How I Finally Got Rid of That Mildew Smell in My Towels—Thanks to My Nana’s No-Fuss Trick

Let me tell you—there are few things more frustrating than reaching for what should be a fresh, fluffy towel… only to be smacked in the face with that sour, musty smell. You know the one. Like something crawled in and decided to live there. It doesn’t matter how many times you wash ’em or how much detergent you throw in—sometimes that smell just hangs on for dear life.

And for the longest time, I thought I was the only one. Like maybe it was just me with stinky towels hiding in my linen closet. But nope—turns out, this is a common headache. And the good news? Fixing it is ridiculously easy. I mean two-ingredients, zero-fancy-stuff kind of easy.

It’s a trick my nana swore by—one of those old-school things you roll your eyes at when you’re younger and then cling to like gospel when you’re older and tired of wasting money.

So, if your towels have ever smelled more “wet dog in a basement” than “fresh spa day,” stick with me. This’ll change everything.

Why Do Towels Get That Gross Smell Anyway?

Here’s the deal—towels are like little moisture traps. They hold on to water, body oils, leftover soap, and whatever else your skin had going on. If they don’t dry all the way (and let’s be real, they often don’t), that moisture sits there and turns your innocent towel into a mildew motel.

• Hanging them up in a damp bathroom? Recipe for disaster.

• Leaving them balled up in the laundry basket “just for a little while”? That smell is already settling in.

• Overstuffing the dryer so nothing dries properly? Guilty as charged.

Honestly, it doesn’t take much. And once that smell sets in, regular laundry detergent isn’t gonna cut it.

The Fix? It’s Nana-Approved, and It Works

Alright, here’s the magic trick. All you need are two things you probably already have in your kitchen:

• White vinegar

• Baking soda

No need to buy anything fancy. No essential oils. No miracle sprays. This is what Nana used when her towels started smelling like they’d been forgotten in the cellar.

Step-by-Step:

1. First Wash – The Vinegar Rinse
Toss your musty towels in the washing machine. Set it to the hottest water setting you’ve got. Add 1 cup of white vinegar—no detergent, just the vinegar. Let it run the full cycle.

2. Second Wash – The Baking Soda Boost
Leave the towels right where they are. Now, sprinkle in 1 cup of baking soda and run the same cycle again. Still no detergent. Still hot water.

3. Dry ‘Em Like You Mean It
Once the second wash finishes, dry the towels completely. If you’ve got a dryer, use it on high heat. If you’re hanging them outside, go for a sunny, breezy day. The goal is to get them bone-dry. Anything less and you’ll be back to square one.

But Why Does That Combo Work So Well?

Let me nerd out for just a second. The vinegar cuts through the gunk—old detergent, body oil, even the mildew itself. It’s like a deep cleanse. Then the baking soda swoops in like a gentle little scrubber and deodorizer. Together? They’re like the Bonnie and Clyde of towel rescue.

It’s not a cover-up—it actually gets rid of the smell. You’re not just perfuming over mildew here. You’re kicking it out the front door.

Want to Keep That Funk from Coming Back? Try This:

Once you’ve rescued your towels (congrats!), here’s how to keep ‘em fresh:

• Don’t leave them in a damp heap. Ever. Hang them up right after use.

• Air out the bathroom. Crack a window, turn on the fan—whatever keeps the humidity down.

• Skip the fabric softener. I know, I know—it smells nice. But it coats the fibers and traps gunk inside. Not what we want.

• Wash towels separately from clothes. They’re heavy and need room to rinse properly.

• Do Nana’s trick every couple months. Especially if you live somewhere humid like the South, or if your laundry room doesn’t get great airflow.

One Last Thing…

I know it’s tempting to keep buying new towels when the old ones go sour. I’ve done it. But you really don’t have to. A little vinegar, a little baking soda, and a solid dry—that’s it. Your towels will smell like towels again. The way they should.

So the next time you catch a whiff of that funky basement odor? Don’t panic. Don’t toss the whole stack. Just remember: Nana had your back before you even knew you needed it.

And now? So do I.