What happens when laundry is left wet
Short answer: Wet clothes in a closed machine are ideal conditions for bacteria. They multiply quickly in warmth and moisture, and after a few hours clean laundry can smell musty. The simplest advice is to take the clothes out and hang them up straight away.
The washing machine is a warm room
After a wash the drum is damp and warm. Bacteria and fungi that survived the wash get both water and warmth, and the door is closed, so the moisture cannot escape. It is almost a small greenhouse, which is why clothes can smell even though they were just washed.
Bacteria love moisture and warmth
Bacteria multiply quickly when water and mild temperatures meet, and wet laundry offers both. Even clean clothes still carry a small remainder of microorganisms, and they need little food to get going. Time is the most important factor, and it works against you.
It happens quickly
In three to four hours a musty smell can develop in wet laundry. After a day it often has to be washed again. That does not mean the machine is broken or the detergent was poor, only that time passed. See bamboo footies for women, small items that are easily forgotten in the drum.
Why you take clothes out straight away
Hang the clothes up as soon as the programme ends. That is the simplest advice against odour in laundry, and it costs nothing. If you have a day when you are out, or a delayed start, consider setting the machine to finish when you are home to take the clothes out.
Air around the clothes
When clothes hang, there should be air around each piece. If they hang too close, they dry slowly, and the bacteria still get enough time. Straighten the items so they do not lie in folds, and leave a small gap. See bamboo underwear for women and all bamboo socks for women.
Can I rescue clothes left too long
Yes. Wash them again, preferably with a little vinegar in the softener drawer, and hang them up straight afterwards. The smell of musty laundry comes from microorganisms that have taken hold, and a new wash removes them along with what they have produced. A single repeat is usually enough.
Why does it smell different from sweat
A musty smell comes from different microorganisms than sweat odour, often fungi. Sweat smells of bacteria that have worked on skin fat, while musty laundry smells damper and stuffier. That is why the same advice does not always help, and why it is worth telling the two apart.
Does an extra rinse help
Rarely on its own. An extra rinse removes detergent, but not what has already formed in the fabric if the clothes lay for long. They need to be washed again to remove the residue. You can also prevent it by leaving the door and drawer open so the machine can dry between washes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rescue clothes left too long
Yes. Wash them again, preferably with a little vinegar in the softener drawer, and hang them up straight away so they dry fully. A single extra wash is usually enough to remove the musty smell.
Why does it smell different from sweat
Because different microorganisms, often fungi, have taken hold. Sweat odour comes from bacteria and skin fat, while musty smell comes from moisture and stale air, so the two odours each have their own cause.
Does running an extra rinse help
Rarely on its own. The clothes need to be washed again to remove what has formed, and afterwards hung up straight away so they get air and can dry fully.
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