If you’re learning how to remove mildew smell from towels, you can wash it with vinegar. That nasty pungent smell on your towel will be gone.
Mildew smell is often an indicator that mildew or mold grows in that area. The smell is similar to a wet sock or rotting wood, which is unpleasant.
As it can be an indicator for mildew growth, once you notice some awful smell inside your house, it is better to investigate and get rid of it before mildew or molds start to breed and spread.
Continue reading this article, and you will know more about removing mildew smell from towels since we will discuss a more in-depth guide.
What Is Mildew?
Mildew is a fungus closely related to mold. They have similar ways of cleaning and conditions to breed.
Mildew and mold have a lot in common but are different in their texture and colors.
Mildew typically grows on the surface. That is why it is easier for mildew to be spotted than mold.
Since it only grows on the surface, it is relatively easier to clean than molds that penetrate surfaces. FEMA also describes mildew as an earlier sign of mold.
What Causes Mildew Smell On Towels?
Do you ever hang up your towels properly after using them to dry yourself after showering? If not, you might want to hang it properly after reading this article.
Towels are made to be wet but are not intended to stay moist. Making sure that the towel can dry up faster is a must.
What happens if you do not hang it up correctly? Well, there is a high chance that mildew or mold can grow there.
If not taken care of, the problem regarding mildew smell from your towel can elevate to a more severe mildew problem in your closet, where you store all your towels and clothes and even on your washer.
Here is how to prevent mildew in closets and how to clean mildew out of washer if you ever come across problems like that.
Easy Steps To Remove Mildew Smell From Your Towel
Here are three simple and easy steps that you can take inside your home to get rid of that nasty musty smell from your towel.
Step #1. Wash your towel with white vinegar
Take 1 cup of white vinegar and warm water, and this is what you would use to wash the towel. Fill up the washer with warm water, and if your washer has a fabric softener compartment, pour the vinegar into it.
If not, directly put the vinegar into the warm water, put the towel there, and start the washer. After washing your towel with vinegar, the mildew smell should now be gone, and the lingering smell of vinegar should be left.
Step #2. Wash your towel with baking soda
Next is to wash your towel with either a detergent or a ½ cup baking soda. You will wash your towel with detergent or baking soda to get rid of the lingering smell of vinegar on your towel.
You can use your regular detergent powder if you want, but baking soda could also. With this step, wash the towel as you would normally wash it.
Aside from removing the lingering smell of vinegar, the detergent, or the baking soda, it would also let your towel be soft.
Step #3. Put your towel in the dryer
As mentioned earlier, towels are made to be wet but are not intended to stay moist. That is why you have to make sure that the towel is completely dry before storing it.
After the two wash cycles, immediately put your towel in the dryer. Afterward, make sure that the towel is wholly deprived of moisture to prevent mildew from growing at it again.
How To Prevent Mildew Smell
As we have always known, prevention is better than cure. Here are tips for you to prevent your towel from having that nasty mildew smell.
First and foremost, always make sure to hang your towel. Hanging your towel properly would help the air and humidity flow through your towel and will dry up naturally instead of just tossing them to your bathroom floor.
Washing them frequently is also one way of preventing mildew growth. You use your towel every after a shower or washing your face.
Nonetheless, you are repeatedly exposing your towel to moisture and probably dirt. It is essential to wash your towel every once in a while and let them dry up properly to avoid any mildew growth.
Conclusion
After you have read this article, you are now knowledgeable on the topic of how to remove mildew smell from towels. You now know how to properly take care of your towels and prevent mildew growth on them.
We are hopeful that this article was able to help and assist you with your mildew problem at home. Make sure to follow the steps carefully to avoid the problem next time.