We know that of the estimated 9,000+ loads of laundry you’ll do over a lifetime, 90% of your washes will go to plan. But in the lifelong dance between staying on top of the domestic chores and enjoying yourself, there’s bound to be the occasional scenario where your laundry routine ever so slightly comes undone.
You simply might forget to hang out a clean load, leaving it sitting in the machine too long. Or you might be in rush and put a clean load of laundry away in the drawers when it’s still just a little bit damp. They’re conditions that can lead to damp and dank smelling laundry. And dark, thick and denim fabrics are especially prone to holding onto these bad-smelling odours.
If the saying goes that it takes 10,000 hours to become a master at something, then we all deserve a pro-washer trophy. But when these minor mishaps do happen, we have some simple tips you can use to correct them and ensure the problem of stinky laundry doesn’t happen again.
One: Keep things dry
Moisture is a breeding ground for bacteria and all the damp and danky smells that come with it. Don't let wet clothes (whether they are wet from water, sweat, a hard days work, or all of the above) collect in the laundry basket. And don't let clean clothes sit damp in the machine for too long. Wash and dry straight away.
Pro tip: Letting clean clothes air dry outside or by a window can leverage the sunlight to kill off any lingering mould spores or bacteria.
Two: Wash hot (sometimes)
Cold washes are best for the environment, and the right detergent (like Dirt) provide effective cleans in both cold and hot temperatures. But when it comes to really stinky, heavily soiled or germy laundry, opting for a hot wash will help to sanitise your clothes, killing both odour and germ causing bacteria.
Pro tip: Make sure you read the care label before turning up the temperature. You might have sanitised, but also seriously small clothes by the end of the cycle.
Three: Choose an odour eliminating detergent
The easiest way to achieve that lingering 'just-washed' scent is by choosing a scent-specific detergent. The intentionally up weighted concentration of (natural) scent in our Advanced Wash was specifically formulated to satisfy the scent-obsessed washers amongst us.
Pro tip: Ingredients matter. Most detergents rely on synthetic ingredients for their scent. If naturally and organically derived ingredients are important to you, make sure to check the ingredients label before getting too attached to its fragrance.
Four: Pre-treat stains
Where there are stains, there are likely to be smelly smells. When accidents happen, get into the habit of pre-treating your stain as soon as possible. You can use the Spot Stain Treater for those little,dye based stains, or the Powder Booster as a pre-treater, soaker or paste for those heavier, bigger stains. Stained clothes that spend idle time in the laundry basket will tend to spread their funk and will encourage stains to become stubborn and set.
Pro-tip: one of the best accessories to any outfit is our Stain Remover carry-on applicator. It's mini, fits in your purse, pram or briefcase and is a total life-saver when stains happen on the go (which tbh is most of them!)
Five: A clean machine = clean clothes
You wouldn't expect clean dishes to come out of a filthy dishwasher full of crumbs and miscellaneous food bits, so you can't expect a dirty washing machine to deliver you clean clothes. Just like you maintain your car engine, the workhorse appliance of your laundry needs regular maintenance too. Using a product like our Machine Drum Wash monthly cleans out the grime and gunk hidden in the internal piping and drum of your machine.
Pro tip: Leaving the machine door open after each load will also air out and dry out any moisture leftover from your wash cycle.
Six: Don’t overdo it
Just because you can stuff your whole wardrobe into the machine, doesn't mean you should. When you overload your machine it prevents your clothes from getting clean. Why? An overloaded machine doesn't leave any room for the clothes to get the friction or agitation they need to 'slap' against each other to shift and lift dirt.
Pro tip: Check you haven’t overloaded your machine’s drum by placing your hand in the drum. An ideal load is if your load and your hand fit in the drum. In top loaders, the level of unwashed clothes must not exceed the level of the inner tub.