Stinky Towels - Hermiston,OR

Do you have a front loading washer? Bacteria can grow in the washer if you do not wash the washer and leave the door open when not in use.

It's possible that you've been using too much detergent. Try washing them with just vinegar and no detergent. Do you have hard water? If so add a water softener to the load.

Bleach also kills bacteria which can cause a smell. Try washing them with chlorine bleach if the above doesn't help.

It's odd that it's just the towels. What fiber are they made of? Could it be that the towels stink because of the kind of fabric and dye in them? Did they smell OK at the beginning?

It's strange that only the towels/washcloths are affected.
Are they the only things being stored in the same place (wooden shelves)?
You might take a look at the shelves and see if there's a mold problem.
If other things are stored in the same place but don't smell, then that isn't it.

Besides vinegar, there is a way to remove mildew smell using ammonia:

http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Mildew-Smell-from-Towels

I go through a lot of wash cloths (I run a daycare) so sometimes, they can sit for a day or two before making it to the washing machine. They get that stinky, gross musty smell that even washing won't take out. A small amount of bleach works every time! I have a front load washing machine, so I just add a lil bleach to the load (and I think I may have a "color safe" type bleach, I don't know) but I even use it on loads of dark colors and have never had any fade or spot. If unsure, just try it on a load of lighter towels or sheets. You should not have that yucky smell anymore.

My sister lives in WA and has the same problem. I think it's the water and some sort of transparent mold/mildew... Anyway, getting microfiber towels has helped tremendously. Norwex (a Canadian-based cleaning supplies company) has some awesome ones with silver specks to make them antibacterial, but I imagine you could find something comparable at Target or a bath store. Also, washing with a scoop of OxyClean really has made a difference too.

If you're really desperate, then maybe having a water filtration system put in could help, or even having a water expert/tester come and see if they have any ideas of the culprit. Good luck!

I had this problem with just my pillowcases - not the other linens that were being stored in the same place.

I put every single pillowcase through the sanitary cycle of my washer, including a prewash cycle. They were in there about 3 hours and came out smelling great.

When I stored them, I put a dryer sheet between them. So far, they have not begun to smell again.

If you don't have a sanitary cycle on your washer, maybe bring them to a laundromat that has industrial style washers, and put your washer through a cleaning also.

I would also definitely look into those shelves. Over time, wood can retain odors, especially if something was ever put on them wet or damp.

Good luck - it's frustrating, I know. I used to be so embarrased to have people overnight, eventhough I washed all the linens on their beds right before they came to freshen them up, I still felt like the smell returned.

Don't use dryer sheets (or liquid softener) on towels. It coats the fibers making them less absorbent AND it traps in any stink-causing particulates.

You might need to straight-vinegar strip them a couple of times to get rid of the residue. Also, always use the hot water setting when washing towels and washcloths.

Do you use any kind of fabric softener in the load of towels? If so, that could be the problem. You should not use fabric softener because it affects the absorbency of the fabric. Not only will the towel not dry as well, but when you wash, the towel doesn't get as clean.

Google "Good Thing by Jillee smelly towels" for a way to help with smelly towels and to help with absorbency.