Cleaning enthusiasts have shared a simple method to keep towels smelling fresh by placing one item between them in the cupboard. The hack was posted on a Facebook group founded by fans of cleaning influencer Mrs Hinch.
Musty Smell Problem Solved
Taking to 'Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips', a social media user named Paula asked for advice on getting rid of the 'musty' smell she finds on her clean washing. Paula asked: "How do I stop my stored bedding and towels from smelling musty?" In response, fellow cleaning fans were quick to share the tips and tricks that had worked best for them.
First, many replies emphasised the importance of ensuring towels are fully dry before they are put away. For example, a commenter said: "Make sure they are fully dry before folding and store in a dry cupboard. Shouldn't be musty unless damp. Hot, hot wash and fully dry to get the smell off."
Another response said: "Make sure they are really dry before you store them." Someone else agreed: "Before storing them, they must be bone-dry. 101% dry. The area around the linen closet or wherever they're kept must have no moisture in the air. Dry air has no smell, good or bad."
Dryer Sheets as a Freshness Hack
But there were also helpful tips for people keen to really keep that fresh wash smell. Several social media users said they swear by tumble-dry sheets, which usually cost around £2 per pack.
Explaining how they use the sheets, a viewer shared: "I put tumble dryer sheets in my stored bedding. I placed them in as I folded them. They smell lovely when taken out of storage. I do it with holiday clothes as well." The social media user added: "If I'm doing bedding, I do one in each pillow case, two in the sheet and four in the quilt cover (mine's King size)." Another cleaning fan commented: "Put some tumble dry sheets between them when you store them."
Soap and Bath Bombs as Alternatives
Other commenters said they store their towels and bedding with soap for added freshness. One such response read: "I store my bedding towels in drawers and use nice smelly soaps in between the layers." A similar reply read: "I store them with a bar of nice soap." Someone else shared a different tactic, writing: "Go get a nice bath bomb from Lush, keep it in the bag open and just plonk it in with the towels. I do it with mine and in my pyjama drawer, it smells amazing."
How Dryer Sheets Work
Dryer sheets help towels smell nice because the heat from the dryer activates the waxes and scents in the sheets, which then melt onto the fabric fibres. Since there's no water to dilute the fragrance, this method really locks strong scents into the terry cloth.
Dryer sheets have artificial scents and waxes. When you put them between towels in a cupboard, they gradually release these fragrant molecules into the enclosed air. Since the cupboards are enclosed, the smell stays on the fabric, masking any stale or musty odours.
