How to Get Rid of Musty Smell in Clothes

You pull your clothes out of the washer expecting that fresh-laundry smell, and instead you get... something musty. Maybe sour. Definitely not fresh. It's one of the most common laundry complaints we hear here in Brenham, especially during our humid Texas summers.

Why Clothes Smell Musty

That musty smell is caused by bacteria and mildew that grow in damp environments. Here's what creates the problem:

• Leaving wet clothes in the washer. Even 30 minutes can be enough for bacteria to start growing in warm, humid conditions. After a few hours, that sour smell is well established.
• Detergent and fabric softener buildup. Over time, excess detergent and softener build up in fabric fibers, creating a sticky residue that traps moisture and bacteria. This is the most common cause of clothes that smell musty even right after washing.
• Storing clothes while damp. Folding or putting away clothes that aren't completely dry creates a perfect breeding ground for mildew.
• A dirty washing machine. Mildew can grow inside the washer itself—especially in the rubber gasket of front-loaders, the detergent dispenser, and the drum. If the machine smells, everything you wash in it will too.
• Overcrowded loads. Packing too many clothes in the washer means water and detergent can't circulate properly. Clothes don't get fully clean, and trapped moisture leads to odor.

The Solution: White Vinegar

White vinegar is the single most effective tool for eliminating musty smells in laundry. It's cheap, natural, and works better than most commercial products.

How It Works

White vinegar is mildly acidic (around 5% acetic acid), which does three things:

1. Kills odor-causing bacteria. The acidity creates an environment where bacteria and mildew can't survive.
2. Dissolves detergent and softener buildup. The acid breaks down the residue that's trapping odors in your fabric.
3. Softens fabric naturally. As a bonus, vinegar acts as a natural fabric softener without the waxy buildup that commercial softeners leave behind.

How to Use It

1. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser or directly into the rinse cycle.
2. Wash as normal with your regular detergent.
3. Dry immediately after the cycle ends.

Will my clothes smell like vinegar? No. The vinegar smell dissipates completely during the rinse and dry cycles. Your clothes will smell like nothing—which is exactly what clean clothes should smell like.

Alternative: Baking Soda

Baking soda is another effective odor fighter that works differently from vinegar.

How It Works

Baking soda is a base (alkaline), which neutralizes acids—including the acidic compounds that cause sour and musty smells. It also acts as a mild abrasive that helps scrub away buildup.

How to Use It

1. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda directly to the drum with your clothes.
2. Add your regular detergent to the dispenser.
3. Wash on the warmest cycle safe for your fabrics.

Can I use vinegar and baking soda together? Not in the same cycle—they neutralize each other. Use one or the other per wash, or use baking soda in the wash cycle and vinegar in the rinse cycle (they won't be in the machine at the same time).

Stubborn Odors: The Deep Soak Method

For clothes that still smell musty after a regular wash with vinegar, a pre-wash soak is the next step.

The Pre-Soak Process

1. Fill a basin or sink with warm water.
2. Add 1 cup of white vinegar and 1/2 cup of baking soda. It will fizz—that's normal.
3. Submerge the clothes and let them soak for 30-60 minutes.
4. Wring out gently and wash as normal.
5. Dry immediately when the cycle finishes.

For extremely stubborn odors (gym clothes, towels that have been left damp for days), try soaking overnight. You can also add a few drops of tea tree oil, which has natural antifungal properties.

Why More Detergent Doesn't Work

This is one of the most common laundry mistakes. Your clothes smell bad, so you add more detergent. But the smell gets worse, not better. Here's why:

• Excess detergent doesn't rinse out. Your washer uses a fixed amount of water per cycle. If you add more detergent than the water can dissolve and rinse, the excess stays in your clothes.
• The residue traps bacteria. That sticky, soapy film creates a perfect home for the bacteria causing the smell in the first place.
• It creates a vicious cycle. More soap leads to more buildup leads to more smell leads to more soap.

The fix: Use less detergent than you think you need. Most people use 2-3 times more than necessary. Follow the measuring lines on the cap—the "1" line is for most normal loads. For high-efficiency (HE) machines, use HE-specific detergent and use even less.

Is Your Machine the Problem?

If every load comes out smelling musty regardless of what you do, the washing machine itself may be the issue.

Signs Your Machine Needs Cleaning

• A musty or sour smell when you open the door
• Visible mildew or dark spots on the rubber gasket (front-loaders)
• A slimy film inside the detergent dispenser
• Clothes consistently smell worse after washing than before

How to Clean Your Washing Machine

1. Run an empty hot cycle with 2 cups of white vinegar. No detergent, no clothes.
2. Wipe down the gasket (front-loaders) with a vinegar-soaked cloth. Pull back the folds and clean inside—this is where mildew hides.
3. Clean the dispenser. Remove the detergent and softener trays and scrub them with an old toothbrush and vinegar.
4. Leave the door open after every wash to let the drum dry out.

Quality laundromats clean and service their machines regularly, so you don't have to worry about inheriting someone else's mildew. At Alamo Laundry in Brenham, our machines are cleaned and maintained on a set schedule to prevent buildup.

Prevention: Keeping Clothes Fresh Long-Term

Once you've eliminated the musty smell, these habits will keep it from coming back:

• Remove clothes immediately when the cycle ends. Set a timer if you need to.
• Use the right amount of detergent. Less is more. Follow the measuring lines.
• Skip the fabric softener or use vinegar instead. Fabric softener buildup is a major contributor to musty smells.
• Dry clothes completely before putting them away. Even slightly damp clothes can develop mildew in a closed closet or drawer.
• Don't let dirty clothes sit in a pile. Use a hamper with ventilation (mesh or perforated) rather than a sealed bag or bin.
• Wash towels and workout clothes promptly. These items are damp and full of bacteria—don't let them sit for days.
• Clean your washer monthly. Run an empty hot cycle with vinegar once a month to prevent buildup.

Frequently Asked Questions