Laundry Detergent for Towels and Bed Linen: How to Get Rid of Bad Smells

Towels and bed linen should smell clean. But sometimes they are washed, dried and put away in the cupboard, only for a damp, musty or stale fabric smell to reappear a few days later. In such cases the problem often isn't just the washing machine. It matters a great deal which laundry detergent for towels and bed linen you use, how much of it you pour in and how the textiles are dried.

Towels and bed linen absorb a lot of moisture, skin oils, sweat and product residue, so they need slightly different care from ordinary T-shirts.

Why do towels start to smell bad?

The smell usually builds up gradually rather than after one bad wash. Body oils, soap residue, excess detergent and a layer of fabric softener accumulate in the fabric. If a towel stays damp for a long time after use, the smell sets in even faster.

Typical causes:

• towels are thrown into the laundry basket while still wet;
• too much detergent or fabric softener is used;
• the washing machine is overloaded and the textiles don't rinse properly;
• only very short programmes are used;
• bed linen or towels are put away in the cupboard before they are completely dry.

Which laundry detergent is best for towels and bed linen?

For towels and bed linen, it's important that the detergent effectively removes sweat, skin oils and everyday moisture residue. A strong fragrance alone doesn't solve the problem, as it merely masks the cause. The fabric needs to be properly washed, not just scented.

Liquid detergent is a convenient choice because it disperses quickly in water, is easy to dose and suits a range of cycles. If textiles have an ingrained smell, pay extra attention not only to the product but also to drying.

Ecozyme tip: for everyday towels, bed linen and clothes, choose Ecozyme laundry detergent. It's a versatile choice for the home when you want one product for a variety of textiles.

How to wash towels so no smell remains

1. Don't put wet towels in a closed basket

If a towel goes straight from the shower into the laundry basket and stays there scrunched up, a smell develops very quickly. Let it dry before washing, or wash it as soon as possible.

2. Don't use too much fabric softener

Fabric softener can make towels feel pleasant, but too much of it does them no good. It can reduce absorbency and leave a coating that traps odours. If your towels smell unpleasant, skip the softener for a few washes.

3. Dose detergent according to the load

Towels absorb a lot of water, so the washing machine shouldn't be filled to the maximum. An overloaded drum and too much detergent are a bad combination: the product stays in the fabric, and after a few uses the towel starts to smell again.

4. Dry thoroughly

Towels and bed linen must be completely dry before being put away. Even a little moisture in folded fabric can create an unpleasant smell. If you dry indoors, make sure the room is well ventilated.

How to wash bed linen

Bed linen collects sweat, skin oils, cream residue and dust, so it's worth washing regularly. Choose the temperature according to the care label and dose the detergent accurately. If your bed linen smells unpleasant, don't just use more fragranced product – instead choose a fuller programme, leave more space in the drum and dry it well.

When might the problem be the washing machine?

If the smell comes not just from towels but from all your laundry, it's worth cleaning the washing machine. Check the rubber seal around the door, the detergent drawer and the filter. Detergent and softener residue can build up inside the machine itself and transfer to textiles.

In short

A good laundry detergent for towels and bed linen should help remove sweat, moisture and skin oil residue, but the product alone isn't enough. What matters most is the right dose, not overloading the machine, using less fabric softener and drying completely.

If you want a versatile solution for household textiles, take a look at Ecozyme laundry detergent.