How to Get Mildew Smell Out of Towels, According to Laundry Experts

We’ve all been there: you’re swapping out your towels just before your shower when suddenly you notice that your seemingly clean towels have a musty, mildew smell. Though the odor is offputting and may inspire a desire to toss your towels, rest assured—getting the mildew smell out is easier than you might think.

Ahead, we asked laundry care experts about how to rid towels of mildew smell and prevent it from returning once and for all.

Materials You’ll Need

• Laundry detergent
• Bleach (for white towels)
• Laundry sanitizer or color-safe bleach (for colorful towels)
• Stain and odor remover

Instructions

When you’re ready to rid your towels of mildew smell, try this fail-safe method from Mary Gagliardi, Clorox's in-house scientist and cleaning expert, aka "Dr. Laundry."

1. Always start by checking the care labels on your towels for specific laundering instructions.
2. Sort towels by color, separating white towels from colorful towels. It’s important to wash multiple towels at the same time to help the washer balance properly during the spin cycle.
3. Add laundry detergent and additives to the appropriate dispensers in your washing machine. 
4. Choose the heavy-duty cycle, add hot water, and an extra rinse.
5. Begin the washing cycle.
6. Tumble dry.

What Causes Mildew Smell in Towels?

There are several reasons that you might start to notice a mildew smell in your towels, but the odor is ultimately caused by an odor-causing bacteria. Your towels might start to smell like mildew after being washed in a washing machine that has some sort of residue buildup, making even your freshly washed towels smell musty and mildewy, especially when they’re wet. 

Sometimes the mildew smell is the result of towels not being properly hung to dry after use. This slows down the air-drying process, which means mildew and odors have time to develop. The same idea applies if you wash your towels but don’t put them in the dryer right away. "Letting your wet laundry items sit in your washer for an extended period of time can result in unwanted and lingering odors on your laundry," says Timothy Buszka, head of marketing for affresh appliance care and Swash laundry detergent.

Tips For Keeping Your Towels Smelling Fresh

The best way to keep your towels from smelling like mildew is to try to prevent it in the first place. Consider these helpful tips to keep your towels smelling clean and fresh.

Run a Bleach Cleanout Cycle

Running a bleach clean-out cycle at least once a month helps keep your washing machine clean and free of buildup, says Gagliardi. If your washing machine is dirty, chances are all of your laundry will smell like mildew, not just your towels.

Use Hot Water

Using hot water during the washing cycle helps prevent mildew and other odors. Just be sure to follow your towels’ care instructions to make sure hot water is safe to use.

Wash Your Towels Frequently

Waiting too long to wash your towels is a recipe for mildew. Be sure to swap them out for fresh ones after three or four uses. "When toweling off, you’re wiping away skin flakes and body oils, so towels can stand to be cleaned more frequently, especially hand towels used to dry hands after handwashing," says Gagliardi.

Use the Right Amount of Detergent

Believe it or not, using more detergent doesn’t make your clothes cleaner. In fact, it can make them dirtier by leaving residue and odors behind.—so always read the package instructions and measure what you need. "To help ensure you’re using the correct amount of detergent every time, I recommend using an ultra-concentrated detergent," says Buszka.

Clean Your Washing Machine’s Lint Trap

Your washing machine has a lint trap just like your dryer, but chances are you don’t remember to clean it as frequently. According to Buszka, you should clean your lint trap after washing each load, as it will help not only keep your laundry items free from lint buildup but also from funky odors.