Rewash the clothes as soon as you notice the smell. Use the warmest water the care label allows, plus a cup of white vinegar or a presoak in oxygen bleach. Then dry them completely, in direct sun if you can. Mildew is a mold that grows in damp clothes, so you have to clean it out and then keep the fabric dry.
Key Takeaways:
- Leaving wet clothing in the washer is one of the main ways clothes pick up mildew smell.
- Presoak in oxygen bleach, about 1/4 cup per gallon of warm water, for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Rewash in the warmest water the label allows with a cup of white vinegar or a cup of baking soda.
- Dry clothes all the way before you fold them or put them away.
Why do my clothes smell musty?
Homes & Gardens describes mildew as a mold that thrives in humid, damp places with poor air circulation, and fabric that stays wet gives it exactly those conditions.
Whirlpool’s guide to removing washer odors points to the usual culprit. Wet clothes left in the washer basket can grow mildew, and that mildew makes both the clothes and the machine smell.
Cleanipedia and Whirlpool point to a few other habits that feed the problem:
- Putting clothes away before they’re fully dry, which traps moisture in drawers and closets.
- Using too much laundry detergent, which leaves a residue that can hold odor.
- Drying indoors in humid air, where clothes take longer to dry.
- Leaving sweaty gym clothes in a hamper for days, since skin bacteria can transfer body odor to fabric.
How to get mildew smell out of clothes, step by step
Check the care label first, and skip any product it rules out. These steps also work if you’re searching for how to get musty smell out of clothes, since musty odor and mildew smell come from the same damp conditions.
- Shake or brush off any visible mildew outdoors, as the UGA Extension stain guide recommends.
- Mix 1/4 cup of oxygen bleach per gallon of warm water. Stir until it dissolves, then soak the clothes for 30 minutes to an hour. Homes & Gardens gives this ratio.
- Wash your clothes inside out in the warmest water the label allows, with your regular detergent and one cup of white vinegar.
- For a stubborn smell, run a second cycle. Homes & Gardens suggests adding half a cup of baking soda during the rinse.
- Dry the clothes all the way, outdoors in the sun if you can, since sunlight helps with any leftover odor.
Sometimes a mildew stain is still there after washing. On fabric that can take bleach, the UGA Extension’s mildew stain guide suggests a 10 to 15 minute soak in 1/4 cup of chlorine bleach and 3/4 cup of water. Its gentler option is lemon juice and salt, then drying in direct sun. The same guide warns that mildew weakens fibers, so handle stained pieces gently.
Clothes left in the washer overnight
A forgotten load doesn’t have to go in the trash, because one more wash usually clears it. Whirlpool’s dryer odor guide says a wet load left sitting in either machine for a long time will begin to grow mildew. Its fix is to rewash the load and dry it.
Use the vinegar from step three if the smell is strong, and move the clothes to the dryer or a rack as soon as the cycle ends.
To stop it from happening again, Whirlpool recommends:
- Taking clothes out as soon as the cycle ends.
- Leaving the washer door or lid open between loads so the drum can dry.
- Using HE detergent in an HE machine, in the amount the label calls for.
- Running the washer’s clean cycle monthly with a washer cleaner or liquid chlorine bleach.
Why clothes still smell musty after washing
Sour-smelling clothes straight out of the wash are a reason to check the washer itself. Cleanipedia’s guide to damp-smelling clothes warns that a moldy washing machine can transfer its odor to clothes.
If you have a front-load washer, Whirlpool says to remove and clean the detergent dispenser drawer regularly, and its door seal cleaning steps cover the rubber gasket:
- Pull the seal back gently and look for stains, soil, and small objects caught underneath.
- Mix 3/4 cup of liquid chlorine bleach into one gallon of warm water, and wear rubber gloves.
- Wipe the seal with a damp cloth dipped in the solution and let it stand for five minutes.
- Dry it with a clean cloth, then leave the door open so the drum can air dry.
Once the machine is clean, wash the load again. Built-up detergent residue in the fabric can also hold odor, Cleanipedia notes. Our guide to laundry stripping walks through a soak that pulls that residue out.
Why clothes smell musty after drying
Clothes that smell fine out of the washer can turn stale on the way to the drawer. Cleanipedia lists clothes left too long in the dryer, laundry put away before it’s completely dry, and slow indoor drying as common causes.
Moisture in the air slows drying, Cleanipedia notes, so pay as much attention to the rack as to the wash. On cold or wet days, it suggests opening a window, running a dehumidifier in the room where clothes hang, or drying in an air-conditioned room. Our tips on how to air dry clothes help a rack-dried load finish before it turns stale.
How to get musty smell out of stored clothes
Anything pulled from a bin or a back closet takes the same soak and wash, followed by drying in the sun if the fabric allows.
Keeping the smell away comes down to storage. Homes & Gardens recommends storing clothes and linens only when they’re completely dry, in well-ventilated bins or shelves. Pack them loosely, since folded fabric with trapped dampness invites mildew. If you also protect wool from moths, our post on mothballs and other alternatives covers what to tuck in with stored clothes.
Hand the rewash to OrangeBag
When a whole load has gone sour, OrangeBag can take it from there. Leave it in any bag at your door, and note the smell or any special care in your order. Every order is washed separately at our plant on Avalon Blvd in Los Angeles and comes back sorted and folded in 24 to 48 hours. Wash and fold is $2.65 per pound, and our laundry pickup and delivery page lists the neighborhoods we serve.
Mildew smell FAQ
Will vinegar get mildew smell out of clothes?
Vinegar works in many cases, and Homes & Gardens suggests adding one cup of white vinegar to a hot wash with detergent. If the smell lingers, it recommends a second cycle with another cup. Cleanipedia suggests two cups of vinegar, or a cup of baking soda instead, and says vinegar’s antimicrobial properties help eliminate odor-causing bacteria. Use the warmest water your care label allows, and dry the clothes completely afterward.
Can you get mildew smell out of clothes without rewashing?
Hanging clothes in direct sun can help with a faint smell, since sunlight dries fabric fully and Homes & Gardens notes it helps with mildew. Cleanipedia also suggests a light spray of water mixed with a few drops of essential oil, then letting the piece air dry. A real mildew smell, though, means mold is growing in the fibers, and it usually needs a wash to clear.
Does oxygen bleach remove musty smells?
It does on fabrics that can take it, so check the care label first. Homes & Gardens says oxygen bleach deodorizes and kills bacteria and fungi, and it has no odor of its own. Dissolve about 1/4 cup per gallon of warm water and soak for 30 minutes to an hour before washing.
How do I get mildew smell out of clothes without vinegar?
Put a cup of baking soda in the wash, which Cleanipedia says soaks up odors during the cycle. An oxygen bleach presoak works without vinegar too. Homes & Gardens also describes an essential oil soak: five to 10 drops of tea tree, lavender, lemon, or eucalyptus oil in a gallon of warm water. Leave the clothes in it for 30 minutes to an hour, then run a normal wash.
Ready for fresh-smelling laundry?
Set the musty load and the rest of the week’s laundry by the door on pickup day. Everything comes back to your door clean, dry, and folded.
