Ask Me Help Desk - Stinky ,smell from Laundry after being washed ,but re-wet

Help!Help! Help!

I looked this problem up on the Internet and there were several suggestions,but I am still confused, and disgusted w my current laundry problem. It smells funky! We really notice it when the ,supposedly, clean towels, dish towels, etc. are wetted again. It smells musty! and I mean it even sticks to your hands ,from just picking them off the towel bar, OR JUST GETTING THEM WET FOR THE 1ST TIME! I thought we were having too big of a load, tried that,less soap, rinsed twice,used more water, less items, using hot water, to no avail!
The suggestions are many,Use bleach to clean out the tub,use vinegar, (white? Or red ?or apple?) on the rinse cycle or 2 rinse cycles? use Borax and dry soap ingredients,for wash cycle,no liquid fabric softener,in washing machine, we have always used the dryer sheets, but a lot, felt cleaning that dispenser on the washing machine was the problem. another sd use ammonia,another buy white towels only and then always use some bleach in one cycle or the other. Maybe these all would work, but before I go to the store and buy all these products ,I guess, I would like to know if anyone has the right combination and when and where to put it in and what amount,Will I have to plant myself in the basement to accomplish clean towels, so I can put what I need to in the right cycle? Wash or rinse? 2nd rinse cycle? I even saw one guy trying to explain how to clean the "wash filter"? On the bottom panel of the washing machine that has 3 screws and which one to turn in which direction,etc! Or maybe that was to set the water level higher! I am on disability for a bad back, I don't know if I can bend down there for that long and IF all machines have this filter or not! It does seem like there could be a little more water in there,even on the ex-lg load,Ours is the top-loading Kenmore type,fortunately, as their seem to be a lot of the NEW expensive front loaders that are really peeved! Seems that's another BIG problem! PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN!! I thought it was the summer humidity and then remembered that my Mothers smelled good all the year round! But I can't hang them outside on a line all day either.(Miss you MOM!) I guess there's some product that IF I join Sams Club for $50they sell something called Odor Out or some such! But I will do what I must if I can get the right instructions and the right cycles and the right products to use! AHHH I am exhausted! and I have a lot of laundry now to REDO!
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP! I WISH I COULD GIVE YOU A MEDAL! IF IT WORKS!

Have you tried washing them with no detergent, no softener, just baking soda?

Had a similar problem. First time I washed the 'tub' of the washing machine with hot water and bleach - no results. The 2nd time I filled it with hot water, more than a half bottle of bleach and let it sit overnight. If this doesn't work, go to a commercial cleaning store. I had a sour milk odor in my car (hidden gallon of milk busted) and bought "Nature's Solution". It's a bio-enzymatic deodorizer that took out the smell completely!!

National Chemical Laboratories, Inc. makes it and the phone # is 800-628-2436, in case you can't find it. I'm sure that company has something to help.

Good luck!

I have this problem if I don't load clothes in the dryer as soon as the washer stops.

I had this problem... I was, and still do sometimes, put TOO MANY CLOTHES IN THE WASHER! They sour inside the dryer because the air can't circulate properly.

THANKS SOOO MUCH TO ALL WHO TOOK THE TIME TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS!
I ended up w a combination of ideas from a couple different sites on the internet:
FIRST I cleaned the tub w a small amt of Lime-Away & HOT water, then changed to a DRY lndry. Powder w bleach already in it,but using about 1/3 of the amt. suggested,(many use WAY too much soap)combined w a bit of Borax,( FYI-"they" ALL say, use NO liquid fab. Softener ,as it gets clogged in the dispenser and if not cleaned regularly, causes an odor, plus it puts an oily finish on items, making them less porous,i.e.towels, I have always used sheets in the dryer, anyway.) I also used some white vinegar in the rinse cycle. IT WORKED MIRACLES! NO STINKINESS! Another tip I picked up was to use a ball of aluminum foil and a dryer sheet in the drying cycle,the foil cuts down on the static, works great,too! But keep track of the foil ball as it gets pretty small,golfball-size, and you may end up w a lump in your bedding ,or towels or whatever! This is definitely a more complicated process, but it works and is worth it! Thanks again!-CASTORBEAN49
P.S> Always leave the washer door open, after use,bacteria love dry,moist,dark places to grow and create a stink!

Quote:

Originally Posted by castorbean49

THANKS SOOO MUCH TO ALL WHO TOOK THE TIME TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS!
I ended up w a combination of ideas from a couple different sites on the internet:
FIRST I cleaned the tub w a small amt of Lime-Away & HOT water, then changed to a DRY lndry. powder w bleach already in it,but using about 1/3 of the amt. suggested,(many use WAY too much soap)combined w a bit of Borax,( FYI-"they" ALL say, use NO liquid fab. softener ,as it gets clogged in the dispenser and if not cleaned regularly, causes an odor, plus it puts an oily finish on items, making them less porous,i.e.towels, I have always used sheets in the dryer, anyway.) I also used some white vinegar in the rinse cycle. IT WORKED MIRACLES! NO STINKINESS! Another tip I picked up was to use a ball of aluminum foil and a dryer sheet in the drying cycle,the foil cuts down on the static, works great,too! But keep track of the foil ball as it gets pretty small,golfball-size, and you may end up w a lump in your bedding ,or towels or whatever! This is definately a more complicated process, but it works and is worth it! Thanks again!-CASTORBEAN49
P.S> Always leave the washer door open, after use,bacteria love dry,moist,dark places to grow and create a stink!

What an ordeal - but I'm glad you found the secret.

I once went on vacation and left the washing machine door closed - and, yes, I came home to - blech!

Run a cycle with no laundry soap. Odors stick to the residue left behind. Once you have washed them without soap dry as usual, and for future, cut the amount of detergent you are using. You really only need to use about half of what the manufacturers recommend, and a 1/4 or an 1/8 for a front loader.

I had this problem with towels. I read on the internet to try BORAX. I have a front end loader washing machine. I ran a cycle empty with BORAX and then ran a load of towels with the BORAX. The smell was gone and has not returned. It worked for me.