The sole purpose of washing clothes is to make them smell good and clean-looking. However, there are moments when we are caught having a sour-smelling laundry. This may happen to your laundry done at the laundry shop or your home. That’s why you have to pick a trustworthy laundry service provider or make no excuses in cleaning your laundry room at home.
If you are around New York, visit or make a laundry delivery service from Liox Laundry. You can make an appointment, and you can Click here. But, if you are more comfortable doing the laundry at home, here are some of the things you should remember to keep laundry loads smell better.
1. Frequently Clean Washer
Molds are the number one cause of making laundry results sour-smelling, and washer owners often overlook this problem. You need to clean your washer regularly. White vinegar is quite helpful in the laundry. Aside from helping remove stains efficiently, it is a nice solution for cleaning your washer.
Have a load of 1:1 white vinegar and water in your washer. If the washer has a self-cleaning cycle, you can fill the bleach container of your washer with the vinegar solution. But, some use bleach in cleaning their washers. You must keep in mind that bleach and vinegar should not be mixed; you must choose only one cleaner.
After running the load, use a sponge or soft cloth to wipe the gaskets. Leave the washer door open to let its insides dry.
2. Leaves Washer Door Open
Some might think their washers are clean because it looks clean on the inside. But, in the hidden areas of the washer, especially around the door gaskets are molds lurking. This issue arises because some might think it is untidy to leave their washer door open.
Leaving the washer door open lets it air out, preventing molds from growing. If you close the washer door, it may create a foul smell. Thus, only close the washer after the inside is dried up.
3. Use Right Laundry Detergent and Amount
Choose an effective laundry detergent. Some laundry detergents cannot work on cold water or remove soils efficiently. It is safe to use a detergent designed to work in cold water and remove body soils.
Do not forget only to use the right amount of laundry detergent. If you use too little or too much detergent, your clothes will not smell clean. Using too much detergent creates an opportunity for mold and dirt to stick on the fabric and causes a sour odor. Meanwhile, too little detergent will not efficiently clean and remove the dirt off the fabrics.
4. Skip Fabric Softeners
Most of us are used to applying fabric softeners for a fragrant, wrinkle-free, and soft laundry. However, using fabric softeners on the wrong type of fabric result in an unwanted smell. Fabric softener is not healthy for moisture-wicking clothes, most of these types of fabrics are used for athleisure clothes.
Instead of using fabric softeners, use baking soda or vinegar as a fabric softener. These two things that you can find in your kitchen help your clothes smell nice.
5. Wash Smelly Clothes Immediately
Clothes, bedsheets, and towels have body soil on their fabrics, especially when you do strenuous activities like gardening, sports, and others that make you soiled and sweaty. Doing activities like these make your clothes smelly and must be washed immediately.
Soiled and sweaty clothes that are not washed immediately give molds and bacteria time to cultivate. You can air out the sweaty clothes in the meantime and wash them on the same day. But, if you cannot wash your clothes on the same day, whether it is because of laziness or you do not have extra time, it is time to appoint a laundry pickup and delivery service to wash your small load.
6. Don’t Overload Machine
Sometimes, we have the urge to do all the piles of laundry at once. But just because you can squeeze in the entire laundry hamper in the washer or dryer, it does not mean you should do it. Overloading your washer and dryer does not give you a quality result. Instead, it gives you a stinky laundry.
Loading the washer correctly is one of the proper ways of doing laundry. The load cycle should not be more than the appropriate load requirement. The clothes inside the washer and dryer need enough room to tumble and move.
7. Dry Laundry Immediately
You have to dry your laundry immediately, whether you use dryer or air-dry clothes. Drying wet garments directly help kill any lingering bacteria. Do not fold your clothes damp; the moisture causes bacteria or mold to grow.
It is important to dry the laundry immediately, whether you will use a dryer or air-dry your clothes. Laundry that is not dried quickly and thoroughly becomes a breeding ground for any bacteria and mold, which results in a sour smell. The heat of the dryer that dries the garment helps kill any lingering bacteria and prevents the possibility of having a breeding ground for molds.
If you cannot dry your laundry in the dryer, hang them in a well-ventilated area.
8. Dry Clothes Completely Before Folding and Storing Them
Do not fold your clothes damp; dry them thoroughly before doing so. A little dampness can lead to molds and mildew. If you are washing large and bulky items, it may take longer for them to dry. You have to pay attention and be patient with how dry your clothes are to ensure they come out smelling pleasant.
Final Thoughts
If you do not give attention to your laundry, washer, and activities, your laundry could smell pretty unpleasant. You have to know what causes a foul smell in your laundry to ensure you can do preventive measures. Being aware of the detergent, disadvantages of fabric softener, and regularly cleaning the washer are the basic essentials of making your laundry smell clean. Always check on these tips to have a quality and fresh-smelling laundry.