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Towels Smell Musty After Washing? The 2-Wash Reset That Works

Musty towels are usually bacteria fed by too much soap and slow drying. A hot vinegar wash, then a hot washing soda wash, resets them.

By Jamilur Rahman Updated November 5, 2026 · 6 min read

Time
2 washes, about 3 hours
Cost
Under $20
Difficulty
Easy
A stack of folded white and gray bath towels on a bathroom shelf next to a laundry basket
In this guide
  1. Quick answer
  2. Free vs. permanent fix
  3. What you'll need
  4. Why it happens
  5. Try this first (free)
  6. When free fixes aren't enough
  7. Buy the fix
  8. Front loader? Fix the washer too
  9. Bath towels, tea towels and stale smells
  10. What to skip
  11. FAQ
  12. Related problems

Quick answer

Why do my towels smell musty after washing? Towels hold a lot of water, so bacteria and mildew grow in the thick loops, and extra detergent and softener leave a residue that feeds them. Run the 2-wash reset: one hot wash with white vinegar, then one hot wash with baking soda or washing soda, with no detergent in either. Washing soda is the cheap booster that keeps the smell from returning.

Free fix vs. permanent fix

Free fix · About 3 hours, mostly waiting

The 2-wash reset with pantry items

  • Wash 1: hottest cycle the tag allows, 2 cups white vinegar, no detergent
  • Wash 2: same heat, half a cup of baking soda, no vinegar
  • Dry fully on high or in direct sun
  • Use half the usual detergent from now on

How long it lasts: A few weeks to a few months. If towels still get stuffed in a damp hamper or stay damp on the hook, the smell returns.

Most readers choose Permanent fix
Washing soda laundry booster (illustration)
Illustration

Washing soda as a monthly booster

Washing soda is stronger than baking soda. It softens the water and helps strip the oils and soap film where odor bacteria hide. Used monthly, in place of extra detergent, it keeps that film from building up, so the smell has nothing to cling to.

What to get: Washing soda laundry booster

How long it lasts: As long as you keep using it and dry towels fully. A scoop in one wash a month keeps the buildup from returning.

Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What you'll need

  • White vinegar

    For wash 1, poured into the drum

    You have it

  • Baking soda

    For wash 2 if you have no washing soda yet

    You have it

  • Rubber gloves

    Washing soda can irritate skin

    You have it
  • Our pick
    Washing soda laundry booster (illustration)
    Illustration

    Washing soda laundry booster

    A stronger, low-cost booster for wash 2 and monthly upkeep

    Check price
  • Oxygen bleach powder (illustration)
    Illustration

    Oxygen bleach powder

    For towels that still smell after both washes

    Check price

Why it happens

1

Towels that never fully dry

A bath towel holds a lot of water. Folded, balled up in a hamper or stuck on a crowded hook, it stays damp, and bacteria and mildew grow within hours.

2

Too much detergent and softener

Extra soap does not rinse out of thick cotton loops. Softener coats the fibers in a waxy film. Both trap body oils, and smell bacteria feed on that residue.

3

Cold water and a stuffed drum

Cold water does not dissolve body oils well, and a packed drum cannot rinse them out. Towels come out looking clean but still hold the residue.

4

A musty washer

In a front loader, a gummy door gasket or a damp drawer can pass the odor to every load. If other laundry smells too, clean the washer as well.

Try this first (free)

Do these in order, starting with the simplest.

  1. Wash 1: hot water and vinegar, no detergent

    Tool used: White vinegar

    Wash towels only and leave room in the drum. Use the hottest setting the care tag allows. Pour 2 cups of white vinegar into the drum or the softener slot, and skip the detergent.

  2. Wash 2: hot again with baking soda or washing soda

    Tool used: Washing soda laundry booster

    Run a second hot cycle with half a cup of washing soda or baking soda in the drum. Do not add vinegar to this load, since vinegar and soda cancel each other out. Wear gloves when you handle washing soda.

    Washing soda laundry booster (illustration)
    Illustration

    Tool for this step

    Washing soda laundry booster · A stronger, low-cost booster for wash 2 and monthly upkeep

    Check price on Amazon

  3. Dry them completely

    Dry on high until no damp spots remain, or hang in direct sun. Feel the thick hem and corners, which dry last. Never fold or stack a warm, slightly damp towel.

  4. Cut the soap and skip the softener

    Use about half your usual detergent for towels, and wash them without softener or dryer sheets. Both coat the fibers and leave towels less absorbent as well as smellier.

  5. Let them breathe between uses

    Hang each towel spread open after use, not folded over a rail. Wash bath towels every 3 to 4 uses and tea towels sooner. Keep the hamper lid open or use a vented basket.

When free fixes aren't enough

If towels still smell after the 2-wash reset, repeat it once with an oxygen bleach powder in place of the baking soda, in hot water. If the smell is back within days, look at the washer. A smelly gasket or drawer, or a front loader that never dries out, passes the odor to everything. Clean the washer and leave the door open after each load. The reset fixes today's towels. A washing soda wash once a month is what keeps the film from building again.

Buy the fix

Still stuck after the free fixes? These are the products we would look at.

Our picks compared
PickProductFixesWho it's forBuy
Best pick
Washing soda laundry booster (illustration)
Illustration
Washing soda laundry booster
soap residue and oils where musty-smell bacteria live Anyone who has washed musty towels twice and wants a low-cost monthly reset. Check price
Upgrade pick
Oxygen bleach powder, color-safe (illustration)
Illustration
Oxygen bleach powder, color-safe
a stubborn mildew smell that survives the reset Households whose towels still smell after two resets, or who share towels among many people. Check price
Best pick
Washing soda laundry booster (illustration)
Illustration

Washing soda laundry booster

Fixes: soap residue and oils where musty-smell bacteria live

Look for: Plain sodium carbonate with no added fragrance or dye; A resealable tub or box that stays dry; Dosing on the pack for large loads.

Who it's for
Anyone who has washed musty towels twice and wants a low-cost monthly reset.
Honest downside
You wash wool or silk in the same load, or your washer manual warns against alkaline additives. Wear gloves when you handle it.
Check price on Amazon
Upgrade pick
Oxygen bleach powder, color-safe (illustration)
Illustration

Oxygen bleach powder, color-safe

Fixes: a stubborn mildew smell that survives the reset

Look for: Sodium percarbonate listed on the pack; Labeled safe for colors; No chlorine.

Who it's for
Households whose towels still smell after two resets, or who share towels among many people.
Honest downside
Your towels are dark and not known to be colorfast. Soak a corner first.
Check price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We don't show prices because they change, so use the button to see today's price.

How we picked: How we picked: this page is based on laundry-care guides from appliance makers, product instructions for laundry boosters, and the problems and fixes people report in reviews. We do not test products by hand.

Front loader? Fix the washer too

Front loaders trap water in the door gasket and detergent drawer, and a shut door keeps them damp. If towels smell musty from a front loader, do three things:

  • Wipe the gasket folds with a cloth after the last load of the day.
  • Leave the door and drawer open between loads.
  • Run a hot empty cycle with vinegar or a washer cleaner once a month.

Bath towels, tea towels and stale smells

Bath towels hold body oil, so the reset above works best on them. Tea towels pick up food and grease, so wash them hot and apart from bath towels, and let them dry flat or on a rail. If towels smell stale or old, not damp, they are usually carrying detergent buildup and the same reset clears it.

What to skip

More softener and scented boosters

Softener coats towels with a waxy film that cuts absorbency and holds smells. Scent beads and sprays hide a musty smell for a day without fixing it. And never mix vinegar with bleach, since the mix makes toxic chlorine gas.

Frequently asked questions

Why do my towels smell after washing even though they are clean?
A towel can look clean and still hold detergent, body oil and bacteria deep in the loops. Heat from the dryer or damp storage wakes the smell up. A hot reset and less soap clears it.
Why does my towel smell like mildew even after washing?
Mildew lives in damp fibers and in the washer itself. A hot vinegar wash, a hot soda wash and full drying remove most of it. If the smell returns within days, the washer or the way towels are stored is the source.
How do I stop towels from smelling musty in the first place?
Dry them fully, hang them open between uses, use less detergent, skip softener and leave room in the drum. A monthly washing soda wash keeps buildup down.
Why does my towel keep smelling bad after I wash it again and again?
Another wash with the same amount of soap just adds more residue. Switch to the reset: no detergent in the vinegar wash, half the detergent from then on, and a full dry every time.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure

Washing soda laundry booster (illustration)
Illustration

Our pick: Washing soda laundry booster

Check price