then even those smell, then the problem is either a change in what's being washed up off the counters and dishes (with whatever soapy stuff is being used with them) or in the detergent/washer/water combination.

Smelly cottons are definitely a thing now, far more than cotton used to be. The chemicals used in finishing have changed over the years and may differ by production country.

One change in my area is the mix ratio of water from various sources (the Colorado river and aqueducts) with different mineral content. I suspect the mix of water treatment chemicals has also changed.

“Smelly cottons are definitely a thing now, far more than cotton used to be. The chemicals used in finishing have changed over the years and may differ by production country.”

Yes, I think that is it. I have not changed the way I cook, clean, or wash, it is just the cloths or chemicals in the cotton that have changed.

This is quite interesting to read about the newer cottons, the chemicals being something I didn't know about. Would buying cotton labelled organic be treated with silicones/other chemicals?

No. Organic refers to how it was grown, not how it was finished. If it feels stiff or slick or plasticky, as some cotton towels do, it definitely has some kind of sizing.

^^ Good to know.

“because conventional cotton is often grown with harmful pesticides and treated with toxic chemicals like formaldehyde and PFAS during manufacturing, which can remain as residues on the fabric, posing risks to human health and causing skin irritation. For a non-toxic product, look for cotton that is certified as organic cotton and produced under GOTS or OEKO-TEX standards, which ensure it's free from harmful substances”

Both of these are good. IIUC, OEKO-TEX checks for the fabrics for their own standards, and GOTS has independent checkers and check the whole item.

The problem is that the whole move to silicone is that it's NOT considered "harmful". I believe it's allowed in general by OEKO-TEX and it depends on the exact product and application and may well be allowed by GOTS.

I'm no expert on this, though I know fabrics. The reason why silicone shouldn't be on towels is that they inhibit absorbancy--something that might be desirable for other products. If you know there's a silicone sizing on towels, it's easy enough to remove with the instructions above about vinegar and/or baking soda wash and/or hot water.

It's also easy to buy towels that aren't coated to begin with. I didn't know that's what it was, but I've felt towels in the stores that felt plasticy and stiff, and kind of sticky. Don't buy those if you don't want to deal with the silicone. Buy towels which feel cottony and floppy. But don't let safety certifications distract you. Silicone is safe. It's just annoying on towels.

Get a gallon of “Odoban”, read the directions, and soak overnight. Then use Odoban in the fabric softener dispenser often. This product does wonders IMO.

Even the hot setting many not be hot enough. I highly recommend running a sanitize cycle if your machine has it. It will strip the towels and clean your machine!

When you are taking a hot shower or washing your face, remember to take your fingers and wash and rinse the inside of your nostrils, being sure to include that complex shelf-like area (ala?) at the inside tip of your nose as well as the walls, top and bottoms of your nostrils.

I am serious.

I solved the smell problem on my dish washcloths. I use All Free and Clear liquid for washing everything because I am sensitive to scent. It does a great job on everything except the kitchen stuff. I bought a small box of Original Tide powder for using with kitchen towels and washcloths. The scent is very strong, but I have an extra rinse on my washer, top loader.

Problem solved.

I also bought new dish washcloths, as mine were getting ratty. I am going to really like them. They are the Homaxy mentioned above. Not too big, thin, and 100% cotton. Big A. Lots of colors, but I bought white. I like to see if clean and no stains. Also can bleach.

Homaxy 100% Cotton Waffle Weave Kitchen Dish Cloths Dish Towels, 12 x 12 Inches, 12-Pack

Absorbent, Quick Drying, Ultra Soft, White