Laundry smells musty even after washing? Causes, solutions and how to keep it smelling fresh

You washed your laundry, folded it into the wardrobe, and two days later it smelled musty? You are not alone. A musty smell after washing is one of the most common household problems, and it almost always comes down to one of five causes. Here they are, along with the solutions.

Cause 1: a dirty washing machine

The door seal, detergent drawer and filter are damp and warm, an ideal environment for mould and bacteria, which are transferred to your laundry with every wash.

Solution: once a month, run an empty cycle at 90 °C with washing machine cleaner or 200 ml of white vinegar. Wipe the rubber seal, wash the detergent drawer and clean the filter. Leave the door and drawer open after every wash.

Cause 2: laundry left in the drum too long

Wet laundry that sits in a closed drum for more than 1–2 hours starts to develop bacteria. This is the classic ‘musty smell’.

Solution: hang the laundry up or put it in the tumble dryer as soon as the cycle ends. Use the delay start so the cycle finishes when you are at home.

Cause 3: washing only at low temperatures

Washing at 30 °C saves energy, but it does not remove all bacteria, either from the laundry or from the machine.

Solution: wash towels, bed linen and underwear at 60 °C once a week. The rest of your laundry can stay at 30–40 °C.

Cause 4: an overloaded drum and too much detergent

If the drum is filled to the top, the laundry does not rinse properly; detergent and fabric softener residue in the fibres holds on to moisture and odour.

Solution: fill the drum to two thirds, dose according to the instructions and add an extra rinse if you have hard water.

Cause 5: slow drying in a closed room

Laundry that spends two days drying in an unventilated bathroom does not dry quickly enough to stop bacteria developing.

Solution: dry it outdoors, by an open window or in the tumble dryer. Only fold laundry into the wardrobe once it is completely dry.

A special case: sportswear and the smell of sweat

• Wash it straight after training or leave it spread out, not in a closed bag.
• Do not use fabric softener: it clogs synthetic fibres and traps odour.
• Add half a cup of bicarbonate of soda to the drum or 100 ml of white vinegar to the fabric softener compartment.
• For a fresh scent without heavy fragrances, add 5 ml of laundry perfume (e.g. Cool Water or Fit Energy).

How to keep laundry fresh for weeks

Once you have dealt with the cause, take care of a lasting scent too:

1. Laundry perfume in the final rinse. Unlike fabric softener, it works with microcapsules that release scent for weeks, so bed linen stays fragrant until the next change.
2. Fabric freshener for items you do not wash after every use (jackets, curtains, the sofa). Fabric fresheners and odour neutralisers neutralise odours rather than just masking them.
3. A scented card or sachet in the wardrobe. Folded clothes pick up a gentle scent that matches your laundry perfume.
4. A dry wardrobe. Air it from time to time; damp is the enemy of freshness.

Summary: checklist

• ☐ Machine cleaned in the last month, door left open after washing
• ☐ Laundry out of the drum in under an hour
• ☐ One wash a week at 60 °C
• ☐ Drum filled to 2/3, correct dose of detergent
• ☐ Fast drying, only completely dry laundry goes into the wardrobe
• ☐ Laundry perfume in the final rinse for freshness that lasts weeks

Frequently asked questions

Why does laundry smell musty after washing?

The most common causes are wet laundry left in the drum too long, washing at low temperatures without an occasional hot wash, a dirty filter or washing machine seal, and an overloaded drum. Bacteria and mould in the machine are transferred to the laundry.

How do I remove the smell of sweat from sportswear?

Wash it without fabric softener, add half a cup of bicarbonate of soda or white vinegar to the wash, dry it straight after washing and add laundry perfume to the final rinse for a fresh scent.

How do I clean a smelly washing machine?

Once a month, run an empty cycle at 90 °C with washing machine cleaner or 200 ml of white vinegar, clean the filter and rubber seal, and leave the door open after every wash.

Does laundry perfume mask bad odours?

Laundry perfume scents clean laundry, but it does not remove the cause of a bad smell. Deal with the cause first (machine, drying), then laundry perfume takes care of long-lasting freshness.

How do I keep laundry fresh in the wardrobe?

Store laundry completely dry, add a scented card or sachet to the wardrobe, air it from time to time and wash bed linen with laundry perfume, which stays fragrant for weeks.