How to Get Rid of Musty Smell in Towels Without Bleach
Yes, you can fix this. If you’re wondering how to get rid of musty smell in towels without bleach, the simplest approach is to wash the towels once with white vinegar, then wash them again with bicarbonate of soda or baking soda, and dry them completely before storing them.
If the smell keeps coming back, the towel usually isn’t the only issue. Slow drying, too much detergent, fabric conditioner buildup, or a musty washing machine can all bring that stale odour back.
What you need
- White vinegar
- Bicarbonate of soda / baking soda
- Your usual laundry detergent
- Hot or warm water, if the care label allows
- A washing machine
- A tumble dryer or a well-ventilated drying space
Time: 2 wash cycles plus drying time
Difficulty: Easy
Before you start: Check the towel care label and your washing machine instructions. Use the warmest wash the fabric allows. If you use any laundry treatment product, test it on a hidden area first if the label suggests it. Never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia, or any other cleaner.
How to get rid of musty smell in towels without bleach
- Wash the towels by themselves.
Don’t add clothes, tea towels, or heavily soiled items. Towels need space to move so the water can rinse away odour and residue properly. - Run the first wash with white vinegar.
Use hot or warm water if the care label allows. Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the drum or detergent drawer, but don’t add detergent in this cycle. This helps loosen the buildup that traps smells. - Run a second wash with bicarbonate of soda / baking soda.
Use 1/2 cup to 1 cup, depending on load size. Again, wash the towels on their own. You can add a small amount of detergent if you want, but don’t overdo it. Too much detergent often makes towel odour worse because residue stays in the fibres. - Dry the towels completely.
Use a tumble dryer if the care label allows, or hang them spread out so air can reach the whole towel. Don’t fold them over a radiator or hook while they’re still damp. Towels that dry slowly are far more likely to smell musty again. - Smell the towels before you store them.
If they still smell stale, repeat the process once more or try an oxygen bleach soak that is safe for the fabric. Oxygen bleach can help with odours and stains, but it is not the same as chlorine bleach and it does not disinfect.
One important point: don’t use vinegar and bicarbonate of soda at the same time in the same wash. They cancel each other out, and using them with detergent can also make the detergent less effective.
Why towels smell musty even after washing
That stale smell usually comes from trapped moisture, body oils, detergent residue, and microbial growth. A towel can come out of the wash smelling fresh enough, then turn musty again as soon as it gets damp.
Common causes include:
- Towels staying damp too long, especially in humid bathrooms
- Using too much detergent, which leaves residue behind
- Using fabric conditioner regularly, which can coat towel fibres and reduce absorbency
- Leaving wet laundry in the washer for hours
- A washer that smells musty, especially around a front-loader gasket or detergent drawer
If your bath towels smell fine when dry but turn sour as soon as they get wet, buildup is often the culprit. If they smell bad straight from the machine, check the washer next.
If the smell is coming from your washing machine
Sometimes the towels aren’t the main problem. You’re washing clean towels in a smelly machine, so the odour transfers right back.
Check these areas
- The rubber door seal on a front-loading machine
- The detergent drawer
- The drum
- The filter, if your machine has a user-cleanable one
Wipe away visible residue, remove fluff or hair, and leave the door and drawer open after washes so moisture can escape. If your machine has a cleaning cycle, run it about once a month or as the manufacturer recommends.
Wet laundry sitting in the drum for half a day can also cause problems quickly. Try to move towels to the dryer or drying rack as soon as the cycle ends.
If you need help building small repeatable habits, the Cleaning Routines category has more practical ways to keep chores from piling up.
What not to do
- Don’t add extra detergent. It usually makes the smell harder to remove.
- Don’t use fabric conditioner every wash. Towels can end up less absorbent and more coated.
- Don’t leave towels in a heap after bathing. Spread them out right away.
- Don’t store towels until they are fully dry. Even slight dampness can cause that stale smell in the cupboard.
- Don’t mix cleaning products. Never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia, or other cleaners.
When to use oxygen bleach instead
If vinegar and baking soda don’t do enough, a colour-safe oxygen bleach can be a useful next step. Follow the product label carefully and check the towel care label first. It tends to work best in warm to hot water, depending on the product and fabric.
This can be a good option for pale or coloured towels that need deodorising without chlorine bleach. Still, it won’t fix bad drying habits or a dirty washer. If the underlying cause stays the same, the smell usually comes back.
How often should you wash bath towels?
A common guideline is every 3 to 4 uses, or every 3 to 5 uses if the towel dries fully between uses. Wash sooner, around every 2 uses, if:
- Your bathroom is humid
- The towel stays folded or bunched up
- More than one person uses it
- You have been ill
- The towel already smells even slightly off
If you keep a towel in a bathroom with poor airflow, regular washing matters more. Good drying matters just as much.
Simple habits that stop the smell coming back
- Hang towels flat or fully spread out.
Not doubled over on a hook if you can help it. A rail is usually better than a hook because more of the fabric gets airflow. - Run the bathroom fan or open a window.
Steam lingers longer than most people realise. Less moisture in the room means towels dry faster. - Use less detergent.
If your towels feel stiff, coated, or oddly slick, try using a little less next time. - Skip fabric conditioner now and then.
This helps towels stay absorbent and can reduce buildup. - Wash towels on a warmer cycle when the label allows.
Cool washing is gentler in some cases, but warm or hot water can remove oily residue more effectively. - Clean the washer regularly.
A monthly machine-cleaning cycle is much easier than trying to deal with weeks of smell later.
For other freshening jobs around the house, you might also find these useful: how to remove limescale from a shower head without vinegar smell, the full Laundry category, and the Bathroom category for more cleaning guides.
When it’s better to replace the towel
Most towels can be rescued, but some simply aren’t worth the effort.
Consider replacing a towel if:
- The smell returns straight away after repeated proper washing
- There are visible mould spots that do not come out
- The towel feels permanently coated or sour
- The fibres are breaking down and it no longer dries well
If you see visible mould in your home, the moisture issue matters just as much as the cleaning step. For anyone with asthma, mould sensitivity, chronic lung problems, or a weakened immune system, it makes sense to be more cautious and seek advice from a qualified professional if needed.
A quick routine that works week after week
| Task | How often | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Hang towel to dry fully | After every use | Spread it out on a rail and ventilate the room |
| Wash bath towels | Every 2 to 5 uses | Sooner if humid, slow-drying, or shared |
| Deep deodorise towels | As needed | Vinegar wash, then baking soda wash |
| Clean washing machine | Monthly | Run the machine’s cleaning cycle and wipe seals and drawers |
If you want a broader reset for household cleaning habits, the About The Tidy Habit page explains the site’s simple, low-fuss approach.
Start with one load today. If you fix the towel and the drying routine, you usually won’t be fighting the same musty smell every week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my towels smell musty after washing?
Usually because the smell source is still there. Towels can hold onto detergent residue, body oils, and moisture, and a damp washing machine can add odour back in. If towels sit wet for too long after washing or dry slowly in a humid bathroom, the stale smell often returns.
Can I use vinegar and baking soda together on towels?
It’s better to use them in separate washes, not together. When combined at the same time, they react and mostly cancel each other out. A simple method is one wash with white vinegar, then a second wash with bicarbonate of soda or baking soda.
How often should I wash bath towels to stop musty smells?
A good rule is every 3 to 4 uses, or every 3 to 5 if the towel dries fully between uses. Wash after 2 uses if your bathroom is humid, the towel stays bunched up, or it already smells slightly stale.
Is it okay to use fabric conditioner on towels?
You can, but using it often may make towels less absorbent and leave buildup that traps smells. If your towels feel coated, stiff, or stop drying properly, try washing them without fabric conditioner for a while and use less detergent too.
What if my towels still smell after two washes?
Check the washing machine next, especially the door seal, drawer, and drum. Then dry the towels completely and repeat the deodorising method once more if needed. If the smell keeps coming back and the towel has visible mould or permanent sourness, replacing it may be the better option.