# Towels smell musty only when wet? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 13, 2019, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/towels-smell-musty-only-when-wet/840140 "2019-09-13T00:45:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/towels-smell-musty-only-when-wet/840140/1 "2019-09-13T00:45:38Z")
I have some towels that smell musty only when wet. They were damp for a couple days and started smelling musty, when I washed them they smelled fine, but as soon as they get wet 30 seconds later they smell musty again. I don’t see mold on them so I don’t understand why. Anyone know why it only smells when wet? I am deciding if I need to throw them away. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/towels-smell-musty-only-when-wet/840140/2 "2019-09-13T00:48:59Z")
Are you on well water or city water? Wash them with a full cup of bleach. ---
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/towels-smell-musty-only-when-wet/840140/3 "2019-09-13T01:31:43Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Are you on well water or city water? Wash them with a full cup of bleach. city water ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/towels-smell-musty-only-when-wet/840140/4 "2019-09-13T01:44:11Z")
Do you throw them in the dirty laundry hamper wet? That could be the problem if you do. Hang wet towels to dry before stuffing them in a hamper. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/towels-smell-musty-only-when-wet/840140/5 "2019-09-13T02:09:53Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Are you on well water or city water? Wash them with a full cup of bleach. Cider vinegar works too. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/towels-smell-musty-only-when-wet/840140/6 "2019-09-13T02:19:41Z")
I would wash the towels in a heavy bleach wash. Wash the the hamper with a bleach solution. Air dry all of it, in the sun if possible. If they still smell musty then toss 'em. Bleach is cheap. Oh yeah, do you have a top load or front load washer? Front loaders have odor issues. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/towels-smell-musty-only-when-wet/840140/7 "2019-09-13T03:18:59Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Oh yeah, do you have a top load or front load washer? Front loaders have odor issues. I guess I’d agree, but I think front loaders get issues because people don’t leave the door open after a load, so mold might grow inside the damp chamber. It’s pretty natural to leave a top-loader’s lid open in between loads, so perhaps they tend to dry out in most circumstances = no mildew. ---
**Author:** ![Dickerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@Dickerman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dickerman)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/towels-smell-musty-only-when-wet/840140/8 "2019-09-13T16:23:44Z")
When this happens to me, I use the ultra hot clothes washer setting. It works wonders, but I realize not all washers have this. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/towels-smell-musty-only-when-wet/840140/9 "2019-09-13T16:48:07Z")
You could wash them at a laundromat and see if its a washing machine problem. Are the towels 100% terry cotton or a synthetic blend. I bought some dish towels that were microfiber they never really came clean. They got sent to garage quickly. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/towels-smell-musty-only-when-wet/840140/10 "2019-09-13T17:13:36Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Cider vinegar works too. I use white.