Leaving wet clothes in the washer overnight can cause them to smell mildewy in the morning—but it's not always a problem.
How long can you leave wet washing for? If damp clothes or bedding have been left in the washing machine or a basket for more than 8-12 hours we recommend giving it another wash. If it's been over 12 hours it's a safe bet that they will need to be re-washed.
If clothing is stored slightly damp -- it will likely catch mildew and gain the smell. If clothing is allowed to sit in the washer wet or damp for more than 1 to 2 hours before drying, it will likely grow mildew. Placing the clothing in a heated dryer, will not remove the smell -- it's already growing in the fabric.
If you choose to leave it out on the line for a couple of days through a series of rain showers, it is likely to develop a musty smell that will mean it needs rewashing.
Leaving wet clothes in the washer for a few hours happens to everyone, but if they sit too long, you may risk mold and mildew developing.
Rescuing your forgotten load
If you hang the item up outdoors, the breeze and fresh air will help remove the mildewy odour and save you the trouble of having to run another load. 2. If you'd prefer to run the load again, make sure to throw in a cup of vinegar along with your detergent.
Additionally, the wet conditions can increase the risk of infection and illness, as damp conditions can promote the growth of bacteria and other pathogens. Wearing wet clothing in cold temperatures can lead to a variety of health risks, including hypothermia, frostbite, chilblains, and immune system suppression.
'Rain water will soften your laundry'
'But if you live in a city where the air is dirtier and there's more pollution, then you might want to consider rewashing. '
Air drying laundry inside tends to take more time, potentially leaving dried items with a musty smell, Karpova says.
Rain will not destroy scent, but a heavy downpour on pavement can disperse it, making it difficult to follow a trail.
Humidity is the measure of moisture in the air, and it increases – while the rate of evaporation decreases – when it rains. Wet clothes contain moisture too. Hence, the combination of both becomes a one-two punch factor for musty laundry odour. The longer it takes to dry wet laundry, the staler they are going to smell.
Vinegar: Combine half water and half white vinegar into a spray bottle. Shake it up and spritz your musty-smelling clothing with the solution. If you add a few drops of essential oils to the mix that will help eliminate the smell of vinegar. You'll want to let your clothing air out for a bit otherwise.
When your clothes get wet and are not dried properly, they become breeding grounds for mould. Mould produces musty odours due to compounds called microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs). These are gases released by mould as it grows, which we detect as 'damp' or 'musty'.
The short answer is yes, but it can take up to 12 hours to dry clothes outside in the winter. This means that you may even need to bring them inside to finish the drying process and make sure your laundry isn't damp.
Leaving Wet Clothes in the Washer Can Cause Bacteria and Mildew to Grow. The biggest downside of leaving your clothes in the washing machine for more than eight to twelve hours is that, after this period, there's a greater chance that bacteria, mold, and mildew will grow.
Don't allow your wet clothes to sit too long. The Whirlpool Institute of Fabric Science's lead home economist, Lucinda Ottusch, gives a concrete guideline of 8-12 hours before odor, a sign of mildew, begins to occur.
Hang your clothes outside for a few hours. Just being aired out can make them smell a lot better. Sunlight can kill bacteria, too, so this method's particularly effective in the warmer months. If you've got coloured clothes, though, bear in mind that too much exposure to sunlight could fade them.
Clothes last longer when hung to dry: Clothes that are hung to dry last longer. Not just delicate clothes; everyday clothes, bedding and towels all last longer and stay in better shape when they don't spend time in the dryer. That lint trap is your first clue.
While it's best practice to place your garments in the dryer or on the clothesline right after the cycle finishes, it's perfectly okay to leave your wet clothes in the washer overnight, Martha says. "I mean, don't leave it for a long time—don't leave it for a week," she says.
You won't usually need to rewash laundry left in the washer overnight. However, under the right circumstances, mildew can begin forming on clothes quickly. If you detect an odor, simply rewashing clothes that were left overnight should be your first step.
When there's heavy rain, rest the drain. Why Wait...? Whenever we do laundry, shower, wash dishes, or flush the toilet, the water we use goes down the drain and into the sewer. But when there's heavy rain, that wastewater has to share the sewer with LOTS of rainwater.
While placing garments in the dryer or on the clothesline right after the cycle finishes is best practice, wet laundry should generally not stay in the washer for more than 8-12 hours. Mildew and mold thrive in warm, damp environments, and the washer provides an ideal setting if laundry is left too long.
Add vinegar when you run the load again.
I just do a once-around-the-washer pour. I do use more laundry detergent. I add another once-around if the musty smell is extra-strong. I've also learned that with my newer, high-efficiency machine, I need to run push the “extra-rinse” button on that vinegar re-wash.
When clothes aren't dried properly, moisture gets trapped in the fabric, leading to that unpleasant damp smell. This is happens when clothes are left damp for extended periods or when they're dried in a tumble dryer or clothesline with bad ventilation.