How to make your washing smell fresh (and stay fresh)

Laundry is one of the things our customers reorder most, and the question we hear most about it is simple: how do I get my washing to smell properly fresh, and stay that way? The answer is usually less about the product and more about a few habits. Here’s what actually makes the difference.

Why clean washing can still smell musty

If clothes come out of the machine smelling of nothing, or slightly damp and stale, the cause is almost always one of these:

• A dirty machine. Low-temperature washes, leftover detergent and fabric conditioner build up as a grey, smelly film in the drum, the seal and the drawer.
• Washing left in the drum. Even an hour or two in a warm, closed drum is enough for that musty smell to start.
• Slow drying. Clothes that take more than a day to dry indoors often pick up the same damp smell.
• Too much detergent. Overdosing doesn’t get clothes cleaner. It leaves residue in the fabric that traps smells, especially in towels and sportswear.
• An overloaded drum. Clothes need room to move for the water to rinse through them.

1. Clean the machine once a month

1. Run an empty wash at the hottest setting your machine allows, often 60°C or 90°C, or its drum-clean programme.
2. Pull out the detergent drawer and scrub it in warm, soapy water. Mould loves the slot it sits in.
3. Wipe inside the rubber door seal, where hair, fluff and water collect.
4. Clean the filter. Check your manual for where it is, and put a towel down first.

Between washes, leave the door and the drawer slightly open so the inside can dry out.

2. Get the dose right

Follow the dose on the bottle for your load size and how dirty it is. If you live in a soft water area, you can usually use a little less. Wilton London’s non-bio laundry liquid is plant-based, so it rinses out cleanly without optical brighteners or dyes sitting in the fabric.

3. Don’t overfill the drum

A good rule is to leave about a hand’s width of space at the top of the drum. Heavy loads like towels and bedding need even more room.

4. Take it out straight away

Set a timer, or use your machine’s delay start so the wash finishes when you’re home. If washing has sat in the drum for hours and smells off, wash it again rather than drying it.

5. Dry it fast

• Outside on a dry, breezy day is best of all.
• Indoors, space clothes out on the airer so air can move between them, and open a window or use a dehumidifier.
• Avoid drying on radiators in a closed room. It’s slow, and it adds moisture to the air.
• Make sure everything is completely dry before you fold it and put it away.

6. Use scent that lasts

Once the basics are right, scent is what makes washing feel lovely. Wilton London’s liquids and conditioners are scented with essential oils, and each scent is made to match:

• Patchouli: warm and earthy. Laundry liquid and conditioner.
• Cedarwood: woody, with orange and a little cinnamon. Laundry liquid and conditioner.
• Jasmine: soft and floral. Laundry liquid and conditioner.

Use the conditioner sparingly, and skip it for towels and sportswear, where it can reduce absorbency and trap smells. Our guide to bio vs non-bio laundry liquid explains more about how the liquid works.

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Questions we get asked

Why do my towels smell even after washing?

Usually detergent or conditioner build-up, or slow drying. Wash them at 60°C if the care label allows, use a normal dose of laundry liquid, skip the conditioner, and dry them quickly.

Will essential oil scents last on clothes?

Essential oil scents are softer than synthetic perfumes, and they’re at their strongest when clothes are fresh off the line. Using the matching conditioner and drying quickly helps the scent stay.

How often should I clean my washing machine?

Once a month is a good routine, or more often if you mostly wash at 30°C.

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