Stale smelling bed linen.

smithyjules

Hi there, i have a real problem with my bed linin. I wash it, line dry it and it smells lovely and fresh, marvellous. I put it in the airing cupboard and the next time i go to use it (i've got a few different sets so it can be some time) it smells blinking awful, a really strong stale and nasty smell. The house is only 6 months old, the airing cupboard isn't damn, the washing is bone dry when it goes in and the airing cupboards itself smells fine.

What am i doing wrong and what can i do to kepp it smelling nice and fresh other than febreeze (which I'm not buying to save money and cut down on the amount of products in my cupboards?

Any ideas?!

celyn90

Do you have a lot of things piled up in the airing cupboard? I always find I get this if there is too much stuff in there and the air can't circulate.

As far as nice smells go - it won't have that just off the line smell, but I tend to put the wrappers from lush products into the cupboard or those tester strips from perfume counters in just to make it smell nice.

whatatwit

I sometimes find when line drying, that things aren't fully dry, especially if it isn't in direct sun.
When you bring it off the line and fold it, do you put it straight away?
Maybe try putting it over a radiator, you may be amazed at how damp it feels when it gets warm.
Or, give it a run over with the iron, no need for the steam on, then leave to cool before putting into the airing cupboard.

Also, what are the shelves made of, ideally, they should not be solid, slats will allow air to circulate.

smithyjules

to be honest I'm new to this "drying outside" thing as we have never had a garden before! Yes i do generally put the washing away fairly quickly (well when I'm being domesticated that is lol!) so maybe thats it. the shelves are wooden slats so there is some air circulating. But we have a fair bit of bedding piled up in there which maybe doesn't help either.

Thanks for the replies some food for thought there.

Sunnyday

Do you use fabric conditioner? I think that clothes rinsed in this become stale after a while if not used.

Try a good few washes using vinegar instead of softner, as the conditioner gradually gets out of the bedding the stale smell will vanish too.

HTH

SD

hippychic81

A simular thing kept happening to me with Pj's, But It seems that it was my Washing Machine.
I used a washing machine cleaner (tablet) and since then my washing hasn't been smelling.
So I don't know if it was stale water getting traped in the layers of the clothes and making it smell after it had been left.
Just an idea.

jomilne

I always used to keep the perfume sample pages from magazines (when I had money to waste on magazines, that is....) - tear them out, open the little perfumy flap bit and put them in the cupboard or in drawers etc - the perfume smell will scent whatever is in there

DrFluffy

If you are sure your washing really is dry when it goes in to the airing cupboard, clean and descale your washing machine (including the draw and delivery channels) - it could be that the smell of the fabrc conditioner is masking the smell you would have otherwise, and it's only when the fabric conditioner has 'worn off' you smell the real smell of your clothes.

You could also try keeping a few sheets of Bounce in your airing cupboard and change them every couple of weeks.

Also, in case it is something in your airing cupboard (check for water leaks etc), empty it and air it with the door open for a few days - a week.

smithyjules

Oh dear god the shame!!!:oI have just pulled out the drawer on my washing machine and thought i'll give it a quick clean and see if that helps and....it's black and very grim!i am in shame and put myself in the corner.

So i have had the drawer out a scrubbed everybit in there i can reach. is there any other bits i can take apart to clean?

Also with the suggestion of vinegar...how much?what type etc?i have been diluting standard fabric softener by half for ages but obviously it's still building up so will using vinegar instead help? will it still smell nice?(my day to day stuff usually smells ok-just the linin thats grim!!)

I also only use about a 1/3 of the amount of powder that it says on the box and have no trouble all in the name of MS...anything else i could do?

Thank you all so much for your replies so far!

Sunnyday

When i first started using vinegar instead of fabric conditioner i used white vinegar and only a couple of tablespoons at a time in the drawer.
I was convinced that all the clothes would smell awful. After opening the door i got a faint whiff and then it evaporated and i couldn`t smell anything at all.

Now i use good old cheap malt vinegar (the 13p a bottle stuff) and a good amount too and gradually the more times i washed things the better they got. All my towels are back to super absorbant and everything is great.
The towels went a bit stiff at first and i was a bit worried about the whites but they are fab.

I`ll never go back to fabric conditioner and have saved a fortune. It must be good for the machine too as we`re in a hard water area and i don`t have to clean it half as much as before.

Give it a try for a few washes and you will notice a difference, the more things are washed the better they seem to get.:D

HTH

SD