How to remove mildew smell from clothes (musty, moldy or sour)
To remove mildew smell from clothes, brush off any mildew outdoors, then wash in the hottest water the label allows with heavy-duty detergent and a bleach that's safe for the fabric, and dry the clothes completely right away. Musty smell comes from mold and sour smell from bacteria that grew while the clothes stayed damp, so the wash has to remove the growth and the drying has to stop it coming back.
- Best method
- Hot wash with detergent and bleach where safe, then fast, complete drying
- Time
- 1 to 2 hours, plus a repeat wash for heavy mildew
- Difficulty
- Easy
You will need
- Heavy-duty liquid detergent
- Chlorine bleach (bleach-safe fabrics) or oxygen bleach
- Soft brush
- Baking soda, for lingering smell
Step by step
- 1
Brush off mildew outdoors
If you can see spots or fuzz, take the clothes outside and brush or shake off the surface growth.
Why: It removes loose mold and keeps spores from spreading through the house.
- 2
Check the care label
Find the hottest water temperature the label allows and whether it permits chlorine bleach (an empty triangle) or only non-chlorine bleach. Dry-clean-only items go to a cleaner.
Why: Hot water and bleach do the heavy lifting, but chlorine bleach damages wool, silk and spandex and fades many dyes.
- 3
Pretreat spots and musty areas
Rub heavy-duty liquid detergent into any dark spots and into collars, underarms and other areas that held body oil.
Why: Mildew feeds on soil and body oils. Detergent lifts both the growth and its food.
- 4
Wash hot with the right bleach
Wash in the hottest water safe for the fabric with heavy-duty detergent. Add chlorine bleach for bleach-safe whites, or soak colors and other fabrics in oxygen bleach and hot water for at least 30 minutes first.
Why: Bleach oxidizes mold, its stains and odor bacteria. Hot water reaches growth that a cool wash leaves behind.
- 5
Dry completely, right away
Move clothes out of the washer as soon as the cycle ends. Line-dry in sun and moving air, or machine-dry if the label allows and the smell is gone.
Why: Damp, slowly drying fabric is exactly where mold and odor bacteria regrow.
- 6
Smell, and repeat if needed
Check the clothes once they're dry. If any musty smell remains, wash again, or soak in baking soda and water and rewash.
Why: Heavy mildew often takes more than one wash.
Musty, moldy or sour: what you're smelling
A musty or moldy smell is mildew, which is mold growing on damp fabric. As it grows it gives off microbial volatile organic compounds, and you may also see black, brown or reddish fuzzy spots. See mildew stains on clothes for the marks it leaves.
A sour smell on freshly washed clothes is usually bacterial. Researchers traced much of it to Moraxella osloensis, which survives washing and drying and makes a compound that smells like a wet, dirty dishcloth while the fibers stay wet. It shows up when laundry sits wet in the washer or dries slowly indoors. Both problems come from the same place: moisture that lingers.
Why hot water, bleach and drying work
Detergent removes the growth along with the soil and body oil it feeds on. Bleach oxidizes the mold, its pigment and odor-producing organisms. Heat reaches deeper growth and helps detergent dissolve oily soil.
The last step matters as much as the wash. Mold generally won't grow on materials dried within 24 to 48 hours, and the sour-smelling bacteria grow while fabric stays damp. More background is on the mildew smell page.
By situation
Clothes left in the washer overnight
Rewash promptly with enough detergent in the warmest water the fabric allows, then dry completely. If you catch it within a few hours, one rewash is usually enough.
Clothes that smell sour after washing
This is bacterial, from slow drying or too little detergent. Wash again in the warmest safe water with the recommended amount of detergent and dry fast. Sun-drying alone may not help, because these bacteria tolerate drying and UV light.
Stored clothes smell musty
Wash in warm water with adequate detergent. If the smell persists, soak in baking soda and water and wash again. Store clothes only when fully dry, and keep an open container of baking soda or activated charcoal in the closet or bin.
Bleach-safe whites
For a spot treatment, sponge on or soak in 2 tablespoons of liquid chlorine bleach per quart of water for 5 to 15 minutes, then rinse and wash. For a full load, add 1 cup of chlorine bleach to the washer.
Wool, silk and stretch fabrics
No chlorine bleach. Wash wool and silk only as the label allows, use oxygen bleach only if it's permitted, and take valuable or dry-clean-only pieces to a cleaner, saying it's mildew.
Gym clothes with a musty smell
Synthetic workout wear holds odor bacteria more than cotton. Don't leave it damp in a bag; wash soon after wearing, and use a baking soda soak for stubborn smells.
What not to do
- Don't mask the smell with fabric spray or extra softener. The mold or bacteria are still there and the smell returns as soon as the clothes get damp or warm.
- Don't leave damp clothes in a pile, hamper or the washer. Mildew and odor bacteria grow quickly on damp textiles.
- Don't use chlorine bleach on wool, silk or spandex. It damages the fibers and can leave permanent yellowing.
- Don't mix chlorine bleach with vinegar or ammonia. The combinations release toxic gases. See never mix.
Other methods that work
Oxygen bleach soak
For colors and fabrics that can't take chlorine, soak for 30 minutes or more in oxygen bleach and hot water, overnight for old stains, then wash.
Caution: Check the label; oxygen bleach isn't safe for every fiber.
Baking soda soak
For a lingering smell after washing, soak the clothes in baking soda dissolved in water, then wash again.
Caution: It helps with odor but doesn't remove visible mildew.
Sun and air
Drying in the sun and moving air helps dry out mildew on fabric.
Caution: It isn't enough for the bacteria behind sour laundry, so wash first.
Stain still there?
The smell comes back after a day or two
The clothes may not be drying fully, or the closet is damp. Dry completely before storing and lower the humidity where clothes are kept.
Everything from the washer smells musty
The washer itself may hold mold or residue in the gasket or dispenser. Clean the machine and leave the door open between loads.
Black spots remain after washing
That's mildew staining. Repeat the bleach treatment the fabric allows. Old mildew stains may not come out completely.
Safety
- Ventilate when using chlorine bleach, and never mix it with ammonia or acids.
- Brush mildew off outdoors, and consider gloves and a mask if there's a lot of it.
Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.
Questions
How do you get the musty smell out of clothes?
Wash in the hottest water the label allows with heavy-duty detergent and a fabric-safe bleach, then dry completely right away. Repeat if needed.
Why do my clothes smell sour after washing?
Usually bacteria that grew while the clothes sat wet or dried slowly. Rewash with enough detergent in the warmest safe water and dry them promptly.
Can you get mold smell out of clothes?
Usually yes. Brush off visible mold outdoors, wash hot with bleach where safe, and repeat until the smell is gone. Badly mildewed delicates may not fully recover.
Does vinegar remove mildew smell from clothes?
The extension guides behind this page use detergent, hot water and chlorine or oxygen bleach. If you add vinegar, never use it in the same wash as chlorine bleach.
Will the dryer get rid of mildew smell?
Drying quickly stops new growth, but it won't remove a smell that's already there. Wash it out first, then dry.
Mildew elsewhere
Other smells in clothes
Sources
- Stain Removal for Washable Fabrics (FCS2-840), University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension
- Removing Stains from Washable Fabrics, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
- Keeping It Clean: Controlling Mildew (FCS5232; archival copy), University of Florida IFAS Extension (EDIS)
- Moraxella Species Are Primarily Responsible for Generating Malodor in Laundry (Kubota et al., Appl Environ Microbiol 2012;78(9):3317-3324), Applied and Environmental Microbiology (ASM), via PubMed Central
- Samsung washing machine or laundry smells bad, Samsung US (manufacturer support)
- A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Last updated . Methods are drawn from the sources above; how we research and check our guides.