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The towel trick that’ll stop your laundry smelling damp & musty after drying it inside
WITH snow already hitting parts of the UK, and threatening others, the days of drying laundry outside are but a distant memory for most.
But trying to get wet washing dry inside can be a nightmare.
And while hanging it up on an airer or clothes horse does the job, it can also leave your garments smelling damp and musty.
However, there’s a quick trick you can use to get rid of any lingering unpleasant odours in seconds, one expert has revealed – and all you need is a towel and an iron.
Deyan Dimitrov, laundry expert and CEO of the app Laundryheap, said it’s just a case of initially heating the item up before hanging it.
“Place each washed item on a flat surface and cover with a clean towel, before quickly running an iron over its surface,” he explained.
Read more Laundry stories
Doing so means you are helping to remove the moisture from the item before it goes on the airer – leading to it drying faster.
And as an added bonus, the method means you can also get rid of any light creasing on the item too.
Other ways you can help keep the damp smell away from your laundry include not placing the items too close to the wall to dry.
Don’t overcrowd the airer either.
Doing so means that air is unable to properly circulate around the clothes – therefore can’t dry it as quickly, and the musty smell is more likely to become a problem.
If you’re regularly drying your laundry inside, you might want to think about investing in a dehumidifier.
The machines draw moisture out of the air, and often have laundry settings to help dry clothes faster.
Dehumidifiers also work a treat if you’re having any mould issues.
Just place them in the room you’re struggling with and let them work their magic – mould is often caused when moisture gets trapped inside a room.
Other people shared their top tips for stopping the musty smell on a Reddit post, when someone pleaded for advice after “trying everything” to get rid of it on their laundry.
“Heated airer + dehumidifier,” one replied.
“Keep moving the clothes around on the airer as they dry – you can fold clothes on the airer to dry.
More winter laundry tips
Tackling laundry in the winter can be a challenge, but these handy tips can help you stay on top of it:
- Use a Dehumidifier: Place a dehumidifier in your drying area to speed up the drying process and prevent dampness.
- Spin Cycle Boost: Run an extra spin cycle on your washing machine to remove excess water from clothes, reducing drying time.
- Indoor Drying Rack: Invest in a good-quality indoor drying rack and position it near a radiator or in a well-ventilated room.
- Tumble Dryer Balls: Add tumble dryer balls to your dryer to help clothes dry faster and reduce static cling.
- Space-Saving Hangers: Use space-saving hangers or a retractable washing line to maximise indoor drying space.
- Microfibre Towels: Lay microfibre towels over your drying rack to absorb extra moisture from hanging clothes.
- Partially Dry Outside: On dry days, hang clothes outside for a short period before bringing them in to finish drying.
These hacks can help you keep your laundry routine efficient and your clothes fresh, even during the colder months.
“Just keep refolding etc, works for us in winter.”
“Hang them near an open window, and put a fan on at the bottom of the drying rack,” another said.
“I did this before we got a tumble dryer and the air circulation helped a lot.”
“I have a very damp flat and I manage to avoid this with my clothes by doing a few things,” a third said.
“I use gel laundry detergent and antibacterial laundry cleanser (normally a scented fabulosa one), I hang my clothes up straight away when washed and I hang them over 2 of the airer bits instead of 1 (this creates a gap so that the clothes don’t touch, I think this is the most crucial part).
“I hang wardrobe dehumidifier bags on the airers and I put the heating on for a bit at a time.
“I wash everything this way – towels, bedding, clothes. And they always smell great!”
