What Mom Didn’t Tell You About Laundry Problems and How to Fix Them

Laundry doesn’t always come out of the washer and dryer looking, feeling, and smelling the way we expect. Sometimes clothes still smell after washing.

Sometimes they’re stiff, covered in lint, full of static, or somehow have new spots that weren’t there before. The good news is that many common laundry problems have a fairly simple explanation.

Common Laundry Problems and Solutions

Before you decide your washing machine is ruining your clothes or that you need another specialty laundry product, let’s look at some of the most common laundry problems and what you can do about them.

Why Do My Clothes Still Smell After Washing?

If clothes still smell after washing, the first thing to consider is whether they were actually cleaned thoroughly.

Overloading the washer, using too much detergent, using too little detergent, choosing an inappropriate wash cycle, or leaving wet clothes sitting in the washer can all contribute to lingering odors.

Try these steps:

• Don’t overload the washing machine.
• Use the amount of detergent recommended for your load and detergent type.
• Choose a wash cycle appropriate for the clothing.
• Remove wet clothes from the washer promptly.
• Make sure heavily soiled or sweaty clothing gets enough washing time.
• Clean your washing machine periodically if it has developed an odor.

If the clothing itself has absorbed a strong odor, it may take more than one wash to completely remove it.

Why Do My Clothes Smell Musty After Washing?

A musty smell often means moisture has been hanging around too long.

Wet laundry left sitting in the washer can develop a musty odor, especially if it sits for several hours. A washer that has residue or buildup can also contribute to unpleasant smells.

If this happens regularly, clean the washing machine and make sure wet clothes are transferred to the dryer or drying area promptly.

Why Are My Clothes Stiff After Washing?

Clothes can feel stiff for several reasons.

Too much detergent can leave residue behind, while hard water can make it more difficult to rinse detergent completely. Clothes that have been over-dried can also feel stiff, especially towels.

Try using the correct amount of detergent and avoid automatically adding more because you think more cleaner means cleaner clothes. If you have hard water, your laundry may also benefit from adjustments to your detergent or washing routine.

Why Is There Detergent Residue on My Clothes?

White streaks, powdery residue, or spots on clothing can sometimes be caused by detergent that did not dissolve or rinse away completely.

Possible causes include:

• Using too much detergent
• Overloading the washer
• Using a detergent that isn’t appropriate for the machine
• Washing with water that is too cold for the detergent being used
• Adding detergent incorrectly
• Not giving the clothes enough room to move during the wash

Using the correct amount of detergent and avoiding an overloaded washer can make a big difference.

Why Do My White Clothes Look Gray or Dingy?

White clothing can become dingy from accumulated soil, detergent residue, body oils, minerals in hard water, dye transfer, or simply repeated washing and wear.

Before reaching for a stronger product, look at your entire laundry routine. Are you overloading the washer? Are you using too much detergent? Are your whites being washed with heavily colored clothing?

Our earlier Laundry 101 articles cover stain removal, whitening, laundry boosters, water softeners, and detergent in more detail.

Why Are My Dark Clothes Fading?

Repeated washing, heat, friction, detergent and exposure to sunlight can all contribute to fading.

To help dark clothing retain its color:

• Wash dark clothing according to the care label.
• Turn dark garments inside out when appropriate.
• Avoid unnecessarily high water temperatures.
• Don’t over-dry clothing.
• Remove dark clothing from the dryer promptly.
• Air-dry items when the care label recommends it.

Some fading is simply part of normal wear. No laundry method can keep clothing looking brand new forever.

Why Do My Clothes Have Static?

Static electricity is especially common when clothing becomes very dry.

Dry winter air can make the problem worse, and synthetic fabrics tend to be more prone to static than some natural fibers.

Reducing over-drying can help. You can also separate fabrics that tend to create a lot of static from those that attract lint and static more easily.

If you use fabric softener or dryer sheets, remember that they are optional. They can reduce static, but they aren’t necessary for everyone.

Why Are My Clothes Covered in Lint?

Lint can come from towels, fleece, blankets, and other fabrics that shed fibers during washing and drying.

Separate heavy lint-producing items from clothing that tends to attract lint. Also check the dryer’s lint screen and clean it before every load.

If lint suddenly becomes a much bigger problem than usual, check the washer and dryer for buildup or a maintenance issue.

Why Are My Clothes Covered in Pet Hair?

Pet hair can be difficult to remove because washing may not remove all of the loose hair before the clothing goes into the dryer.

Remove as much loose hair as possible before washing. A clothes brush, lint roller, or other appropriate method can help.

Washing pet bedding separately from clothing can also keep large amounts of fur out of your regular laundry.

Why Do My Towels Smell Bad or Feel Less Absorbent?

Towels can develop odors when they stay damp for too long. They can also become coated with detergent or fabric-softener residue over time.

Don’t use more detergent than necessary, and make sure towels are thoroughly dried after washing.

If towels have become coated with residue, changing your laundry routine may help restore some of their absorbency.

Why Did My Clothes Shrink?

Heat and agitation can cause some fabrics to shrink or change shape.

Always check the care label before washing and drying clothing that may be prone to shrinking. If an item says to wash or dry at a lower temperature, don’t assume that a hotter setting will simply make the job faster.

When in doubt about a heat-sensitive garment, air drying may be the safer choice when permitted by the care label.

Why Did My Clothes Stretch or Lose Their Shape?

Some fabrics and garments can stretch from heat, agitation, weight, or improper drying.

Knits and delicate garments are especially important to handle carefully. Some should be laid flat to dry rather than hung while wet because the weight of the water can pull them out of shape.

Follow the care label and reshape garments when appropriate.

Why Did One Garment Turn Another Color?

Dye can transfer from one garment to another, particularly when new or strongly colored clothing is washed with lighter items.

Separate new, dark, and strongly colored garments when necessary, especially when you aren’t sure whether the dye is colorfast.

If dye transfer happens, don’t put the affected garment in the dryer until you’ve had a chance to treat it. Heat can make some stains and dye transfers more difficult to remove.

Why Did My Clothes Come Out with New Spots?

Sometimes what looks like a new stain isn’t actually a stain caused by something outside the washing machine.

Possible causes include detergent or fabric-softener residue, body oils that weren’t completely removed, grease, or residue inside the washer.

If you repeatedly see unexplained spots after washing, look for a pattern. Are they oily? White or powdery? Blue or purple? Does it happen only with certain products?

Identifying what the spot looks and feels like can help determine the cause.

Why Aren’t My Clothes Getting Clean?

If your clothes aren’t getting clean, check the basics first.

• Is the washer overloaded?
• Are you using enough water for the load and cycle?
• Are you using the correct amount of detergent?
• Are you choosing an appropriate wash cycle?
• Are heavily soiled clothes being pretreated?
• Are clothes being washed at the temperature appropriate for the fabric and soil?
• Is the washing machine itself clean and operating properly?

Sometimes the problem isn’t the detergent. It is simply too much laundry in the machine.

What Should I Do If I Accidentally Wash Something with a Stain?

Don’t automatically put it in the dryer.

Take the item out, inspect the stain, and treat it according to the type of stain and the fabric. Then wash it again if necessary.

This is one reason I always recommend checking stained clothing before it goes into the dryer. Once you’ve added heat, some stains become much harder to remove.

When Laundry Problems Keep Happening

If the same laundry problem happens over and over, don’t just keep adding products to the wash.

Look for the cause.

An overloaded washer, too much detergent, improper sorting, excessive heat, hard water, residue buildup, or a washer that needs cleaning can affect your results.

Making one change at a time can help you figure out what is actually causing the problem.

Laundry Problems Don’t Always Require More Products

One of the biggest laundry lessons I’ve learned is that more isn’t always better.

More detergent doesn’t necessarily mean cleaner clothes. More heat doesn’t necessarily mean better drying. More products don’t necessarily solve a laundry problem.

Sometimes the solution is simply using less detergent, giving the clothes more room in the washer, choosing a different cycle, washing something separately, or allowing an item to air dry.

And sometimes the problem has nothing to do with your laundry products at all.

Laundry is a process. Once you understand what your clothes, washer, and dryer are doing, it gets much easier to figure out what went wrong.

Clothing and Laundry