Why baby clothes smell musty after washing

Clean but not fresh

Few things are more frustrating than baby clothes that come out of the wash smelling damp, sour or stale. The smell usually isn’t from the clothes being dirty. It comes from bacteria and mildew that grow when fabric stays wet too long, or from residue that traps odours in the fibres. In humid Karachi, and during the monsoon everywhere, it can happen in any home.

The cause is usually one of a handful of things, and each has a simple fix. Work out when the smell appears, and you’ll usually know which one it is.

When does it smell?

A sniff test at each stage takes seconds: smell a piece straight from the machine, again when it’s dry, and again after a few days in the drawer. The stage where the smell first appears points to the fix.

• Straight out of the machine: the machine itself, too much detergent or softener, or clothes left sitting wet in the drum.
• After drying: slow drying, an overcrowded rack, or monsoon humidity.
• After a few days in the drawer: clothes put away slightly damp, or a damp cupboard.
• Only certain pieces: massage oil or milk residue in necklines, or thick seams that never dry fully.

The machine

Front-loading machines in particular hold water in the rubber door seal, the detergent drawer and the filter, and in a warm climate these grow mould quickly. Once a month, pull back the door seal and wipe it out, clean the detergent drawer, clear the filter following your manual, and run an empty hot cycle with detergent or a machine cleaner. Leave the door and drawer open between washes so they dry.

Twin-tubs need the same idea: drain both tubs after every wash, clean the lint filter and leave the lids open to air.

Detergent and softener build-up

More detergent doesn’t mean fresher clothes (our guide to washing baby clothes has the everyday routine). Excess detergent and fabric softener leave a film that holds on to body oils and odours, especially in cool washes. Use the dose for your load size, skip softener on baby clothes, and add an extra rinse.

For a load that already smells, rewash with a normal dose of detergent, as warm as the labels allow, and add a small cup of white vinegar to the rinse. Never use vinegar in the same wash as bleach.

Drying fast enough

Clothes that take many hours to dry are the most common cause of musty smells in Pakistani homes, especially in the monsoon and in foggy Punjab winters. Hang clothes the moment the machine finishes, space them out, keep air moving and use the sun whenever you can.

Overloaded racks are a hidden culprit: pieces that touch or overlap dry far more slowly in the middle. Give each item its own space, and hang thick items like joggers by the waistband with the legs apart.

Oily residue and damp cupboards

If only some pieces smell, especially at the neckline or back, the cause is often massage oil or milk residue that has gone stale. Pre-treat those areas with a drop of washing-up liquid or liquid detergent before washing, and dry them in the sun. Thick pieces dry slowest too: knit joggers from our baby sets, jumpsuits and anything with double layers need their waistbands, seams and hoods checked before they go away.

Cupboards against outside walls can also turn damp in the monsoon. If clothes from one cupboard always smell, move them, leave the doors open on dry days and add silica gel packets out of your baby’s reach.

Rescuing a smelly batch

• Rewash with a normal dose of detergent, as warm as each label allows.
• Add a small cup of white vinegar to the rinse, or soak for an hour beforehand in water with a couple of tablespoons of baking soda, but not both in the same water.
• Dry fully, in the sun if possible.
• Smell each piece before folding, and repeat for any that still smell.
• Air the drawer or cupboard, and don’t put clothes back until both are dry.
• Our guide on how to wash baby clothes covers everyday dosing and temperatures.

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