How to get rid of musty smell in clothes

Fabric	Safe treatment	Avoid	Soak time
Washable clothes	Rewash soon. White vinegar or baking soda. Dry fully in sun, with a fan, or in moving air.	Leaving a wet load in the drum. Overloading. Folding clothes that are still damp.	About 30 minutes to an hour in cool water with a cup of white vinegar.

To get rid of musty smell in clothes, rewash them as soon as you notice it, add white vinegar or baking soda, and dry them fast with sun, a fan or moving air. Then make sure they are fully dry before you fold them, or the smell comes back.

Why clothes smell musty

The smell comes from damp that stayed in the fabric too long.

A wet load left sitting. Clothes forgotten in the drum for a few hours, or overnight, start to smell before they ever reach the line.
Slow drying in humid weather. In KL the air is often already heavy with moisture, so clothes dry slowly, especially indoors.
An overloaded machine. Packed clothes do not rinse properly and come out wetter, with detergent left in the folds.
A dirty drum or door seal. Gunk in the rubber seal and the detergent drawer can pass its smell onto every load.

How to fix musty clothes, step by step

Rewash right away. Check the care label first. How to tell what not to machine-wash covers items that should stay out of the drum.
Soak or boost the wash. Soak the clothes for about 30 minutes to an hour in cool water with a cup of white vinegar, then wash as normal. Or add half a cup of baking soda to the drum with your usual detergent. Do not mix vinegar and bleach.
Use less detergent, not more. Extra soap that does not rinse out holds onto smells.
Do not overload the machine. Leave room for the clothes to tumble.
Dry fast. Hang clothes as soon as the cycle ends. Sunlight is best. If you cannot get sun, use a fan, open windows, or the dry mode on your air conditioner. Space items apart so air reaches both sides.
Dry fully before folding. Feel collars, waistbands, pockets and towel hems. If anything feels cool, keep drying.

Drying indoors in a condo during the rainy season

Many condo homes in KL dry laundry indoors, and in the rainy season the sun may not show for days. Put the rack near a window with some airflow, not in a closed bathroom or store room. Point a fan at the rack. Bedding has the same problem on a bigger scale. How to keep a comforter fresh in the rainy season covers that, and How to wash bedding at home covers sheets and covers.

How to stop it coming back

Clean the drum and seal. Wipe the rubber door seal, pull out the detergent drawer and rinse it, and run an empty hot cycle now and then, following your machine’s manual.
Leave the door open after each wash so the drum can dry out.
Do not leave a wet load sitting. Start the wash when you are home to hang it.
Store clothes dry, with airflow. Do not pack a wardrobe tight. A moisture absorber box helps in a closed cupboard. Curtains and other large fabrics need the same care. See How to wash curtains at home.

When the smell won’t come out

If a piece still smells after two rewashes and a full dry, the damp may have sat too long. Dark spots that do not wash out may be mildew, and some fabrics will not recover.

Questions about musty clothes

Does vinegar leave clothes smelling of vinegar?

No. Once the clothes are rinsed and dried, the vinegar smell goes.

Can I just spray perfume or fabric freshener on musty clothes?

It only covers the smell for a while. The damp is still there, so rewash and dry the clothes properly.

Why do my towels smell musty even after washing?

Usually they dried too slowly or were folded while the hems were still damp.

For other stubborn marks, see How to get lipstick out of a white shirt.

The shop in Cheras

If there is nowhere to dry clothes during a wet week, Superman Laundry is a dobi near Taman Cheras (Cheras Yulek). One machine serves one customer, so your load is not mixed with anyone else’s. Shoes are hand-washed and never go in a machine. Laundry and shoe cleaning are usually ready within 3 working days. Express exists, so ask if you need a faster time rather than assuming one. We clean. We do not repair tears.

Drop the clothes at the shop, or ask about pickup and delivery. Pickup and delivery has a minimum order of RM80, and the fee is quoted by distance on request. Wash and fold for clothes and towels is RM4.50 per kg, with a 3 kg minimum. The rest of the list is on the price list.

How long does laundry take at the shop, and can you collect it?

Laundry is usually ready within 3 working days, and express service is available. Drop it off at the shop, or ask about pickup and delivery. Pickup and delivery has a minimum order of RM80, and the fee is quoted by distance on request.

WhatsApp or call 013-833 5526.

Laundry services. Shoe cleaning. Price list.