How to Remove Musty Smell From Clothes for Good

To remove a musty smell from clothes, rewash them right away, ideally at the hottest temperature the care label allows, with a proper dose of detergent. For stubborn cases, soak first in white vinegar and water or wash with baking soda, then dry completely. If the smell comes back, your washer is probably the source, and it needs cleaning too.

This guide covers what the smell actually is, the methods that work (and the ones that only mask it), how to fix the machine, and how to stop it from returning.

TL;DR

• Musty odor means microbes grew in damp fabric. Masking it with fragrance does not fix it, so rewash instead.
• Rewash promptly, as hot as the care label allows. For tough cases, soak in vinegar and water or add baking soda first.
• If clean laundry still smells musty, clean the washer: drum, door seal and detergent drawer.
• Dry everything fully, never leave wet loads sitting, and skip fabric softener on affected loads.
• Measure detergent carefully. Too much leaves residue that feeds odor.

Table of Contents

• Why clothes smell musty in the first place
• Step 1: Check whether it is the clothes or the machine
• Step 2: Rewash first, before anything fancy
• Step 3: Soak or boost for stubborn mildew smell
• Fabric-by-fabric quick guide
• When the washing machine is the problem
• Drying and storing so the smell does not return
• Our perspective: dosing, residue and laundry on the move
• Try a pre-measured dose for your next rewash
• A rescue plan for one musty load
• FAQ
• Sources

Why clothes smell musty in the first place

A musty smell is not dirt you can see. It is a gas. Microbes reproduce in damp or soiled fabric and give off microbial volatile organic compounds, which have characteristic smells people notice at very low levels. The US EPA makes the same point about mold: some of its compounds are strong smelling and released quickly into the air, which is why a moldy smell can suggest active growth.

The cause is almost always moisture plus poor airflow. The EPA’s guidance says to dry water-damaged items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. A gym bag, a towel on the bathroom floor or a load forgotten in the drum overnight all fit that description.

There are three common scenarios:

1. The clothes were damp too long. Wet towels, a forgotten load, a damp basement or a sealed bag of gym clothes.
2. The clothes were stored damp or never fully dried. Items come out of the dryer or off the line slightly moist and are folded away.
3. The washer is the source. The clothes were clean, but the machine smells, and the smell transfers every cycle.

Knowing which one you have saves you from washing the same shirt five times.

Step 1: Check whether it is the clothes or the machine

Smell a few items that were not in the problem load, such as clothes from a drawer. Then open the washer and smell the drum, the rubber door seal and the detergent drawer.

• If only the affected items smell, treat the clothes (steps below).
• If freshly washed items from several loads smell, the machine is likely the culprit. Jump to the section on cleaning your washer.
• If both are true, do both. Rewashing in a smelly machine just re-applies the smell.

The ABC’s reporting on this topic notes that a musty smell often starts in the machine rather than the garment, and that a persistent smell signals the drum, filter or seals need deep cleaning.

Step 2: Rewash first, before anything fancy

The simplest fix is the most reliable one. Experts quoted by Martha Stewart say mildew smell can generally be removed with a thorough rewash. A few details make that rewash count:

• Rewash right away. Do not let the items dry with the smell in them. Dry, musty clothes are harder to treat than damp ones.
• Check the care label. Use the hottest water the label permits. Cotton towels and tees can usually take a hot wash. Wool, silk and many synthetics cannot.
• Brush off visible spores outdoors. If you can see mildew, take the item outside and brush it with a soft nylon brush so the spores do not spread through your home.
• Do not overload the drum. Clothes need room to move and rinse.
• Use the right amount of detergent. More soap is not cleaner. Excess detergent can build up as residue in clothes and in the machine, and Whirlpool notes that detergent and softener residue can accumulate and cause odor problems.

If the smell is gone when the items are fully dry, you are done. Dry means dry: sniff them again the next day.

Step 3: Soak or boost for stubborn mildew smell

If one rewash does not do it, add a pre-soak or an additive. These are the two options with expert backing.

White vinegar soak

For durable fabrics such as cotton, the guidance reported by Martha Stewart is to soak items for at least one hour in a solution of 1 cup white vinegar per gallon of water, then wash as usual. Persistent odors may need a longer soak, up to overnight.

1. Check the care label.
2. Fill a bucket, sink or tub with water and add 1 cup of white vinegar per gallon.
3. Submerge the clothes fully and leave them for an hour or more.
4. Wash in the machine as usual, then dry completely.

A caution on frequency: vinegar is a one-off treatment here, not a habit. Whirlpool says its acidity can degrade rubber gaskets and door seals over time, so soak in a bucket or sink instead of pouring it through your machine again and again.

Baking soda in the wash

The same Martha Stewart guidance suggests washing with half a cup of baking soda as an alternative. It is gentle on most fabrics and easy to keep in the cabinet.

Oxygen-based boosters

Washing guidance from consumer protection experts points to oxygen-based bleaching agents in powder detergents as a way to break down the biofilm and kill odor-causing bacteria and mold spores. Check the label of any oxygen booster you buy, and test it on a hidden seam on colored items.

What not to do

• Do not mask the smell. Fragrance does not remove the source. The ABC’s expert coverage is blunt that covering odor with scent does not address the fungal spores behind it.
• Do not add fabric softener. The Spruce advises against softener on mildewed laundry and against heavily scented detergent, because the goal is to treat the problem, not hide it.
• Do not combine chemicals. Never mix bleach with vinegar or other cleaners. If you use chlorine bleach on a white load, use it alone and follow the label.
• Do not put still-smelly clothes in the dryer. Heat can set the odor in.

Fabric-by-fabric quick guide

Printed and fitted pieces need extra care. If a mildewed hoodie has a graphic you want to keep, follow the advice on washing hoodies in cold water on a gentle cycle to preserve fit and prints, and extend the wash with a short pre-soak rather than a hot cycle.

When the washing machine is the problem

If clean clothes keep coming out smelling stale, treat the washer. Many modern machines develop a biofilm, a film of detergent residue, skin oils and soil, in places like door seals and detergent drawers. Samsung’s support page says odor builds up when residue, soil, lime scale and iron collect in the washer and combine with bacteria and mildew.

A practical routine:

1. Run a hot maintenance wash monthly. The Verbraucherzentrale Sachsen recommends a monthly empty wash at 60 °C (140 °F) or the highest temperature the machine allows, using a powder detergent with oxygen bleach. If your washer has a built-in tub clean cycle, use that and follow the manual.
2. Wipe the seal. On front-loaders, Whirlpool suggests wiping the gasket and door dry after each load.
3. Clean the detergent drawer and filter. Pull the drawer out, rinse it and scrub out any slime. Check your manual for the location of the drain filter.
4. Leave the door ajar. Leaving the door and drawer slightly open lets the interior dry and helps prevent mold-harboring biofilm.
5. Use the right detergent for your machine. HE machines need HE-compatible detergent, in the right amount for the load.

The same German consumer advisory notes that smells develop especially when you wash only at 30 or 40 degrees Celsius or use only liquid detergent, so an occasional hot cycle is not optional if you wash mostly cold.

Drying and storing so the smell does not return

Clean clothes can still turn musty in the closet. Fix the habits:

• Empty the washer promptly. Wet laundry that sits in the drum for hours is how most musty loads begin. The EPA’s 24 to 48 hour window for drying wet items is the outer limit, not a target.
• Dry thoroughly. Make sure thick seams, waistbands, hoods and towel edges are completely dry before folding.
• Air out gym and travel bags. Unzip them and hang the contents as soon as you get home.
• Give the closet air. Do not cram clothes tight, and fix any moisture source such as a leaky wall or a damp basement. As the EPA puts it, moisture control is the key to mold control.
• Wash towels often enough. Damp towels are the most common offenders, and our guide on how often to wash towels covers a schedule.
• Know when to let go. The EPA notes mold can penetrate porous materials deeply. UConn Extension advises that people with a musty smell, water damage or flooding should assume mold is present. If a mattress, rug or padded item stayed wet for more than a day or two and still smells after cleaning, replacing it may be the only fix.

Our perspective: dosing, residue and laundry on the move

We make laundry detergent sheets, so we see this problem from one angle: how much detergent actually goes into a load, and where the water and detergent end up.

Musty laundry is first a moisture problem, and no detergent will fix a wet load left for a day. We would not tell you a sheet cures mildew, because we have no claim that it does. What we can speak to is dosing. A Toss & Go sheet is a pre-measured dose, so there is no guessing, no cap overflow and no sticky film on the drawer or the lid. Each sheet dissolves completely in hot or cold water, in HE, front-load, top-load and standard machines, or by hand in a sink. That makes it easy to soak a small item in a basin without measuring anything. For a small load, half a sheet is enough, which helps avoid overdosing.

There is a second practical angle. Mildew trouble often comes from places where laundry is awkward: shared laundry rooms, dorms, RVs, vans and travel. A box of 50 sheets weighs about three ounces, against roughly six pounds for a 90-ounce jug, so you can carry a month of laundry in a carry-on and wash promptly instead of letting a damp bag sit.

If you prefer not to add scent while you troubleshoot a smell, our Fragrance Free option has no added fragrance or dyes. Our Fresh Meadow option is lightly scented and contains linalool, a recognized potential skin allergen, so choose based on your own sensitivities. We publish every intentionally added ingredient with CAS numbers at purecise.com/ingredients, so you can read before you buy.

— Purecise

Try a pre-measured dose for your next rewash

If you are rewashing a smelly load, a sheet takes the guesswork out of the dose. Drop one sheet in with the clothes, or in a sink for hand washing, and run the hottest cycle the care label allows. You can pick up a box of 50 Toss & Go sheets for home, or a Travel 3-Pack for a gym bag, dorm or road trip. Every order comes with our 30-day Keep It or Toss It Guarantee: a full refund or a replacement, with nothing to ship back. You can also see the full range.

A rescue plan for one musty load

If you want the whole thing as a checklist:

1. Smell-test clothes from the drawer to decide whether the machine or the clothes are the problem.
2. Brush off visible mildew outdoors with a soft brush.
3. Check care labels.
4. Soak durable items for one hour or more in 1 cup of white vinegar per gallon of water, or add half a cup of baking soda to the wash.
5. Wash at the hottest temperature allowed, with the correct dose of detergent and no fabric softener.
6. Dry completely, then sniff again the next day.
7. Clean the washer: run a hot maintenance cycle, wipe the seal, rinse the drawer, and leave the door ajar.

If the smell is still there after two rounds, the fabric may be too far gone, or the source may be your storage space. For delicate or valuable items, ask a professional cleaner.

FAQ

Does musty smell on clothes go away?

Usually, yes, if you act fast. A prompt, hot rewash removes the smell from most durable fabrics. Deep-set odors may need a vinegar soak or baking soda wash first, and heavily mildewed or delicate items may not fully recover.

Why do my clothes still smell musty after washing?

The most likely reasons are a washer with built-up residue, a cold-only wash habit, too much detergent, or clothes that were not fully dry. Smell clothes from the drawer to confirm, then clean the drum, seal and detergent drawer and run a hot maintenance cycle.

What neutralizes musty odor?

White vinegar in a soak and baking soda in the wash are the two household options with expert backing for durable fabrics. Oxygen-based boosters also help. Scents and sprays only cover the odor, so they are not a fix.

Can I use vinegar in my washing machine every time?

We would not. Appliance maker Whirlpool says vinegar’s acidity can wear down rubber seals over time. Use it in a bucket or sink for a one-time soak, and use a hot cycle for regular machine maintenance.

Sources

• How to Get That Mildew Smell Out of Your Clothes, Martha Stewart
• Experts share advice on combating musty laundry smell, ABC News
• What does mold smell like? US EPA
• A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home, US EPA
• Cleaning and Removing Mold in Your Home, UConn Extension
• How to Get Rid of Mildew Smell in Laundry: 5 Ways, Real Simple
• How to Get Mildew Smells Out of Clothes Quickly, The Spruce
• How to get mildew smell out of clothes, Whirlpool
• How to Remove Smells in a Front Load Washer, Whirlpool
• How to remove bad odour in Samsung Washing Machine, Samsung
• Wenn die Waschmaschine müffelt, Verbraucherzentrale Sachsen

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