Last week, I wrote about how to wash your washing machine, I then received some fabulous feedback on how to fix those funky towels and their smell. Sometimes your towels can smell even if your washing machine is pristine.
Smelling that sour scent in towels is truly one of my biggest pet peeves. It drives me crazy and really grosses me out. So this was a fabulous trick to know. Vinegar and baking soda can fix that mess.
After time, with many washes and use, the towels will start to build up detergent, fabric softener residue and because of this won’t allow your towel to absorb as much water, and start to smell.
Instead of buying new towels when you start to smell that stench, just do this simple trick:
Wash your towels in hot water with a cup of vinegar, and then run again in hot water with a half-cup of baking soda. That will strip your towels from all of that residue and mildew smell and will actually leave them feeling fluffy and smelling fresh.
***Do not add laundry detergent to either wash. Just once with vinegar and once with baking soda.
*** This trick also works well with wet bathing suits that were left to dry.
It could also be possible that your smelly towels are coming from a smelly washing machine. You don’t want to miss How To Wash Your Washing Machine. But, if you have a front loading washer, the instructions to clean your washer AND your towels is different, so be sure to check out How To Clean Your Front Loading Washing Machine.
Anonymous says
June 5, 2012 at 3:52 pmHas anyone actually tried this out? How did it work out for you?
Anonymous says
July 6, 2013 at 5:49 pmExcellent, leaves towels fluffy and fresh.
Liz says
May 23, 2017 at 11:56 amAnd to make them smell even better you can use oils or even chamomile tea bags
Anonymous says
July 14, 2013 at 10:08 pmI had a house fire with minimal damage to bedrooms…i did this for my family’s clothes to get the smoke smell out. Once in white distilled vinegar then once in baking soda…worked awesome! I did do a laundry soap and softner just to make them smell like home while living in a hotel. All was done at a laundromat to be a little easier on me….
Anonymous says
August 28, 2013 at 3:16 pmTried it..and it works Awesome..great tip
Anonymous says
June 7, 2012 at 8:07 pmWhite vinegar?
Anonymous says
August 24, 2012 at 10:00 amNo, red wine vinegar
peopleareweird says
March 30, 2016 at 9:55 amHahahahahaha !!!!
Anonymous says
August 13, 2013 at 1:51 pmI actually heard that balsamic works pretty well. Especially if you toss with a little olive oil and salt/pepper.
peopleareweird says
March 30, 2016 at 9:56 amLove it !!!! Ever tried anchovies in that mix ? Yummy !!!
My Thirty Spot says
June 7, 2012 at 8:29 pm@Anonymous 1 – I have a friend who does this every six months and she is the one who told me about it and says it works like a charm.
@Anonymous 2 – Yes, white distilled vinegar.It is really cheap and can be found at any grocery store.
Anonymous says
June 11, 2012 at 11:16 pmCan this be done on front load, high effiency washers?
Anonymous says
July 31, 2013 at 4:10 pmYes. I have a front loader HE machine and it made the towels fluffy and smelling good!
My Thirty Spot says
June 11, 2012 at 11:25 pm@Anonymous 3 – I’m not sure about that one, but I don’t see why not. I think that it could clean any washer.
Anonymous says
June 19, 2012 at 12:52 amHow much vinegar and baking soda you have to put?
Anonymous says
June 19, 2012 at 1:57 pmIt says right in the post how much to use… ;)
Alex says
November 2, 2015 at 11:56 amActually it doesn’t…. anybody figure out how much to use?
Erin Kennedy says
November 2, 2015 at 12:30 pmActually it does. You have to read the post. But just for your reference: 1 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup baking soda.
Anonymous says
June 19, 2012 at 3:33 pmdo you wash the towels again after the baking soda with detergent?
Anonymous says
June 19, 2012 at 5:45 pmI add one cup or more of CLEAR ammonia to each towel washing and always for those towels smelling mildewy. It works wonderfully every time.
Anonymous says
June 30, 2012 at 1:18 pmDo you add this with your detergent?
Anonymous says
July 26, 2012 at 3:24 amoxyclean (one scoop) also taked care of this.
Anonymous says
June 20, 2012 at 2:24 amI have a front load washer. I use 1 cup of white vinegar in the pre-wash area with my towels. I also use detergent. The vinegar removes the smell and I was told its a natural fabric softener…my towels are soft.
Anonymous says
July 2, 2012 at 5:37 amSo you can do this with detergent?
m says
February 5, 2018 at 6:23 amJesus people.
It actually requires less energy to READ the post than to write your question. It says:
“***Do not add laundry detergent to either wash. Just once with vinegar and once with baking soda.”
Lymie says
April 11, 2019 at 12:50 pmFor defunking a load yes but I think the question was being mixed with using white vinegar with detergent in dirty loads to clean laundry. I use WV in the rinse cycle (fabric softener) of every load because it helps rinse out any remnants of detergent, it’s the detergent and softener that builds up over time that creates some of the dingy and not as soft towels/clothes just like washing your hair, a final rinse with apple cider vinegar helps keep prevent product build up and makes your hair shine and manageable. Anyway the little added WV to loads also helps deodorize, great help for athletic stuff and kids clothes. When washing something brand new that hasn’t been washed yet adding some to the wash water helps prevent bleed too.
Anonymous says
June 20, 2012 at 3:04 amThere is no exact measurement.I fill up all the spaces for detergent,softener,bleach dispenser with white vinegar .Then I put a bunch inside the washer.Turn on clean and it works Like a charm .I have done it for over 3 years
Anonymous says
November 26, 2013 at 6:23 pmooohhh kay! why didn’t I ever think of this – I would set a timer, run down to the basement & hope to catch the rinse cycle to be able to add vinegar (which, by the way, really does soften towels) – sometimes I’d make it, sometimes not :( I’m getting too old for all those stairs now! thanks for suggesting adding vinegar to the dispenser – it will sure save me steps!
Mallory says
June 20, 2012 at 2:13 pmDo you dry the towels in between the vinegar and baking soda?
My Thirty Spot says
June 20, 2012 at 7:24 pmHi @Mallory, you do not need to dry between the vinegar and baking soda. Just wash back to back.
@anonymous – You do not have to wash with detergent after.
Thanks for commenting!
xoxo
HappinessinMD says
June 22, 2012 at 5:01 pmI just threw out a bunch of dishcloths and hand towels last month. I was ready to do it again, found your blog on pinterest and decided to try it. It worked! No more funk! Thank you! You saved me the cost of towel replacement again!
My Thirty Spot says
June 22, 2012 at 9:18 pm@happinessinMD Yay! That makes me so happy to hear! I’m so happy that it worked and saved you from having to throw those towel out and waste money on buying more! You should take the money and do something nice for yourself, like a pedi or a massage. That would be awesome!
Anonymous says
July 31, 2012 at 3:18 amThank u so much for ur post! i was about to throw out all my towels and start over! i will try this tomorrow!! :)
Anonymous says
March 31, 2014 at 1:12 amI hope this works I had house fire had to buy all new kitchen towels I washed them first, but got busy and left them in the washer wet for 3 days, I reashed and dried but when I used one to do dishes that night it smelt awful like mildew when it was wet so I was thinking I got to throw out all 17 dish towels I just baught last week I looked up how to get help found this I sure hope it works it akes me just sick to think I was stupid anough to leave in washer 3 whole days grrr.
Anonymous says
June 23, 2012 at 1:16 pmI also heard Borax works great for this!
Barb Fleming says
October 6, 2013 at 2:21 pmI adore Borax for just about everything, but unfortunately it doesn’t take the smell out of the towels. Not for me at least.
Anonymous says
June 23, 2012 at 4:01 pmI have tried almost everything to get the yucky smells out… thank you for one more chance!
Anonymous says
July 22, 2013 at 11:37 pmive tried borax and it didn’t work. the vinegar and soda worked like a charm!
Anonymous says
August 30, 2013 at 9:24 pmmy sheets and towels never smelled sour when I washed them n my washing machine.
however when I wash them at a launder mat
The sour smell hit me like s ton of bricks after just one day after I had taken a shower!
Why? I used the same detergent and softner.
Help!
My Thirty Spot says
September 3, 2013 at 6:44 pmIt is from the washing machine. It has probably never been cleaned. I have a post on how to clean your washing machine, but I’m sure the laundromat won’t appreciate you cleaning it. (or maybe they will, who knows?)
https://www.mythirtyspot.com/2010/12/wearing-poop-on-my-sleeve.html
If you don’t have a washing machine at home, it may be difficult to use these tips, but it does work to get the smell out. Good luck!
^.^ Hi y'all! My name is Amanda... says
June 26, 2012 at 1:36 amAwesome! Worked for a few of my weird smelling towels! Thanks!
Anonymous says
June 27, 2012 at 7:06 pmI also wash them on hot with a cup of peroxide and it will get the smell out. But I would love to try this and see if they get “fluffy” again.
Unknown says
June 29, 2012 at 10:16 pmI have front load washer I put towels in washer put one cup vinegar in were the liquid detergent goes then ran hot wash when it finshed I put half cup backing soda in were powder goes run hot wash OMG towels came out amazing. ♡♡♡♡♡
Anonymous says
July 5, 2012 at 2:16 pmI was doing just a load with ammonia and that helped a little but I could still smell the funk a little. Just tried a load with ammonia first and then washed in white vinegar. Excited to test the results
Margot says
August 21, 2018 at 7:08 amI remember reading a post from “Hints from Heloise” that recommended adding 1 c. of ammonia to your towel and sheet loads to keep them fresh. It apparently helps remove the body oils that collect on those items (and others – I’m thinking stinky summer t-shirts).
Anonymous says
July 9, 2012 at 2:48 pmCan we use the vinegar and baking soda on colored towels?
My Thirty Spot says
July 9, 2012 at 8:03 pmHello @anonymous! This trick is especially good for using on colored towels since you can’t use bleach to clean them.
Anonymous says
July 11, 2012 at 2:31 pmCan you do this with high efficiency washers? Also does it matter what type of vinegar I already have apple cider vinegar could I use that or does it have to be the regular vinegar?
My Thirty Spot says
July 11, 2012 at 6:58 pmHi @anonymous. Yes, this will work with high efficiency washers, but I would not use apple-cider. It can leave a sour scent that is not easily washed out as white vinegar is.
Anonymous says
July 12, 2012 at 6:42 pmHow about on sheets?
My Thirty Spot says
July 12, 2012 at 6:50 pmIt would absolutely work on sheets too! Thanks for asking!
Anonymous says
July 19, 2012 at 4:33 amAwesome!! Thank you!!
Stephanie says
July 20, 2012 at 5:06 amI am so happy to find this post !!!
My towels are so gross, I’ve been on the verge of throwing them all out.
Going to stock up on vinegar & baking soda tomorrow! Thank you :)
My Thirty Spot says
July 20, 2012 at 6:23 amHi Stephanie,
I’m so happy you like this. You are going to be so happy. This really works too!
Good luck!
Anonymous says
July 13, 2013 at 9:25 pmHow often should we do this? Just as needed? I just dnt want the smell to come back
Anonymous says
July 22, 2013 at 11:39 pmI do this as needed, like around every 4 months. I run my washer on sanitize and put in one cup of white vinegar. I never needed to use the soda. It got the smell right out!
FrugalSheila says
July 23, 2012 at 2:34 amAnother trick I learned a few years ago, I think from Martha Stewart, was to boil my funky towels. That has worked well for me, but I now also use a vinegar (I LOVE vinegar, for its many, many uses!) especially after leaving a washload too long in the washer. I just re-run with a generous splash of vinegar.
Brook says
July 26, 2012 at 1:39 amI did this and it worked beautifully! I actually did it backwards though but it still worked. I have a front loader hE washer and I just dumped the backing soda right in the tub with the towels just like my oxyclean powder. Then I ran the vinegar in the actual detergent drawer and it worked like a charm. I am still in awe of how fresh and light my towels are. They were so mildewy smelling before. Thank so much!!
My Thirty Spot says
July 26, 2012 at 1:56 amHi Brook! I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing your experience.
-xoxo
Jill says
July 27, 2012 at 3:06 pmCan’t wait to try this over the weekend! :) Thanks for sharing!
Anonymous says
July 28, 2012 at 6:34 pmThis works great for stinky socks too! I don’t use laundry detergent anymore, I only use vinegar and baking soda.
Anonymous says
July 30, 2012 at 2:14 pmCan you put the vinegar and baking soda in at the same time?
My Thirty Spot says
July 31, 2012 at 2:18 amHi Anonymous,
Thanks for commenting. To get the best results, I would follow the directions above.
Thanks!
Anonymous says
August 7, 2012 at 5:35 pmWonder if this would work on my husband stinky tee shirts that he runs/works out in. Much cheaper than Oxyclean.
cheerfullyvegan says
August 7, 2012 at 5:48 pmI love this! And how timely…my teen boys are going on a 5-day camp-out tomorrow…and I KNOW how their towels and wash cloths come back smelling. I will be using this on Sunday upon their return!
I also have linked your post on my blog. You’ll have a few extra visitors, hopefully. :)
Anonymous says
August 7, 2012 at 7:05 pmthis is a major need to know. i just thought that my water where i live was the culprit the the stinky smell. your a life saver and im putting this on facebook for all my friends to see thank you so much
Tammy says
August 7, 2012 at 7:43 pmI’m going to try this. Another tip, don’t use dryer sheets when you dry your towels. It makes them not able to absorb water.
Margot says
August 21, 2018 at 7:10 amActually shouldn’t use fabric softener of any type when you wash towels. It makes them less absorbent.
Anonymous says
August 7, 2012 at 7:59 pmjust to confirm, do you run two wash cycles first with the vinegar and then with the baking soda followed by a rinse cycle or does the baking soda go into the rinse cycle?
My Thirty Spot says
August 7, 2012 at 10:46 pmHi @Anonymous – I think this would absolutely work for your husband workout t-shirts. I would love it if you tried and and left another comment with your results!
Cheers!
@Cheerfully Vegan! I think this is perfect timing to use this on your kids camp out towels. Thanks so much for sharing on your blog! I really appreciate the shout out!
xoxo
My Thirty Spot says
August 7, 2012 at 10:48 pm@Anonymous! Thanks so much for sharing on your facebook! I really appreciate the shout-out!
xoxo
@Tammy – Thanks for the dryer sheet tip and commenting!
Cheers!
My Thirty Spot says
August 7, 2012 at 10:50 pm@Anonymous – Wash your towels in a complete cycle with the vinegar, then run a complete cycle again with the baking soda. Both the vinegar and the baking soda go in at the beginning of the wash.
Cheers!
Anonymous says
August 8, 2012 at 12:41 amDo you think they would let me do this at the Laundromat? lol
Anonymous says
August 9, 2012 at 8:23 pmI’m just relieved I’m not the only one who’s towels smell funky after a while…Thanks for the tip! I’m doing this tonight!!
Anonymous says
August 12, 2012 at 9:48 pmMy towels are yucky smelling too I almost threw them out until I read this post!!! I am about to try this out!
Anonymous says
August 14, 2012 at 4:59 pmI tried this today and it worked great. I added a cap full of peppermint essential oil in with the baking soda load. The towels smell great and are soft. Thank you!
My Thirty Spot says
August 15, 2012 at 4:49 amI am so happy to read the comments that you all had some great success. I love this tip and it makes such a difference. The essential oil is a great tip I will have to try next time!
xoxo
Anonymous says
August 16, 2012 at 5:18 pmThis worked great to get the smell out, however, some of the decorative towels became discolored. Ex. The gray lines turned brown. Hoping for feedback on what may have caused this. Man do they smell good and feel great!
My Thirty Spot says
August 17, 2012 at 5:47 amHi Anonymous,
I haven’t had an issue with that and I haven’t heard of that happening to anyone else as far as I know of. You didn’t add detergent to either of the washes right? As long as you just used the vinegar in one wash and baking soda in the second, it shouldn’t have caused any reaction. So sorry to hear though. I wish I had a better answer for you.
-Erin
LisaGG says
September 2, 2012 at 2:47 pmJust had power turned back on after a week without due to Hurricane Isaac. Our towels were never able to dry out due to the humidity and so have been hanging damp for this past week and all smelled. I just finished trying the method suggested in this post and it worked great. I washed my towels twice, once in vinegar (1 cup) and once in baking soda (1/2 cup). I used no detergent and dried them with a dryer sheet. They smell fresh! Thanks for the suggestion! I plan to repost this on facebook for all my other friends that are still moping up after Isaac!
Ciera says
September 3, 2012 at 10:23 pmI moved about 3 weeks ago and when I packed them I decided to use this method to give them a good wash and it works! I was wondering if this vinegar and baking soda method would work on bath mats?
Anonymous says
September 4, 2012 at 1:39 amThis may b a way to save sponges??? I may save them n toss them in n try it instead of dumping them
My Thirty Spot says
September 4, 2012 at 1:43 amHi LisaGG,
Thanks for commenting! I am so happy to hear that this method helped you out especially with all of the humidity and dealing with hurricane Isaac!
Cheers!
xoxo
My Thirty Spot says
September 4, 2012 at 1:45 amHi Ciera,
I am so happy to hear that this worked for you after a big move. I would absolutely try this out on your bath mats. I know that it will refresh them and make them seem just like new!
Cheers!
xoxo
My Thirty Spot says
September 4, 2012 at 1:47 amHi Anonymous,
Thanks for commenting. I know this could help save your sponges. You can also disinfect them by putting them in your dishwasher and washing them with the rest of your dishes. Or, wet your sponge and place it on a plate and heat the sponge for 30 seconds. You could also add some fresh lemon juice.
That will disinfect them to use fresh!
Cheers!
Anonymous says
September 6, 2012 at 1:19 pmGonna try this today. My machine has seperate compartments for detergent, oxi/bleach, and softener. Which space should I put the vinegar and baking soda in?
Anonymous says
September 9, 2012 at 2:41 pmMy boyfriend is a marine mechanic and usually comes home smelling like he bathed in diesel fuel. I’ve tried everything I can think of to prevent him from throwing all his work clothes away!… Would this trick work on them?
My Thirty Spot says
September 12, 2012 at 5:27 pmHi Anonymous,
I don’t see why it wouldn’t work on your boyfriend’s clothes. I think it would work great. You could even wash them a third time in detergent. I would think that you would only have to do this trick every other time. But you should let me know!
xoxo!
Anonymous says
September 14, 2012 at 3:39 amFound this on Pinterest. It worked great!! Thank you so much for sharing :)
Anonymous says
September 14, 2012 at 6:10 pmI have done this to my sheets that I was ready to replace and they are now soft and smell fresh! Works like a charm…..I’m now cleaning all of my clean towels to rid them of smells and make them soft again. not only will they be softer but also will absorb water better since the fabric siftner build-up is being removed. I can’t wait to use them!!!
Anonymous says
September 18, 2012 at 2:50 amanything that comes in close contact with my body-towels/washcloths, bed linens, panties, socks, sleepwear-I have been washing with a detergent (Method mostly, but any I have used is ok), with vinegar filling the cup where fabric softener is supposed to go. It took a couple treatments but they are all soft and fluffy now, the colors remain bright, and after the dryer all you smell is the fragrance from the detergent, so pick one you like. Once in a while when I feel like it I may use a few of those Purex crystals as well, but just for the smell. Everything is absorbent and the garments are much cooler and absorbent in the summer and more insulating in the winter without that oily softener coating on them.
Anonymous says
September 18, 2012 at 2:56 amI noticed one said they used red wine vinegar. That may be the reason the towels got discolored. I also will try this on several of my things. Thanks for posting this.
Anonymous says
September 18, 2012 at 2:57 amNot the red vinegar, of course. LOL
Anonymous says
September 18, 2012 at 2:59 amvinegar and baking soda is also a great drain cleaner. put 1/2 cup baking soda in drain let sit for 2 minutes then pour vinegar (white or apple cider) in the drain until you can not see anymore baking soda and it will fizzz like crazy let sit for 5 minutes then rinse with hot hot water. it clears the drain, disinfects and makes the drain smell better.
Anonymous says
September 19, 2012 at 4:40 amIt works! I wanted to scream because of the way my wash clothes smelled, So I tried it, and they smell fresh again. Thanks for a great tip!
Anonymous says
September 21, 2012 at 10:53 pmA friend of mine works in wardrobe on movie sets and she told me a few years ago to stop using fabric softener with my towels because it’s an oil product (with dyes) which means it will make your towels less absorbent. She also said fabric softener builds up in the fibers and can actually be the cause of that bad smell. She never uses fabric softener at all. For anything. Only white vinegar and baking soda. So I stopped using fabric softener on my towels and now use vinegar and baking soda as well as a small amount of detergent (she also said most people use way too much detergent, use half the amount it tells you to use on the box) and my towels have never been fluffier, fresher, softer, and more absorbent. She’s a genius with fabric/textile care.
Monique says
September 30, 2012 at 3:55 pmI’m on a mission to the laundrymat to do this right now. I had given up on my super-thick towels I love so much, and am glad to be able to give them a second chance with this method.
Thank you for posting!
My Thirty Spot says
October 2, 2012 at 4:36 amHi all Anonymous’ and Monique,
Thanks for your comments and support. I appreciate you all taking the time to leave a comment. I love this trick and my towels are all like new and I’m so glad that all of you appreciate it too!
xoxo
Kathy Farrales says
October 3, 2012 at 5:25 pmThanks for sharing this … gonna try this right now because I really don’t wanna buy new towels. ^.^
Anonymous says
October 16, 2012 at 4:32 pmjust a note for pet owners….if you have something that your pet has had an accident on…..this helps to take that odor out also. My cat loves my bathmat for some reason and I have used the vinegar to neutralize that odor.
Anonymous says
October 24, 2012 at 7:20 pmcan you continue to wash the towels in vinegar and baking soday or would you just do it once in awhile. , instead of detergent I mean. Thanks. Did it today and it was great. could not figure out why new towels had that mildew smell. Now I just want to keep washing them that way. Saundra
Anonymous says
October 25, 2012 at 3:40 amI had that problem too but did a load with hot water and the white vinegar..worked like a charm !
My Thirty Spot says
October 25, 2012 at 5:12 amHi Saundra,
I am sure that you could do that for every wash, but it would take the two loads each time since you can’t put the vinegar and baking soda together. But I don’t see why you couldn’t do it if you wanted to.
xoxo
Erin
nikilooloo says
December 14, 2012 at 4:05 amThis worked for me! I did the distilled vinegar first wash, baking soda second wash, then used my regular detergent for a third wash just so it would smell good! ;) It totally worked! I am beyond ecstatic!
Anonymous says
February 28, 2013 at 2:54 pmdo you think it is okay to put a color catcher in since you are washing the towels in hot water?
My Thirty Spot says
February 28, 2013 at 7:36 pmUsually by the time you need to de-funk your towels, they have been washed quite a few times and the colors shouldn’t run. You want to try to not mix anything other than the vinegar and baking soda to not compromise. But, if you are really concerned, you can try the color catcher and see if it still works.
Thanks for commenting!
Heaven says
March 14, 2013 at 8:25 pmI used laundry detergent in the wash cycle and 1 cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle. when the towels are dry, they have no smell. but when they are WET, OMG!!! the smell is really bad! Help, what can I do? I want to continue to use natural products but I don’t know where to turn.
My Thirty Spot says
March 14, 2013 at 10:51 pmHi Heaven,
Try washing with exactly how the instructions say and see if that makes a difference. Don’t use detergent and use the baking soda and vinegar to wash. That might make a difference for you.
Thanks for commenting. Good luck!
Anonymous says
May 4, 2013 at 6:46 amWill this work for people who have allergies or skin problems with detergents
My Thirty Spot says
May 5, 2013 at 6:20 amIt should work since it doesn’t have any chemicals or perfumes.
Anonymous says
May 7, 2013 at 5:18 pmI’ll tell you how I solved this problem once and for all; I picked up a bamboo towel (yes, bamboo). Bamboo is, of course, a very hard wood. Once shredded into a fiber however, it can be woven into any of several very soft textile items including a bath towel with a lofty, terrycloth weave. Bamboo is essentially antimicrobial, and some species grow so fast–up to 4′ per day (yes, that’s four feet per day!) making it the most renewable natural resource on the planet. “So, will this really solve my stinky towel problem?”, you ask. Here are the specifics of my situation: I wouldn’t even THINK about using a cotton towel more than once. 1) It would smell utterly disgusting the second time around, and 2) After the first use, when it dried, any cotton towel I used dried like plywood. With the bamboo towel, on the other hand, I’m able to use the same towel every day for several weeks! (That may sound a little disgusting to some of you but I look at it this way, when I step out of that shower, every inch of my body is CLEAN, therefore, by my reasoning, the towel should stay clean and should really be good to use for even months between washings.) In my experience, there is NO ODOR AT ALL with a bamboo towel no matter how many times I’ve used it. You can buy these towels (and many other products of a bamboo derivative) at cariloha.com for a whopping $69 or, get what looks to be the same thing on amazon.com for as low as $19.99. The only thing you may not like about the bamboo towel is that it isn’t as absorbent as 100% cotton (chemically, bamboo is about the same as Rayon). I’d say the bamboo is maybe 70-80% as absorbent as 100% cotton. I can certainly live with that to get rid of that rancid smell!
Mark ~ Michelle says
May 12, 2013 at 4:25 amWas just commenting to my daughter tonight about how I can’t stand the odor left in our cloth napkins and our towels, etc. that all get washed together. So, I typed in a search request for a natural way to clean towels, and found this blog with this information. Did it immediately, and couldn’t stop sniffing the napkins as I was folding them tonight. There is no more odor, and I am so thankful. Who wants to wipe their mouth off with an odorous napkin? Can’t stand paper napkins, so this was a great way to save my cloth napkins. And, of course, my towels smell fresh and are much softer too. YES! and thank you for posting!
My Thirty Spot says
May 12, 2013 at 4:45 amHi Michelle,
I’m so happy to hear! Thanks so much for posting your experience. I’m glad you found my blog and was able to try this out!
Thanks for your comment! Enjoy your napkins and towels!
Erin
Anonymous says
May 22, 2013 at 8:27 pmMy dealer said NEVER to use powder detergents, borax or baking soda in my new High Efficiency washer….so what do I do?
v_sue2 says
May 23, 2013 at 7:23 pmI used this to strip my cloth diaper inserts and they worked great after that. I LOVE Eco nuts for detergent and wool dryer balls for my diapers. I was just given some cloth diapers last night by a friend and they were literally CRUSTY with detergent. As soon as I got home from work they went straight in the washer with vinegar. Almost time for Baking soda now :) can’t wIt to see the difference
Amanda Marie says
June 20, 2013 at 2:58 amAmmonia is my solution for this problem. I use approximately 1/2c – 1c of ammonia per load of towels.
Works like a charm!
Anonymous says
June 23, 2013 at 11:27 pmHELP!!! I just did this with my sheets and it left a film of baking soda all over the metal drum and funky balls of stuff on the sheets. What should I do now?
My Thirty Spot says
June 24, 2013 at 3:17 amDid you use the exact measurements? I would just wash your sheets again with just water or your regular detergent. It won’t hurt anything. Good luck.
-Erin
Anonymous says
July 3, 2013 at 5:04 amI don’t have a washing machine, and I am trying to figure out a way to get that awful smell out of my towels. So essentially, I would need to hand-wash them. Would this method with vinegar and baking soda work in this case?
My Thirty Spot says
July 3, 2013 at 6:51 pmI absolutely think it would work. Wouldn’t hurt to try it at all!
Good luck. I would love to know the results!
Ivana Ge says
July 5, 2013 at 2:15 amHi,
I think before you apply the vinegar, you will need to soak the towels and then apply some bleach and scrub them (don’t forget to wear gloves). Only after that should you apply the vinegar. I think this will yield better results, at least it has for me, though your mileage may vary of course :)
Sue says
July 29, 2013 at 1:25 amjust tried this and happy to say it worked!! I have a front load HE machine, so I ran 1 cup of white vinegar for a hot cycle first, then I dumped 1/2 cup baking soda in with some detergent and ran for another hot cycle. Not a bit of scent on any of the towels – I think there were 3 large bath sheets and 4 regular bath towels in all. Thanks so much for sharing this tip – I couldn’t stand the scent, even though no one else in the household seemed to notice! :P
Anonymous says
August 2, 2013 at 11:58 pmI just tried this out yesterday, and like most people have already said, it works like a magic! And to think I had been agonizing for several months over how to tactfully tell the owner of the towels it was time for new ones. I plan to do this every few months.
Instead of using the washing machine, I boiled the bath towels (two of them), first with one cup vinegar and then with one cup baking soda. I then rinsed them with cold water after rubbing them together a couple of times and dried them in the sun. I thought I should add my 2 cents for those who may not have access to a washing machine and may feel lazy to go to a laundromat just to wash a couple of items.
Thanks, My Thirty Spot, for sharing!
Lauren says
September 25, 2013 at 8:57 pmHow important is a hot water wash? I’m in the process of figuring out why my washer won’t fill with hot or warm water, only cold. But I really want to de-funk these towels! Has anyone done it on cold and does it affect the results much? Thanks for any tips!
c.w.frosting says
October 13, 2013 at 4:07 pmThanks for the much needed tip! I read through the other comments and couldn’t figure out: for he front loading washers, where do you put the baking soda? In the detergent spot or directly in the machine with clothes?
My Thirty Spot says
October 13, 2013 at 7:28 pmHi C.W,
Yes, just put the baking soda directly in with the clothes. Good luck! I would love to hear your results!
Erin
Julie S says
October 17, 2013 at 9:44 pmI am so looking forward to trying this. That smell drives me wild!
Anonymous says
October 30, 2013 at 1:47 pmWill this work for body odor on towels as well?
My Thirty Spot says
October 31, 2013 at 5:07 amI would assume so. It cleans the towels pretty dang thoroughly. Good luck!
minxcomix says
November 1, 2013 at 8:23 amOr one can hang their towels outside to dry (or inside during the winter…which adds moisture to indoor’s winter dry air), and this won’t be a problem ;-)
Ken H. says
November 6, 2013 at 6:08 pmI have a question – this might not make any difference, but I have Baking Soda, and a box of “Super Washing Soda”. The first is listed as “Sodium Bicarbonate”, and the second as “Sodium Carbonate”
. Any ideas if there would be a difference using one or the other? I’m trying this now – I guess that I’ll use the “Super Washing Soda” and see how it turns out?
Thanks – I love the blog and articles that I’ve read!
Ken
Anonymous says
November 9, 2013 at 5:58 pmWashing soda is stronger and more caustic than baking soda. It would probably still work, though it might be hard on the fabric.
kenhpics says
November 12, 2013 at 4:30 pmThank you for the reply – I was in the process of doing this as I entered that previous question, so I just went ahead and used the washing soda. Interesting to know that it might be a stronger product and probably worth being more cautious about it? I would be interested to know if anyone else had experience with it. For what it’s worth, so far the towels that I did clean this way *seem* to be less smelly. The ones that my wife made mention of being “stinky” were bath towels, and they would smell rather foul just after using them a couple times post-washing. This was even with trying to hang them in the bathroom, not leaving them bunched up where they wouldn’t have a chance to air dry. I’ll have to keep monitoring it, but thus far it seems to be a successful operation! Thanks!
Stephanie Welsh says
May 20, 2014 at 1:56 amJust a note – I do this with my towels but in cold water instead of hot and it still works really well. (My washing machine isn’t hooked up to hot water, so I do everything in cold.)
Anonymous says
May 24, 2014 at 1:14 pmClorox works for me, but you can’t use it on colors; so I bought a dozen smallish fluffy white towels just for myself. The problem went away just like that. Turns out the problem was me. I dry my bath towels outside after each use and put them in ‘my bath towel’ wash basket when they have any oror at all. I’ve used clorine bleach on my towels twice in 18 months… and the washing machine doesn’t smell funky any more either.
My wife has no trouble at all with her bright colored towels. She hangs them on a rack in the bathroom and washes them with ordinary wash after many uses.
I started using nothing but 100% merino wool socks two years ago too; no more foot odor or peeling skin on the bottoms of my feet. Like I said – the problem is me.
AJ says
June 5, 2014 at 11:17 amI use baking soda and borax with laundry soap…just a few tbsps in every wash and I also use vinegar for fabric softener…daily…on every load…never have had to clean my washing machine..save money on fabric softener and clothes are fluffy and less wrinkled. Fabric softeners are nothing but chemicals on your clothing that smell good. Vinegar is the bomb. And try cleaning your showers with it. Sparkling! No soap scum..and no elbow grease!
Nicole says
July 2, 2014 at 6:48 pmI just came across your blog and I want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for your suggestions!!! I was ready to throw my towels away because they smelled so bad and grossed me out! I washed them last night the way you recommended and it worked great! :)
Erin Kennedy says
July 2, 2014 at 9:16 pmYay! I’m so glad to hear! So glad it worked. Thanks for letting me know!
Cheers!
Amy L says
December 7, 2014 at 7:15 pmThanks for the great tip! Up until now I’ve been weird about separating my cloth napkins and hand towels from the body towels (since I don’t use bleach) ….does this mean I can wash them all together now?
Erin Kennedy says
December 7, 2014 at 10:58 pmI think it would be fine. As long as they are not darks and whites together.
Amy L says
December 14, 2014 at 7:27 pmThanks :)
Flo says
December 20, 2014 at 9:53 pmSo — does this mean that this combination sanitizes? I generally run my kitchen stuff with bleach and have sacrificed some colors in the interest of cleanliness. I would be SO happy not to have to either ruin my colors or question how clean they were. The same happens with bath towels. I’ve gone with bleach just to get rid of the odor.
My two biggies are cleanness in the kitchen and bath as well as saving my colors. Thanks! ‘REALLY appreciate this!
Erin Kennedy says
December 21, 2014 at 9:15 amYes! Vinegar does a wonderful job of sanitizing! Thanks for commenting!
Rex says
January 4, 2015 at 1:11 amHello! I tried this and it didn’t work for me. Washed whites with bleach, then washed towels in vinegar first than with baking soda just as directed. The towels seem ok until you get any water on them, then FUNK city! Any thoughts?
Erin Kennedy says
January 4, 2015 at 1:43 pmThe bleach is not in the directions. The bleach interacts with the baking soda and vinegar. Try again without the bleach and let me know.
Rex says
January 6, 2015 at 7:14 pmOh, I meant that I had used bleach previously in the washer, so it should have been sanitized before trying this. I only used vinegar the first time through, then washed again with the baking soda. The towels weren’t soft and they still smelled awful the first use.
Erin Kennedy says
January 7, 2015 at 7:10 amMaybe try it one more time. It could be that your towels are just too old. You are the first to state that it didn’t work. Usually the results are wonderful and gets rid of that smell. There is no other reason I can think of, of why it is not working. Sorry I don’t have more info.
visit website says
January 15, 2015 at 8:12 amMy towels had that smell once and I just threw them. I am glad to know that there is a way to get rid of that disgusting smell. Thanks a lot! I will try the trick with the baking soda and the vinegar!
Healani says
June 3, 2015 at 4:41 pmCan I use cold water instead of hot?
Erin Kennedy says
June 3, 2015 at 7:48 pmI don’t think so. You could try it, but it may not get the results your looking for.
Angela says
July 9, 2015 at 5:30 amI tried this out the other night and just used one of the towels this morning. So far so good. The towels I tried this on were already used/dirty. I didn’t think to wash them with detergent before or after the vinegar/baking soda steps, my question is does the vinegar/baking soda “clean” the towels as well as “de-stink” them or should I have done a cycle with detergent either before or after?
Thanks
Erin Kennedy says
July 9, 2015 at 9:33 amWell, the solution of vinegar and baking soda is just to remove the smell. Next time try washing them in detergent if they are dirty, then the solution to remove that stink.
Thanks!
AJK says
May 7, 2016 at 4:21 pmWould have been really nice if you had stated this up front!! I just followed all your instructions and my towels were halfway through the drying cycle when I saw this post. I had read through all the posts above to clarify if I also had to wash them in detergent as well (before putting them in the dryer), and you said “no” multiple times. You never indicated these were supposed to be clean towels to begin with. Very disappointed. Now my towels are probably worse off than before I tried this.
Erin Kennedy says
May 8, 2016 at 9:56 pmIt really doesn’t make that big of a difference if they are clean or dirty. It was just a suggestion to do this with clean towels. The solution is a good solution to clean the towels too. But it is up to you if you want to wash them first. You may have noticed after you took them out of the dryer, they smelled and seemed like clean fresh towels.
Jessica Martin says
July 22, 2015 at 6:15 amSo cool trick! I hate that smell on my beautiful towels and I hate when I have to throw them into the garbage! You saved the life of my towels! Thank you a lot!
Bob says
September 12, 2015 at 11:41 amDoes your 1 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup baking soda measurements change with the size of the load?
Erin Kennedy says
September 14, 2015 at 10:27 amnope.
Jennifer says
October 16, 2015 at 11:30 amI’ve had this problem with my dark towels and not with the ones I bleach. Sooo my solution was 1) bleach them all-even the dark ones, and 2) bought some white towels so I can bleach them and just start using dark towels as throw towels for rags, etc. But I will try this last attempt at making my towels smell fresh. But I have a quick question, do you do this every time you wash towels, or just so often.
Thanks for your solution and feedback. :-)
Erin Kennedy says
October 19, 2015 at 3:42 pmI just do this when needed. When I smell that funk. Good luck!
Yep says
January 25, 2017 at 10:05 amFollowed the instructions to a T. The next morning my husband used one of the towels and once it was wet, the towel had the same musty smell again. I even took the towel and put it in the dryer immediately and it still smells. My washer is clean too so I guess i’ll be buying new towels.