How long wet washing can stay in the machine before it starts to smell
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While most of us take wet washing out of the machine not long after it’s finished, there are occasions when it gets left in there for several hours or overnight. When you come back to it, there’s the inevitable dilemma; is it clean enough to hang out or does it need washing again?
The decision to rewash or not may come down to one crucial factor, and that is whether it smells bad – because if it smells musty while it’s wet, it will smell that way when it’s dry.
Wet washing needs to be removed and hung to dry as soon as possible to prevent odours forming. iStockphoto
Unfortunately, wet laundry can develop an odour pretty quickly, according to Saniyat Islam, Associate Professor, Fashion and Textiles at RMIT University, who advised moving it to the clothesline or the dryer within 30 to 60 minutes to prevent musty odours.
“Dry everything fully and as quickly as possible, with good airflow – this will halt bacterial and fungal growth as the drying takes away the perfect conditions for the microbes to thrive,” he wrote in an article for The Conversation.
Several things can make washing smell bad whether it’s been left in the machine or not. One is the bacterium responsible for the infamous ‘wet rag’ smell, which Islam said can survive the drying process and ultraviolet sunlight.
Then there are fungi, which can start to grow when wet laundry is left for too long or is drying inside without any airflow.
And to top it off, washing machines can also have microbial biofilms in areas like front loader door seals and detergent drawers. This can end up on your clothes during a cycle and make them smell, even if they’ve been promptly hung to dry.
But once your clothes, sheets and towels are smelly, the only way to get rid of the odour is to wash them again.
Before you do, decide whether your machine could benefit from a clean. Then consider soaking the smelly items in vinegar to help get rid of those nasty microbes.
When they’re in the machine use the hottest temperature water those garments can stand – check the care label for details to find out what’s best for each item. Then get them drying as soon as possible.
If you think the washing machine is the likely cause of your smelly loads, try cleaning the machine. Run a drum clean or the hottest, longest cycle and add either vinegar, baking soda, oxygen bleach, citric acid or a store-bought machine cleaner (pick one only, don’t mix them together).
Filters can also be the source of bad odours, so in top loaders empty filters – which can be found inside the appliance – after each load and clean them regularly. Front loader filter should be emptied monthly and are found in one of the bottom front corners.
Detergent drawers also need cleaning. If they have visible mould and detergent build up give them a scrub with hot soapy water. Ensure they are dry before putting back and consider emptying them after a cycle to remove lingering moisture.
Front load washing machine door seals also need regular cleaning as mould can easily build up in here. Wipe them after each load to remove residual moisture and leave the door of the machine open so that it can dry out. Top loaders also benefit from the door being left open after a cycle.
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