Is the smell in the fabric or in the machine
Short answer: Test it with a clean towel. Wash it alone in an empty machine and smell it afterwards. If it smells, the problem is the machine and not the clothes. If it does not, the smell sits in the garment.
Start with a clean towel
When a garment smells, it is tempting to wash it again and again. That rarely helps if the fault is in the machine. Take a clean towel you know does not smell and use it as a sample. That gives you an answer without guessing and saves many needless washes.
The first test is the machine
Run one cycle with only the clean towel and no detergent. Pick the programme you normally use for clothes. Take the towel out when it ends and smell it straight away. If it smells, the smell comes from the machine, meaning the drum, the rim or the detergent drawer, and not from the clothes.
How to smell it properly
Smell the towel while it is still slightly damp, and do it in a room without other scents. Also smell the machine itself after the door has been shut overnight. That shows where moisture collects. Do not wait until tomorrow, because the smell can change once the fabric dries.
The second test is the garment
If the towel did not smell, test the garment itself. Wet a small area with tap water and smell it. If the smell comes out when the fabric is wet, the residue sits in the fibre and not in the machine. It works on any piece, even small ones like bamboo footies for women.
What the result tells you
With two answers you can read the results together. If the towel smells and the garment does not, it is the machine. If the garment smells and the towel does not, it is the garment. If both smell, you have two jobs, and that is common. Start with the machine and measure the effect afterwards.
If it is the machine
If it is the machine, clean it and leave the door open when it is not in use. An open door lets moisture out, so there is no closed, damp drum between washes. Also wipe the rubber seal and take out the detergent drawer to rinse it. Those are the places where smell most often collects.
If it is the garment
If it is the garment, wash it warmer if the label allows, or soak it before washing. Soaking gives the residue time to loosen from the fibre. Read the label first so you stay within what the piece can take. See bamboo petticoat and bamboo tights for women for two pieces you can test this way.
Keeping the machine clean
Clean the machine once a month with an empty wash at sixty degrees. It does not take long and keeps the drum and seal fresh. Leave the door open afterwards so everything can dry. If you wash most things at low temperature, the hot empty cycle matters even more, since little heat gets in otherwise.
If the smell comes back
If the smell returns even though the machine is clean, check the drain and the filter. Standing water can cause smell, and no wash will fix that. Take the filter out following the maker's instructions and rinse it. If you are unsure, ask a professional rather than taking anything apart yourself, and repeat the towel test afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Can it be both
Yes, often it is both. Start with the machine, so you can measure the effect on the clothes afterwards without the machine's smell getting in the way, and only then decide what to do about the garment.
How often should the machine be cleaned
Once a month with an empty wash at sixty degrees. Leave the door open afterwards so the drum and rubber seal can dry fully, and rinse the detergent drawer while you are at it.
What if the smell comes back after all this
Check the drain and the filter, where standing water can cause smell. Clean both and repeat the test with a clean towel to see whether the smell has gone or still comes from the machine.
You can find the full range at Bamboo-Clothing.com.
