Towels that come out of the wash smelling musty can be revived with a simple two-ingredient method. Baking soda and white vinegar, used in separate cycles, remove trapped odours and leave fabric soft.
Why towels smell musty
Towels often develop unpleasant odours when they are left damp in laundry baskets or beach bags, allowing mildew to grow. Overloading the washing machine or using too much detergent and fabric softener can also prevent thorough rinsing, leaving bacteria and smells behind.
Carrie Higgins, a stay-at-home mum and founder of Making Lemonade, shared the natural approach with the Express. She said: "There's an EASY way to get the smell out. Load up the washing machine with your towels and sprinkle them with baking soda."
How baking soda works
Bicarbonate of soda is mildly alkaline, so it neutralises the acidic compounds that become trapped in towels and cause musty or sour odours. It also helps break down sweat, body oils and detergent residue that bacteria cling to.
Using baking soda is a simple way to revitalise towels without extra products or cost. However, it cannot eliminate mildew on its own, so it works best alongside a thorough wash and white vinegar.
Why add white vinegar
White vinegar has mild antibacterial properties and can help break down mould spores or mildew on towels. It also acts as a natural fabric softener, leaving towels softer without stiffness.
Vinegar and baking soda foam and neutralise each other when combined, so they should not be used together in the same cycle. For best results, wash with baking soda first, then rinse with vinegar.
Step-by-step method
Place towels in the washing machine, filling it only halfway to allow proper rinsing. Pour about 120ml of white vinegar into the fabric softener compartment, without adding baking soda, detergent or softener. Run the cycle at the highest temperature the towel's care label allows.
After that wash finishes, add your usual laundry detergent to the dispenser, following the amount on the container. Sprinkle about 100g of baking soda directly into the drum with the towels and run another cycle at the maximum permitted temperature. Avoid fabric conditioner, as it can coat fibres and reduce absorbency.
Once the cycle ends, hang towels outdoors in sunlight to dry if possible, or tumble dry on low heat. The towels should come out fresh and free of unpleasant odours.
