Left It in the Washer? Here’s How to Lose the Mildew Smell

When Fresh Laundry Turns Musty 

We’ve all done it. You start a load of laundry, get distracted, and hours later realize your wet clothes are still sitting in the washing machine. When damp laundry stays trapped in a warm, enclosed washer for too long, bacteria and mildew can begin to grow, leaving behind that unmistakable musty smell.

The good news? In most cases, you can get rid of the mildew smell by rewashing your clothes and changing a few laundry habits.

Why Does Laundry Smell After Sitting in the Washer?

Wet laundry creates the perfect environment for unwanted odors. Moisture, warmth, and limited airflow can allow bacteria and mildew to develop, especially when clothes sit overnight or longer.

A few factors can make odors worse:

• Leaving wet clothes in the washer for several hours
• Closing the washer door between loads
• Using too much laundry detergent
• Overloading the washing machine
• Allowing detergent residue to build up inside the washer

How Do You Get Mildew Smell Out of Clothes?

If your freshly washed laundry smells musty, don’t put it in the dryer yet. Heat can make stubborn odors more difficult to address.

Instead, try these steps:

• Rewash the load: Run the clothing through another complete wash cycle using the warmest water temperature recommended on the care labels.
• Try white vinegar: Adding white vinegar to the wash can help combat stubborn odors. Avoid combining vinegar with chlorine bleach.
• Give clothes room to move: If the washer is packed tightly, split the laundry into smaller loads for better water and detergent circulation.
• Dry everything completely: Transfer clothing to the dryer immediately and make sure every item is fully dry before folding or storing it.
• Repeat if necessary: A particularly strong mildew smell may require another wash before drying.

How Can You Prevent Mildew Smell in Laundry?

Prevention is much easier than rewashing an entire load. A few simple laundry tricks can help:

• Set a phone timer when you start the washing machine so you remember when the cycle ends.
• Use a delay-start feature if your washer has one, especially when starting laundry before work or bedtime.
• Leave the washer door open after removing laundry to allow the drum to dry between loads.
• Clean your washing machine regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Use the correct amount of detergent. More soap does not necessarily mean cleaner clothes, and excess detergent can leave behind residue.
• Create a laundry routine by choosing specific days or times each week to wash, dry, fold, and put everything away.
• Don’t start a load you can’t finish. If you know you’ll be heading out soon, save the laundry for later.

What If the Washing Machine Itself Smells?

Sometimes your clothes aren’t the real problem. If clean laundry repeatedly comes out smelling musty, your washing machine may need attention.

Check and clean the washer’s detergent dispenser, door gasket, drum, and filter according to the manufacturer’s directions. Keeping the washer dry and properly maintained can help prevent odors from transferring to future loads.

Ready to Quit Doing Laundry Altogether?

Avoiding mildew smells is simple in theory: wash your clothes, remember to move them, dry them completely, fold them, and put them away. The problem is finding the time to do all of that week after week.

If you’re ready to take laundry off your to-do list altogether, HappyNest has you covered. HappyNest picks up your dirty laundry right from your doorstep, professionally washes, dries, and folds it based on your preferences, and delivers it back clean, fresh, and ready to wear.

Schedule your first pickup on HappyNest.com and leave the washing, drying, folding, and remembering to us.