Why does bed linen smell and how to get rid of the smell?

Sometimes it happens that recently washed items very quickly acquire an unpleasant odor, but they have not yet been worn or used in any other possible way. Of course, such an outcome will not bring pleasure to anyone, but before you rush to wash things, it’s worth figuring out why an unpleasant odor appears and what to do to avoid it. The article is specifically devoted to the reasons for the appearance and methods of getting rid of unpleasant and sometimes very nasty odors.

Causes of bad aroma

Even the cleanest housewives can develop an unpleasant smell after washing in a machine. To get rid of this problem , you need to find out the cause of the unpleasant phenomenon.

The washing machine has not been cleaned for a long time from residues: lint, powder, bacteria.
The machine is left closed.
They put the laundry in the drum and keep it until washed again, then it acquires a musty smell that is difficult to get rid of.
Soaked laundry remains in the powder for a long time.
Laundry is dried in the bathroom, not in the fresh air.
An item with a nasty smell got into the wash, ruining the aroma of all products.
They put in a powder or conditioner with an unpleasant aroma.
Incorrectly connected drain, water smells like sewer.
A lot of detergents are provided.

Watch a video about what to do if your clothes smell stale:

Washing with conditioner

The need for conditioner for washing duvet covers, sheets and pillowcases raises questions among many. Representatives of previous generations managed normally without such products and their home textiles for the bedroom always remained fresh.

Conditioners often give a good effect after washing:

Textiles become softer;
Dirt and liquid are better repelled from fabrics;
The color retains its brightness;
Static electricity is removed and textiles do not cause electric shock;
Things start to smell nice.

All these wonderful results can be achieved thanks to surface-active components that remain on the textile, thereby forming a protective layer that prevents dirt from entering the fabric structure. As a result, stains will be easier to remove the next time you wash. Manufacturers often add silicone to high-quality air conditioners. Such components make textiles relatively soft and delicate, pleasant to the touch.

Ways to get rid of the problem

How to get rid of this problem? The first thing you need to do is thoroughly clean your washing machine. Many housewives use soda or citric acid, or better yet, all together:

Place the contents of 6 small packs of citric acid in the powder compartment (if the packs are large, then 3).
Add half a pack of soda.
Start the machine by setting it to the highest heat setting. After such washing, the unpleasant smell will go away, and at the same time the scale will go away. It is advisable to carry out this procedure once every 3-6 months, depending on the frequency of washing.
You can only use soda, pouring half a pack into the compartment.
Wash the rubber rim located between the drum and the door with a cloth soaked in diluted vinegar. Blot water behind the seal by slightly bending it towards you. To wash, you can use dish gel, then rinse with clean water.
The rubber rim, drum, and powder container can be wiped with a soda solution (1 tablespoon per glass of water).

After washing, do not close the washer door; leave it half open to allow any remaining water to evaporate.

Avoid soaking dirty items for several hours to avoid creating a sour stench that is difficult to get rid of. If the power is turned off and things remain in the drum for a long time, then soak them in water and vinegar for 15 minutes . The vinegar will help remove any nasty stench. The vinegar solution is prepared as follows: pour 1 tbsp. spoon per liter of water.

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Surfaces and Objects It would seem that the laundry came out of the washing machine fresh, but as soon as it sits in the closet, the thing begins to smell like swamp mud and old socks. Why do clean clothes acquire an unpleasant smell in the wardrobe? We explain the reasons and ways to deal with unexpected aromas.

Smith Firestone Associates Where Does Bad House Odor Come From?
Let’s not deceive ourselves: as a rule, a built-in wardrobe or dressing room in Russian realities is a closed system with poor ventilation.
The humidity in them is high, especially if the owners have the habit of folding laundry that is not completely dry, because it will “dry that way.” In such an environment, any foreign smell quickly permeates clothes. Once you hang a smoky shirt in the closet, in the morning the fresh shirts hanging next to it will smell like tobacco. Therefore, it is advisable not to store worn clothes together with clean ones. You can get rid of the smell in the wardrobe. If the smell is mild, you can try to solve the problem with little effort: do not put wet things here, leave the doors open at night and hang aromatic sachets in your closet or dressing room. Fragrances, bags of herbs, perfume bottles and samples, even bars of soap wrapped in cotton fabric will do. Finally, there are different types of deodorizers on sale - special devices for eliminating odors. You can make sachet yourself: dry plants whose smell you like - rose petals, cloves, lavender, pine needles, add cloves or orange peels to the bouquet. The bag must be made of cotton, and it is better for it to hang than to lie down. Tip:
Even in a dry room, the wardrobe should be thoroughly ventilated at least twice a year. It’s better to take your clothes out into the open air, into the sun’s rays. On other days, make a rule: when ventilating the apartment, open the closet doors. This way you are guaranteed to prevent troubles, and in some cases you can get rid of the smell in the closet.

SWEENEY CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION Another cause of bad odors in your closet is bacteria.
You can, of course, go through smelly clothes with a steamer, you can hang them out to dry on the balcony to quickly remove the smell, but it’s better to simply not wear worn items twice and immediately throw them in the laundry basket.
The same goes for seasonal clothes: don’t put them away in the closet, even if you’ve worn them a couple of times, wash them first. Street dust is a breeding ground for evil bacteria. Tip :
Bedding and underwear absorb odors especially quickly - store them in separate closed compartments, or better yet, in closets. Another recommendation from experienced housekeepers: if possible, keep items made from synthetic and natural fabrics in separate compartments. Synthetics absorb odors faster and dissolve them less easily.

Leslie Saul & Associates The most common cause of musty closets is mold.
You can’t take it with sachets alone. Mold spores penetrate into clothes, form colonies on the walls, and in the end, even fresh linen, after hanging in the closet for a day, begins to smell like an old bathhouse. To get rid of this smell, you need not only to find and destroy pockets of mold, but, first of all, to eliminate the cause of their occurrence - dampness. This means adjusting the ventilation so that the stagnant, humid air leaves the room. Most often, the fungus becomes active in the winter - and for good reason. Usually the dressing room does not have its own heating, because of this, during the cold season the humidity here increases, which is what the fungus needs.

Cabinet Innovations Where is the mold?
As you know, mold grows in a humid environment.
Are you used to putting washed clothes straight away in the dressing room? Do you leave raincoats and umbrellas there when you return from a walk? Have you noticed condensation on the walls? This is enough for the fungus to wake up. Very often, mold pockets are located on the wall to which the cabinet is moved or on the wall of the cabinet facing the wall. Therefore, there may not be any nasty stains or plaque inside. Move the closet away from the walls and make sure everything is clean. If there is an enemy lurking behind the wall, mercilessly destroy him using antiseptics and other proven means. Tip :
Do not place cabinets close to walls facing the street. Leave a 5cm gap and move the cabinet aside for inspection once a year. The most dangerous places for storing clothes are a corner in a corner apartment and a wall adjacent to the bathroom or kitchen.

Be sure to wipe the inside of the cabinet with an antifungal compound (hydrogen peroxide, table vinegar, ammonia solutions or chlorine bleach) - there are absolutely spores there. As an option, treat the surfaces of the closet with a steam generator. Unfortunately, there are molds on clothes too: they should also be treated, before returning them to a clean closet. Depending on the type of fabric, there are different means of removing mold from textiles. The minimum program is to wash with an odor-removing product and iron at the highest possible temperature. Clothing affected by fungus not only smells bad, but also ages prematurely.

California Closets - DC Metro Keep It Dry
As mentioned, the main promoter of mold that causes odor is high humidity. Where is she from in the dressing room? The reason for this may be the wall on which condensation accumulates, or (and this is the most common reason) the proximity to the bathroom. In the first case, the wall needs to be insulated (remove the plaster, look for cracks, seal them, and only then take on the drywall and mineral wool). In the second, you need to block the access of moist air to clothing, which, first of all, means installing forced ventilation in the bathroom. This is necessary not only to solve the problem with the smell: believe me, if the fungus appears in the dressing room, then in the bathroom it really feels like the master. If the dressing room has an entrance from the bathroom, then be sure to place a tightly closing door between them. Open it for an hour with the ventilation running, this will be enough to draw out excess moisture. There is an opinion that covers will help protect clothes (especially those made from delicate fabrics) from moisture. This is true if things are really bad with the ventilation of cabinets. With normal ventilation, a plastic bag will only help the unpleasant odor to strengthen. An exception is vacuum cases, but they are only suitable for seasonal storage of things.

Gregory Phillips Architects If you plan to combine a balcony with a room and organize a dressing room there, pay special attention to the insulation of the facades: miscalculate the dew point - and hello, dampness. The same applies to attics - a small mistake in preparing the roofing cake can lead to big problems: ventilation, steam and waterproofing must be in place.

Ze|Workroom Studio Natural ventilation
This is essentially a draft: fresh air comes in, old air comes out. To move air indoors, special openings (ventilation grilles, valves) are made in the walls: supply holes at the bottom, exhaust holes at the top. The simplest system: a wide (at least two centimeters) gap under the door and exhaust grilles in the walls. Such a system does not provide normal traction, but sometimes it is enough. When using a cross-flow ventilation system, take into account the movement of air flows. So, if the dressing room is located between the kitchen and the bedroom (with a window), you can put a grille on the bottom in the wall adjacent to the room, and on top - in the wall adjacent to the kitchen. Then kitchen smells will not permeate shirts and dresses, and fresh air coming from the window will pass through the room with clothes. It is important that the door in this case is closed as tightly as possible. Another option is to install a supply valve in the wall facing the street, or make a dressing room in a room with a window. The ventilation holes in it will allow you to ventilate the room without even opening the doors: the exhaust air will go into adjacent rooms (through ventilation grilles).

ARCH.625 If there is no window, it makes sense to make an air vent to the street or into a ventilation duct, then the direction of the air will change: from the adjacent room through the dressing room into the duct. Tip:
Exhaust ducts in the bathroom and kitchen are initially designed to ventilate all areas of the apartment: these are waste air drains in your home. The smaller they are, the worse they cope with the task, so you should not choose miniature grilles at the entrance to the ventilation duct. Moreover, the fans in these grilles reduce the clearance, worsening the draft. Ideally, the exhaust system (for example, in the kitchen) should have a tee with a valve that would close when forced ventilation is turned on and open when it is turned off.

Design studio of Masha Marchenko If you don’t want to experiment with flows, think: maybe remove the door altogether, and with it the problems of closed space? Replace the door with a curtain made of fabric - by definition, it allows air to pass through better than chipboard or glass.

Sotnikova Anna designer Forced ventilation
Air exhaust with forced ventilation is the most effective way to dry and ventilate a dressing room.
Pipes are most often hidden under a suspended ceiling or in specially made niches. Air vents are round and rectangular, steel and plastic, flexible, semi-rigid and rigid. Flexible ones are cheaper than rigid ones, but they will last half as long. From a fire safety point of view, metal is preferable to plastic, but even galvanization does not guarantee one hundred percent protection against corrosion. Ventilation can be exhaust, that is, removing stale air from the room, and supply, supplying fresh air. Complex systems can clean and heat incoming air, but in our case this is not relevant. The supply and exhaust system includes both channels. Most often, exhaust is forced, and air flows naturally. Tip :
Be careful when combining the ventilation duct of the dressing room with the kitchen hood: cooking smells may not go outside, but move towards the clothes. To prevent this from happening, a check valve is used, but it does not guarantee one hundred percent protection. So, nevertheless, it is better not to combine the exits to the ventilation duct, but to place the kitchen one above the dressing room. In addition, make sure in advance that you will not get into the ventilation duct of your neighbors if they are separated according to the project.

Floor and ceiling
A warm floor will also help overcome dampness - naturally, in addition to ventilation. This option is good if you use the dressing room for changing clothes (go barefoot there), and not just for storing clothes. Opponents of suspended ceilings claim that they disrupt the natural ventilation of the premises - namely, they do not allow the floor slab to “breathe”, resulting in moisture collects on the stove. And moisture, as you already know, is fungus's best friend. We were unable to find practical evidence of this version, but if you can’t risk it, it’s better not to risk it.

Abbie Joan Fine Living Or maybe it's not the closet?
If after washing there is still a smell on the clothes, soak the clothes in water with fabric softener for half an hour, and then rinse. Usually this is enough to overcome mustiness. Perhaps the amber is spread by the washing machine in which the fungus has settled. To prevent this from happening, keep the machine lid open when not in use. And if mold has already settled in the pipes and drum, wash the inside of the car with a glass of vinegar - it kills mold perfectly. Often the unpleasant smell in the closet is not caused by clothes, but by shoes in which bacteria are frolicking - they need to be treated with an antibacterial agent, an odor destroyer and, if possible, stored in separate boxes with silica gel (small balls that are placed in boxes with shoes).

Kara Weik Our harmful brothers
Bad washing powder, odorous moth repellents and even uninvited guests can spoil the air in the closet. For example, mice do not even need to leave waste products for this - the mouse smell is felt even where the rodent spent a couple of minutes. If you remove the source of odors, wipe the closet with hydrogen peroxide or a vinegar solution, the atmosphere there should improve. This trick will not work with cat marks - first you need to find the places that the cat marked (for this it is recommended to use an ultraviolet flashlight), treat them with a special odor absorber ( sold in pet stores) or folk remedies - hydrogen peroxide, citric acid or alcohol. Cat owners do not recommend using bleach, ammonia and vinegar: the smell of these products is quite persistent, and the animal will try to kill it using already known methods. If the cat has marked a wooden cabinet or baseboard, the cleaning procedure will have to be repeated several times.

BRY-JO Roofing and Remodeling Express drying
If you cannot establish ventilation or there is no way to insulate a cold wall, use an express method of combating dampness: place a package of silica gel in the closet - this sorbent can effectively remove moisture from the air. Some experimenters use it for this purpose litter for cat litter boxes. A good sorbent can be obtained by crushing several tablets of activated carbon and mixing it with salt. Remember to change the mixture at least once every ten days. If you have a large dressing room in which expensive things are stored, it makes sense to splurge on a household dehumidifier - the device is not the cheapest, but in some cases it is irreplaceable. Author Evgeny Ivanov https://odomah.info/

A series of “Helpful” messages:
Part 1 - How to get rid of the smell of paint in an apartment and other unpleasant odors Part 2 - HOW TO KEEP FLOWERS IN A VASE FOR LONGER... Part 9 - A COMPLETE SET OF RULES FOR ENERGY HOUSE CLEANING Part 10 - RELIABLE WAYS TO RESTORE THE FORMER CLEANITY OF KITCHEN TOWELS Part 11 - WHY CLEAN THINGS IN YOUR CLOSET START TO SMELL UNPLEASANTLY AND HOW TO DEAL WITH IT Part 12 - HOW TO DRILL A HOLE IN A MIRROR, GLASS AND TILE Part 13 - Color design of rooms according to Feng Shui ... Part 35 - Corvalol on guard of cleanliness: we clean stainless steel using grandma’s way Part 36 - Even the most stubborn stains will disappear without a trace if you clean the window sill with this product Part 37 - Magic in the kitchen

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If there is a sewer smell

When installing the new machine, the drain hose was incorrectly connected to the sewer pipe, so the liquid drainage process was disrupted. The result was an accumulation of stench. If there is a sewer smell in an old machine, the cause may be a faulty valve that protects against sewage entering the device. Leave the valve replacement to a professional.

If your new machine has a rubber smell, then you don’t need to do anything. After several washes the problem will disappear.

When washing, the rubber rim may come into contact with the drum, producing a squeaking sound and the smell of burnt rubber. You will have to stop washing and trim the protruding part of the rim a little with a stationery knife.

Washing powder containing soap often smells like rubber. It's better not to use it.

Often even new underwear emits a chemical aroma. This problem arose in production because the technological process was disrupted. Try rinsing in a vinegar solution.

Important! Dry your laundry in the fresh air or on the open balcony, then your clothes will always smell like morning freshness. If there are no such conditions, then create a draft in the apartment so that things dry faster.

Things that don't dry out will definitely emit an unpleasant odor. After ironing, do not immediately put things in the closet; let them sit for a while and dry thoroughly.

Unverified place of purchase

The riskiest place to buy can be called the market. The conditions for storing and selling goods here almost never meet the standards. In addition, the sanitary conditions do not stand up to criticism. In most cases, trade in markets is carried out in the open air, where any contamination can get on the goods.

As for salons, before purchasing they often offer to open the set and punch it by touch to make sure the quality of the fabric. Also, at demonstration stands, underwear is often found without packaging, and then goes on sale. Therefore, there is no guarantee that new products have not been touched by many people.

In addition, you need to take into account that not all sets are sold immediately: sometimes they lie on the shelves for years, and this cannot but affect the quality and smell.

How to make your closet smell fresh

After washing, every housewife puts clean linen in the closet. But the trouble is, often even neatly folded laundry emits some kind of unpleasant aroma. What to do?

There are several ways to create a pleasant aroma in your closet or any other enclosed space.

Buy a sachet and put it in the closet.
Place expensive soap among your clothes without unwrapping the packaging.
Place scented candles in your closet.
Use dried lemon, tangerine, and orange peel as a flavoring. Grapefruit peel provides freshness.
You can put spices in the cupboard: cinnamon sticks, mint, basil. Place a pack of vanillin deep into the shelf.
Spray some perfume into your closet or place a scented napkin. Better put an empty perfume bottle. A subtle scent is created by dry perfume on a strip or scented paper.
Drop essential oil onto cotton wool or a panty liner and place it on a shelf. Freshness will remain for several days.
Pour baking soda into a jar with holes and drop aromatic oil into it. A Kinder Surprise container is suitable for these purposes. A few drops of rose or lavender essential oil can be placed on cabinet doors.
Fragrances for car interiors are also an excellent product, the main thing is that the aroma is unobtrusive.
An excellent product is Jo Malone, a special scented paper.
Place the coffee in a cup and place it on the shelf. Fragrant herbs folded into bags are another way to give things a pleasant meadow freshness. Lavender, hops, thyme, and oregano are suitable for these purposes.
When leaving for work, open the closet doors.
Wipe down the inside of cabinets frequently with vinegar water.

You can also watch a video on how to make your closet smell nice:

How to properly wash a new set of laundry

Most often, the washing rules are indicated on the packaging and by following them you can be sure that the bed will last a long time and will not lose its quality.

What rules should you follow:

When choosing a powder, it is better to give preference to products that do not contain bleaching or too active elements, since bright colors may lose their saturation. If the fabric is white, it is better to use a powder designed for washing white fabrics.
If the linen is multi-colored, then it is better to use a special gel for colored fabrics. You can also use powder with the appropriate label or gel pads.
Before washing, it is advisable to turn the laundry inside out so that the front side is less subject to friction.
Cotton sets are washed at a temperature of 40 degrees in the quick wash mode. This will be enough for new linen.
After washing the machine, start the rinse mode using conditioner. It is this that helps fix the dye on the fabric and prevent the colors from losing their brightness.
Silk products are washed in a delicate cycle at a temperature of no more than 30 degrees, using special gels designed for silk.
Children's bedding should only be washed using special products for children's clothes. Also, in this case, do not use conditioner, rinse aid or other products with fragrances.
It is not recommended to wash the bed by hand or run the machine on a strong spin cycle. In the first case, the washing will be of poor quality, in the second there is a risk of damage to the fabric.
After washing, the accessories are hung in a place that is well ventilated: it can be a balcony, loggia or street. It is not advisable to dry clothes in the house.
After the bedding has been washed and ironed, you can add additional scent to it using herbs such as lavender, mint or lemon balm. To do this, put bags of dry herbs in the closet and store them along with the laundry.

As already mentioned, for the first time, bed linen is washed quickly at low temperatures. But, if there are doubts about the quality or integrity of the packaging, it is recommended to wash it in the profile mode (indicated on the packaging) at the maximum permissible temperature.

Regardless of the quality of the set and where it was purchased, pre-washing will have a positive effect on the condition of the set and on the person’s feelings.

A lot of troubles can happen to bed linen, leaving a persistent, unwanted odor. In addition, sometimes new bedding or those that have been in the closet for a long time smell too strongly. It is easier to remove the smell from bed linen than from a blanket or mattress - just wash it. The washing mode is different for each model of laundry. All information is usually indicated on the packaging, but there are a number of general rules:

before using a new set of linen, you need to wash it, turning it inside out - this will help get rid of the excessive smell of newness and make the linen more pleasant to the touch;
try to avoid using aggressive bleaches, which will preserve the colors and extend the life of the laundry;
Linen should be washed at least once a week - this way it will always be fresh;
fill the machine drum to 50% of the maximum load - this will make washing more efficient;
Dry your laundry immediately after washing to avoid the appearance of damp and musty odors.

How to defeat mold

Often, a stench in the closet appears due to mold. You may not notice it, but it exists and ruins your laundry. What to do? Treat all corners, shelves, and cabinet doors with hydrogen peroxide.

Do this procedure every time you do a general cleaning. Then wipe with soda, then with a clean damp cloth, only after that dry the cabinet well, leaving it open for 2-3 hours.

Dear housewives, I am sure that you have received the answer to the question: why does bed linen smell, and have learned how to give it unique freshness.

Read further:

How to get rid of unpleasant body odor and why it appears

How to get rid of unpleasant foot odor using folk remedies

How to sew bed linen with your own hands

How to get rid of odor in shoes at home

How to straighten the down in a down jacket after washing if it has become wrinkled

How to remove the unpleasant smell of sweat under the arms and why it appears

Choice of bed linen

Unpleasant odors can appear as a result of poor quality dyeing of bed linen. It will be very difficult to get rid of. Therefore, it is advisable to choose bedding that:

Has no unpleasant odors;
Does not shed;
Does not lose shape;
Does not emit a bad odor.

You need to look into retail chains that buy Ivanovo bed linen wholesale and then distribute it at retail. Each buyer remains satisfied with the quality of the purchased kits.

Why is there a musty odor?

Let's try to understand the causes of unwanted odors:

Poor hygiene is the most obvious factor. You put stale clothes in the closet, saturated with the smells of the street, food or sweat. When perfume molecules remain on fabric for a long time, they begin to change their properties, resulting in a stale scent;
dampness – increased humidity in the house leads to the appearance of mustiness and mold. Undried items placed in the wardrobe can also cause an annoying odor;
long-term storage - if things lie in one place for a long time, oxygen access to them becomes difficult, ventilation is disrupted, fabrics accumulate a heavy aroma;
Rodents and insects, as well as their excrement, smell disgusting. If they live in your house, they will certainly run into the closet, where they leave a specific odor that settles on things;
smoking - if one of the household members smokes directly in the home, the smell will sooner or later reach the wardrobe and permeate wardrobe items, pillowcases and sheets;
low-quality materials - furniture made from cheap or toxic raw materials emits an unpleasant aroma that is absorbed by things;
mold - the reasons for its appearance can be different, from poor ventilation and temperature changes to flooding of the home in the past, but if it has settled in your closet, then get ready for a difficult struggle with the repulsive aroma;
lack of exhaust and fresh air supply - if the housewife is preparing food and does not turn on additional ventilation, things will smell like food, as the amber from various products “floats” throughout the apartment. Neglecting regular ventilation has the same effect.

Regular cleaning and disposal of unnecessary items will eliminate unpleasant odors.

Fighting foreign odors

Let's consider several ways:

Method 1. Only fresh linen

You should not store fresh linen in the closet along with clothes that have been worn. Even if worn once, this is enough for clean linen to become saturated with unnecessary odors.

Method 2. Wiping the walls of the closet

Wipe the inside of the cabinet with a saline solution with lemon:

Recipe No. 1

Glass of water
Salt - 1 tbsp.
Lemon juice – 5 drops

Dissolve the ingredients in water. Soak a soft cloth in the resulting solution and wipe the walls and shelves of the cabinet.