Say Goodbye to Musty Clothes: The £1 Secret to Freshening Up Your Laundry!

WHEN the temperature drops and rain sets in, drying clothes indoors becomes unavoidable for most UK households.

But along with damp laundry draped over radiators and clothes horses comes that familiar musty smell that seems to settle into every room.

Experts have revealed how to rid the musty smell from your laundry and it’s not with fabric conditionerCredit: Getty

With poor ventilation, colder temperatures, and fabrics taking longer to dry, bacteria find the perfect conditions to multiply and create unpleasant odours.

People often reach for scented fabric softeners or add extra detergent to combat the problem, but these solutions only mask the smell temporarily.

According to Leanna Spektor, Co-Founder and Style Expert at Brand House Direct, there’s a far more effective approach that costs less than £1.

“Winter laundry can be challenging, but the solution doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated,” says Leanna.

“The key is addressing the root cause rather than covering it up with fragrance.”

Below, Leanna shares her simple vinegar trick and explains why it works so effectively to keep clothes smelling fresh throughout the colder months.

Why Scented Products Don’t Work

Most people’s first instinct when dealing with musty laundry is to add more fabric softener or switch to a stronger-scented detergent.

However, these products don’t actually eliminate the bacteria causing the smell. They simply layer fragrance over the top.

“The damp smell comes from bacteria and mould spores that thrive in wet fabric,” explains Leanna.

“Scented products create a temporary illusion of freshness, but the underlying problem remains. Once that artificial fragrance fades, you’re left with the same musty odour, sometimes even stronger than before.”

The issue becomes particularly pronounced during winter when clothes take significantly longer to dry indoors.

The extended drying time provides bacteria with more opportunities to multiply, exacerbating the problem with each subsequent wash cycle.

The White Vinegar Solution

The answer lies in a product most people already have in their kitchen cupboard: white vinegar.

When diluted with water and used as a spray, it neutralises the odour-causing bacteria before clothes finish drying.

To create the solution, mix one part white vinegar with three parts water in a clean spray bottle.

Once your laundry is hung up to dry, lightly spritz each item – not enough to soak the fabric, just a fine mist across the surface.

Alternatively, spray the air around your drying area to help neutralise bacteria in the surrounding environment.

“White vinegar is naturally antibacterial and breaks down the microbes responsible for that musty smell,” says Leanna.

“You might worry about your clothes smelling like vinegar, but that scent evaporates completely as the fabric dries. You’re left with genuinely fresh laundry, not just masked odours.”

The method costs less than £1 for a bottle of white vinegar but will last through multiple uses, making it far more economical than repeatedly buying expensive fabric softeners or air fresheners.

How It Works

White vinegar contains acetic acid, which alters the pH level on fabric surfaces and creates an environment where odour-causing bacteria cannot survive. Unlike commercial products that add fragrance, vinegar eliminates the source of the smell at a molecular level.

The spray method is particularly effective because it allows you to target problem areas without overwetting clothes that are already damp. This means fabrics dry faster overall, which further prevents bacterial growth.

“I recommend keeping a spray bottle ready near your drying area,” Leanna advises. “Make it part of your routine. Hang the clothes, give them a quick spray, and forget about it. The vinegar does its work while everything dries naturally.”

For particularly stubborn smells or items that have developed persistent mustiness, you can also add half a cup of white vinegar directly to your washing machine’s rinse cycle before hanging clothes to dry.