How to Remove Musty Smell From Clothes – Kill the Damp, Not Just the Odour

A musty smell means damp and microbes – not just 'old' smell

A musty smell is not a vague 'old clothes' odour you can just air out a little. It comes from living mould and mildew microbes that grow and release musty compounds when the textile stays damp long enough. Often there is no visible stain – just the smell. But if you see black or greenish speckles, the mould has begun to colour the fabric, and then it is also a stain problem that is harder to save (and sometimes cannot be saved). The smell on its own, however, is manageable – as long as you attack the cause: the moisture.

Rule number one: dry fully, or the smell comes back

Because a musty smell comes from microbes that live on moisture, drying is half the job. You can wash a garment ever so thoroughly – if it is packed away while still the slightest bit damp, the microbes get a foothold again, and the smell is back within days. So two things apply throughout: use something that actually kills the microbes (not just perfumes over them), and dry the garment bone dry – ideally in fresh air or sun, which is naturally mould-killing – before you fold it and put it away.

How to wash the musty smell out

Combine something that kills the microbes with thorough drying. Always check the care label first:

1. Air and dry the garment first, ideally in sun – UV light knocks back a share of the mould and eases the smell before you even wash.
2. Soak in cold water with one to two cups of white vinegar for about an hour. The acetic acid kills many mould and mildew microbes and neutralises the musty smell.
3. Then wash at the warmest temperature the care label allows, with an ordinary detergent. Whites and colourfast items can take a scoop of oxygen bleach for an extra lift (not on wool or silk – they have their own gentle fibre rules).
4. Dry the garment fully, ideally in fresh air or sun. Do not fold or put it away until it is bone dry – residual damp means the smell is back in a couple of days.

Musty smell straight from the washing machine? Then it is the machine

If clothes come out of the machine smelling musty, the machine itself is usually the source, not the clothes. Mould thrives in the rubber seal around the door, in the detergent drawer and in the hoses, especially if you mostly wash cold and close the door straight away. Run a hot maintenance or empty cycle, wipe the rubber seal and clean the drawer, and always leave the door and drawer ajar between washes. If you do not, every single wash will pick up the same musty smell again.

How to store clothes so they do not go musty

A musty smell is easier to prevent than to remove. Especially before you pack away seasonal clothes, you should:

• Store only clean and fully dry items – both residual damp and hidden body oil/food residue give the mould something to live on.
• Allow air. Avoid packing clothes tightly in sealed plastic in a damp room; choose breathable fabric bags or boxes with some airflow.
• Keep the storage dry and airy – not a clammy cellar or a cold loft with condensation. A little warmth and circulation keep mould away.
• Add moisture absorbers (silica gel) or cedar to wardrobes and boxes to soak up residual damp.
• Air the garments occasionally if they are stored for a long time, rather than leaving them untouched for a whole season.

Send the garment to us

If the musty smell persists after washing, or it involves garments you cannot wash hard at home – wool, silk, down, suits, structured pieces – or you see signs of visible mould, you can send the garment to us. We clean according to the garment and its care label, so the treatment is right for the fabric. You order online from anywhere in Norway, and you see the price before you order.

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