Have you ever noticed your laundry still smells, despite washing it? Even when it’s fresh out of the drum, there’s a distinct eau de musk that you just can’t seem to shake. It could be that your washing machine needs a clean, you’re using too much detergent or you’ve been over-relying on the quick-wash cycle. Whatever the case, lingering smells can be difficult to shift once they’re established, but a laundry ‘spa day’ can help.
No, we don’t mean you’re hovering over the washing machine and steaming yourself with the cycle! A laundry spa day is all about giving your clothes some TLC – it’s a deep clean that removes embedded dirt and odours, stripping away whatever shouldn’t be on the surface and restoring clothes to their former glory. And with your sweaty summer gear going into storage for the winter, and musty winter items coming out, now’s the perfect time to give your clothes a treatment or two. Here’s where to start.
Prep the washing machine
There’s no point in doing any of this if your washing machine will just transfer the same musty smells on to your clothes by the end of the cycle. So, take a moment to give the machine some TLC. It might be as simple as tipping a washing machine cleaner into the detergent drawer and running an empty hot wash (following the cleaner’s instructions), but if the mould is substantial in your machine, you’ll need to take it a step further.
Start by removing the detergent drawer and giving it a scrub with hot, soapy water – a toothbrush can help to reach into crevices. You can always soak it beforehand if needed. Next, if mould is growing on the rubber seal, you need to remove that too, using a solution of diluted bleach with a microfibre cloth (wear the relevant safety gear including gloves and a mask). With any luck, the above will address any mouldy odours from your machine.
Washing machine cleaning kit
Pre-treat any stains
Next, you need to give your laundry a quick once-over to check for pre-existing stains. It might be traces of foundation around a collar or perhaps sweat marks that linger under the arms. In any case, separate items with stubborn stains and pre-treat them now.
Ying Wang, CEO of Nimble Cares, says: ‘Don’t try to do everything. Pick a few things that deserve some extra attention, such as bedding and pillows, favourite towels, gym kit, delicates or something forgotten at the back of your wardrobe, and treat each according to what the fabric actually needs.
‘Pre-treat areas that need extra attention, rather than automatically giving the entire garment a harsher wash. With gym clothes, for example, turn them inside out because that’s where sweat and body oils tend to collect. I use a small amount of our Nimble Cares Skin-Kind Laundry Detergent directly on those areas before washing.’
Catherine Green, a sustainable cleaning expert at Smol, adds: ‘I’d recommend spot-treating stubborn stains using a bleach-free stain gel or a bit of laundry liquid applied directly to the fabric. Stain gels use enzyme technology, which breaks down proteins of common stains such as eggs and blood, and can tackle even the toughest of stains such as oil, coffee and makeup. However, if you’re dealing with a protein such as blood, use cold water, rather than warm or hot water, to start with and never scrub at the stain, as you’re more likely to embed it more deeply into the fibres.’
You can also find stain removers designed for specific stains, such as Dr. Beckmann’s Stain Devils range, including Cosmetics and Nature or Pen and Ink. Or you can opt to treat stains directly with an oxygen-based bleach paste, such as Vanish Oxi Action Stain Remover. Rinse your stain remover away once the recommended time is up. Always check stain removers are suitable for the item’s material first.
Soak, soak, soak
Before you bung your clothes straight into the washing machine, now comes the soaking phase. Giving your clothes a soak in a detergent solution before the main wash helps lift any lingering stains and residue from the fabric. But make sure you choose the best detergent depending on the material.
‘Bio detergents use enzymes to help break down stains,’ Ying advises. ‘They can be very effective in cleaning, as the enzyme attacks the protein contained in stains. But at the same time, it also weakens natural fibres like wool and silk.’
Bio detergent will offer the best stain removal but shouldn’t be used on delicate fibres or by those with sensitive skin. Opt for non-bio or a detergent designed explicitly for delicates in these cases. Follow the detergent instructions for the dosage – only a small amount will be needed. Steer clear of powders, as these are difficult to dissolve outside of the washing machine. Try to keep items submerged for the full effect.
How long you soak depends on how thoroughly you want to clean your clothes. Catherine says: ‘The ideal soaking time depends entirely on what you're washing. For standard clothing, a quick 30-minute soak is usually all you need to loosen up light stains and everyday grime before throwing them in the machine.
‘For bulky, heavily used items that have been through a lot (such as puffer jackets or sleeping bags), a gentle massage in soapy water followed by a one- to four-hour soak is perfect for a truly deep, fabric-friendly clean. Whereas for white towels (no risk of colour bleed) and stubborn odours, you can leave your items to soak overnight in a bicarb or vinegar solution to help break down mineral deposits and grey buildup.’
Delicates are the exception to this rule – these should only be soaked for up to 30 minutes, and silk for only five minutes!
Don’t ignore the hand-wash-only label
Some items won’t be suitable for the washing machine. In these cases, you need to carefully hand-wash them once the soaking phase is over.
Fill the sink or tub with lukewarm water, dissolve a suitable detergent by mixing it in thoroughly, then submerge your delicates and begin pressing in the soap. Don’t twist or stretch the material – instead, press and knead the soap in gradually. Rotate the item constantly so you’re applying pressure to new areas.
As you’re doing a laundry spa day, ideally you want to be pressing each item for up to 15 minutes, although you can adjust this depending on how dirty it is – and your energy! Once you’re happy, continue pressing and rinse fresh water over the garment until the water runs clear. You can roll it in a towel afterwards to remove the bulk of the moisture.
Protect your clothes
As for those items that are going in the washing machine, you want to protect any delicates first. Turn them inside out, do up any zips and place them in a mesh laundry bag to shield them from from the tumbling.
If you don’t have a mesh laundry bag, an empty pillow case will also do the job for you; just remember to pad out the load with sheets so the cycle’s not so intense.
Choose the right cycle
Move your clothes straight from soak to the washing machine and choose the hottest and most appropriate cycle depending on the care label.
Use the delicates cycle for machine-washable silks and wools with a lower spin and temperature of 30 degrees or less. For a more intense wash, if the care label allows, opt for a hotter wash with a higher spin, and use the cotton/synthetic cycle, depending on the material. For bedding, washing at 60 degrees will kill any bacteria and dust mites.
Keep in mind, though, that enzymes work best at 40 degrees or under, says Catherine: ‘Keep the temperature cool (20°C or 30°C). If you wash at 40°C or above, those hard-working enzymes actually lose their ability to digest stains! Plus, cooler washes are far kinder to the planet and your energy bills.’
Ying adds: ‘Don’t fall into the trap of thinking more detergent means a deeper clean. Too much can create more foam than the machine can effectively rinse away, meaning dirty suds and excess product can settle back into the fibres. If that detergent contains ingredients your skin is sensitive to, using more may also mean more residue is left in the fabric.’
Follow the dosage instructions and run an additional rinse cycle to make sure final traces of the detergent are removed.
Dry right
Drying clothes slowly encourages bacterial growth and musty smells, so you need to make sure the air can circulate around the items fully to dry them as quickly as possible.
Make sure items that are line-dried are spaced well apart and spread out. Hang them over extra lines (if there’s space) to speed up the process. You can also use a heated clothes airer or just direct an electric fan across the clothes to help moisture evaporate faster. Adjust the items every so often to speed things along. Keep in mind that wool will need to be dried flat to prevent stretching.
If you’re sticking to the tumble dryer, shake out the load every 20 minutes or so to prevent tangles and use wool dryer balls to break up the items and discourage creases. And that’s it – your laundry spa day is done! Make sure items are thoroughly dry before storing them away.
