I hope somebody can steer me in the right direction.
One of my towels is a big blue fluffy (but masculine!) bath sheet that I bought many years ago from John Lewis. Recently I noticed that it begins to smell 2 or 3 days after I start to use it. None of my other towels do. So I am guessing that it has some bacterial infestation that washing does not remove.
I can't bleach it because the colour would fade,
Is there anything I can add to the wash to fix it? Would a biological powder do the trick?
Never knowingly underfed
I would wash it on the highest temp your machine has, then, instead of using a fabric conditioner, put white vinegar in the conditioner drawer. Always spread your towel out after using so that the air can dry it off completely. I put mine in the airign cupboard to dry. Also, perhaps try soaking it in a weak solution of Milton liquid.
I'll try that again!
I would agree with Toni and Eileen that towels need to dry out properly, or they do start to smell. Once you've used it, make sure you don't leave it screwed up. The ideal would be a heated towel rail.....other than that you could put it on a hanger by an open window.
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Don't know about Milton, but I used to chuck a scoop of Nappisan in with sheets, towels, etc when anyone in the family had one of those bugs.
Never noticed any fading.
Shut up, I'm counting
We often soak things in store-brand 'milton' overnight to help get rid of some stubborn 'baby related' stains on things. So far we've not noticed any colours fading.
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Would you believe it - Asda, Aldi, Co-Op - none of the branches near me sell white vinegar.
So today I thought I would just do a long hot wash at 60c, including a pre-wash. Threw in some other light blue cottony things as well as 2 towels. Admittedly, I forgot to take them out until this evening, but they do not smell good at all. Just vaguely "off", not stinky. I wonder why that should be?
Thanks for the tips re Milton & Nappisan, Janet, Jean and Mike. I work in the charity shop with a young Polish woman who lives a few doors from me. She has a toddler so she may be able to donate a cup of one or the other.
In any case, I have hung them up to dry and let's see if they are still whiffy in a few days time.
Never knowingly underfed
Leaving the stuff in the machine for half a day can let it develop a bit of a niff, and you can also have little pools of stagnant water in the machine to help that along.
One thing that also helps is Vanish - the powder in the screaming pink plastic tub. It is a species of bleach, but doesn't take the colour out of things.
When did you last clean out your dispenser drawer? It is amazing how much nastiness can accumulate around that. And the lint trap is a fruitful source of niffiness unless you cleared it out last week. When I say 'cleaned your dispenser drawer' I am talking taking it out and scrubbing it under the tap.
I don't take prisoners!
Shut up, I'm counting
It occurred to me as I did the empty wash last night, that you may be a neat and tidy chap who shuts the door of the machine when it is not in use - I used to. I says somewhere in the small print that it is not a good idea, and 'tis true - ventilation discourages the algal growth, for that is what the smell mainly is.
We have a very good way of remembering - once a month we put the flea drops on the dog, and wash the throws off the sofa - this puts so much hair in the machine that it is the perfect time to give it a clear out, if only to prevent the next load of laundry becoming coated with silky golden hair.
I still get irritated by the half open door of the machine, but try to control myself, remembering the smell of sun-rotted seaweed that used to arise when I kept it closed.
Shut up, I'm counting
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