We’ve all had it happen. You have the best of intentions and start a load of laundry. And, then life happens. You get distracted. A phone call, a kiddo needs something, dinner has to be cooked, last minute soccer practice…something. Before you know it, it’s the next day or even a few days later and the laundry is still in the washer. Still wet. And now musty.
Clean Musty Laundry with This Easy Trick ~ only 2 ingredients and it’ll transform your yucky laundry including wet towels that were left out!
Does anyone else always seem to have this happen when it’s a big load of towels? There’s nothing worse than getting out of the shower, all nice and clean, and then you grab a towel to dry off and it smells worse than you did when you got IN the shower!
Anyway, you can try rewashing as most of us do. And, sometimes that helps. But for those times when you just can’t get the smell out, or even worse, you dry the laundry and now the smell seems to have set in, I’ve got a helpful laundry trick to fix it!
Baking soda. And Purification essential oil.
Two ingredients that will change your life or at least your musty laundry forever.
Add this to your daily laundry routine for added benefits:
- Wash using your preferred detergent or go all-natural with our Liquid Laundry Detergent.
- Dry using our homemade Reusable Dryer Sheets and be sure to add Wool Dryer Balls to speed up the drying time!
- This recipe has worked for us in traditional and HE washers. Just make sure to use the correct amount of detergent for HE washers. Using too much detergent actually leaves your clothes more prone to buildup and mustiness. Who knew!
New to essential oils? Learn more about how we use them and why you should use them as well.
Musty Laundry Hack
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 6-8 drops Purification essential oil
- normal amount of laundry detergent (see our Liquid Laundry Detergent recipe!)
Directions
- Start your washer.
- Add the baking soda, Purification essential oil, and usual amount of laundry detergent to the washer.
- Add the musty laundry.
- Run a wash cycle as normal.
- Repeat if necessary but we’ve found that one cycle is usually enough.
- Dry as usual. (We love our Wool Dryer Balls to help speed up drying time, especially with towels!)
If you want an additional boost, then add a couple drops of Purification to a washcloth and place in the dryer with the load of laundry.
Laurie says
July 6, 2016 at 12:39 pmHi! Is this for HE washers? If so, do I just add the baking soda, oil, and the detergent in the little compartment where I put the soap? Thanks. 🙂
Beth K says
July 12, 2016 at 12:14 amWhen I use this in my HE washer I put the detergent into the assigned compartment and the oil and baking soda into the drum where the clothes go. Make sure to check back in to let us know how it works for you!
Jane Watson says
March 3, 2017 at 10:38 pmI use Thieves or Clove Oil and Lavender (2 or 3 drops of each) in the fabric softener dispenser which I fill with white vinegar. Everything dries MUCH nicer and fresher if you hang it outside in the fresh air and sunshine.
Carol Balbiani says
July 28, 2018 at 11:31 amI have a HE front loader washer. Are these the same instructions to use for a front loader? It sounds a little complicated for a front loader! Can I just put in the clothes, sprinkle the baking soda on them and add the Purification to the laundry soap in the washer’s dispenser? Or will this clump up the baking soda on my clothes when the water first hits the clothes?
Diana M says
August 27, 2018 at 10:15 pmHi Carol! Yes, it would be the same for a front loader. The baking soda will dissolve in the water. Front loaders use less water, so I would recommend cutting back on the amount of baking soda. You can add the EOs directly to the dispenser.