Rid your towels of unpleasant smells once and for all.
If my inbox is any indicator of what’s going on in the world, and I believe it is, smelly towels are a growing problem for consumers—and certainly for my dear “Everyday Cheapskate” readers. And it’s a rather new problem, the result of modern things such as front-loading, high-efficiency washing machines, detergents, fabric softeners, and damp conditions.
If you’ve noticed gross, smelly towels in your houses, albeit appearing to be washed, dried, and ready to go, perhaps you’ve also noticed that your towels have begun to repel rather than absorb water.
Smell
That moldy, mildewy, gross smell? It’s the result of the buildup of detergents and fabric softeners that haven’t been rinsed out properly, together with damp, moist conditions. What you have there is a breeding ground for bacteria. No wonder you’ve got a big, gross, smelly laundry problem.Absorbency
If your towels have stopped doing what they’re supposed to do well—absorb water—that problem stems from the same source: detergent and fabric softener buildup. Seriously! With detergent and laundry, more is decidedly not better.Science
You’re going to use white vinegar and baking soda to fix this skanky problem once and for all. But don’t use these products at the same time. This will be a two-step process.
