Bad smell coming from hanging washing? Get rid of it with some simple, but effective methods

Normally, when we hang the laundry out after taking it out of the washing machine, it still smells like the detergent or fabric softener we used for washing. Sometimes, however, it happens that after a while of clothes hanging up, we realize that in they start to have have a slightly unpleasant smell which permeates in room, and sometimes it is even an annoying smell of mold.

This is generally due to the fact that, in these cases, the clothes do not dry fast enough, or the cause can be traced back to some mistake made during the washing itself. However, you can minimize the problem and prevent it from happening in the future by resorting to a few simple measures.

Creativo

To remedy this problem, you can speed up the drying process as much as possible in various ways - depending on the external weather conditions. These are measures to quickly get rid of the moisture trapped in fabrics, which often causes a bad smell.

• Air the room by opening the windows or creating a draft between the door and windows.
• Insert a floor fan pointed directed at the drying rack.
• Place the drying rack near heat sources.
• Put the drying rack in the sun as much as possible: the sun's rays, in fact, are one of the most effective remedies against the formation of mold and also neutralizes bad smells if they are not too strong. Be careful in summer not to keep colored or dark fabrics too long in the sun, as they will fade.
• You can then use DIY products to delicately deodorize the clothes. Mix half a liter of distilled water with 2 tablespoons of ethyl alcohol or even vodka (not flavored, and even low quality vodka) and then add 20 drops of an essential oil. Tea tree oil is excellent against mold, but balsamic or fresh aromas such as mint, eucalyptus or lavender are also suitable for combating the smell of damp materials. Spray the product on clothes that are now dry, or even before ironing them, and they will have a pleasant scent.

To avoid the problem in the future

• In winter, hang out the clothes in the morning, in order to take advantage of all the hours with more light for the first part of the drying process.
• Do not do too much laundry all together, so as not to overload the clotheslines with clothes: not only will each load take longer to dry, but it will then greatly increase the level of humidity in the house.
• All thick fibers that store a lot of water and always come out of the washing machine soaked or nearly soaked (such as wool), can be wrapped in towels that will absorb excess water before being hung out.
• Never leave clothes in the washing machine for too long after washing is finished. If you forget them, start a new simple rinse cycle, perhaps putting just a little baking soda in the drum, or a drop of fabric softener in the dispenser.
• It also helps to choose programs with many spin cycles, even if this means consuming more but this is inot a suitable treatment for garments of delicate fabrics.
• Do not use too much detergent or fabric softener, which are not rinsed off properly and when they remain between the fibers of the fabrics they cause unpleasant odors.

With these precautions, smelly laundry will no longer be a problem.