# Pee-yew! Towels clean, but stink of mildew. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 29, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613 "2006-09-29T15:45:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/1 "2006-09-29T15:45:08Z")
I used a freshly-laundered towel today, and it stank of mildew. I’m guessing mildew broke out in the towel hamper because of dampness, but even washing didn’t take the pong away. There’s no visible evidence of mildew on the clean towel, but you can sure smell it. All of my towels are colored, so I can’t wash them with bleach. What product will deodorize them? I was looking at Febreze at the supermarket this morning, but the instructions just said to spray it on clean laundry - plus, it had a perfumey smell, which my husband will not tolerate. I wanted something that I can throw in the wash with the towels to thoroughly clean them out and deodorize them. Does anything like this exist? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/2 "2006-09-29T15:56:48Z")
Try washing them in borax and adding vinegar to the rinse water. ---
**Author:** ![daffyduck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@daffyduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/daffyduck)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/3 "2006-09-29T15:58:39Z")
You cab use the Febreze before you wash too and then wash it out. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/4 "2006-09-29T16:11:44Z")
I’ve used vinegar in rinse water as a deodorizer. You can also use baking soda (just dump it in with the detergent). ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/5 "2006-09-29T16:26:39Z")
Try spreading them out in the sun and fresh air. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/6 "2006-09-29T17:04:21Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] Try spreading them out in the sun and fresh air. [/QUOTE] That should help a whole lot. Bright sunshine kills the mildew. Then you can re-wash the towels using a vinegar rinse like the others have suggested. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/7 "2006-09-29T17:11:47Z")
[QUOTE=redtail23] I’ve used vinegar in rinse water as a deodorizer. You can also use baking soda (just dump it in with the detergent). [/QUOTE] I would suggest not trying both of these at the same time. _insert I Love Lucy moment_ When I had laundry not coming out as fresh as it should, I used an extra long cycle with OxyClean and detergent, with the hottest water I had, and made sure not to overfill the machine. That did the trick. You may want to skip the Oxy and use Borax instead. Dry promptly. ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/8 "2006-09-29T17:21:47Z")
[Tide has a line of detergents with Febreeze already in them.](http://www.tide.com/en_US/freshapproach/index.jsp?venue=2230000) It works really well on my stinky towels. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/9 "2006-09-29T17:57:01Z")
[QUOTE=Cheesesteak] I would suggest not trying both of these at the same time. _insert I Love Lucy moment_ [/QUOTE] 😛 That did occur to me, but only after I’d posted. I’ve used them consecutively without problem, but concurrently could be quite…entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/10 "2006-09-29T18:19:23Z")
Google “soured laundry”. Soured is the term for laundry that smells funky, but doesn’t yet have little black spots in it. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/11 "2006-09-29T18:19:40Z")
[QUOTE=Susie Derkins] [Tide has a line of detergents with Febreeze already in them.](http://www.tide.com/en_US/freshapproach/index.jsp?venue=2230000) It works really well on my stinky towels. [/QUOTE] Huh. Can I just pour some Febreze in the washing machine in addition to the detergent I’m using? That way, in case it leaves a bit of perfume in the towels, it’ll only be the towels that I’m using it on and not laundry in general. ---
**Author:** ![ASAKMOTSD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/12 "2006-09-29T18:30:20Z")
You would not happen to have a Whirlpool Neptune washing machine would you? These machines have a known problem with mildew. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/13 "2006-09-29T19:30:33Z")
Vinegar is much cheaper than Febreeze, and leaves no detectable scent behind, unless you use a scented fabric softener of course. I wind up re-washing a load that’s been forgotten about every other week, so I just keep a jug of cheap vinegar right with the laundry stuff. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/14 "2006-09-29T20:21:38Z")
[QUOTE=Queen Tonya] Vinegar is much cheaper than Febreeze, and leaves no detectable scent behind … [/QUOTE] I assume that white vinegar is _de rigeur_ for laundry use? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/15 "2006-09-29T20:31:04Z")
[QUOTE=bordelond] I assume that white vinegar is _de rigeur_ for laundry use? [/QUOTE] You can try Balsamic, but I wouldn’t use it on any outer ware. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/16 "2006-09-29T20:37:54Z")
Okay, here’s the plan: 1. Try white vinegar. We already have a huge jug of that. In case it doesn’t work - 2. Pour Febreze in washer with Tide and try that. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/17 "2006-09-29T20:52:25Z")
[QUOTE=Maastricht] but doesn’t yet have little black spots in it. [/QUOTE] :eek: -gag- I’d go with the vinegar solution, pun intended. Oh…and…use white vinegar. Apple Cider vinegar could get, well, disgusting. My grandmother told me that in the old country ( pre-WWII Germany ) they didn’t have bleach. They kept things white by laying them out in the sunlight all day as they dried. I always found this a bit suspect, as most things don’t fade that fast in a day of bright sunlight. Then again, she _was_ my grandmother and I might well go to Hell for doubting her veracity… Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/18 "2006-09-29T20:58:26Z")
I’d skip the Frebreze- it makes me sneeze. Washing soda. Or Pine-sol. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2006, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/19 "2006-09-29T22:27:55Z")
I had this problem when I left towels in the washing machine for, say, 16 hours, before drying them. When I changed my procedures to only wash them when I knew I could throw them in the dryer soon afterward, it went away. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2006, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613/20 "2006-09-30T01:52:23Z")
[QUOTE=Cartooniverse] My grandmother told me that in the old country ( pre-WWII Germany ) they didn’t have bleach. They kept things white by laying them out in the sunlight all day as they dried. I always found this a bit suspect, as most things don’t fade that fast in a day of bright sunlight. Then again, she _was_ my grandmother and I might well go to Hell for doubting her veracity… Cartooniverse [/QUOTE] No, they definately used to do that, especially (IIRC) with linens. I’m sure it worked, if they did it - housewives didn’t do things that didn’t work back when there was so _much_ work. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pee-yew-towels-clean-but-stink-of-mildew/374613.md?page=2)