A good rule of thumb is to avoid leaving clothes in the washer for more than 8 to 12 hours.
It won't hurt to leave your clothes in the washer for up to 12 hours. However, according to Mold Busters, bacteria, mildew, and visible mold can grow on clothes in as little as 24 to 48 hours. When bacteria and mold grow unchecked, they create the distinct musty laundry odor we've all come to recognize.
We've all been through it: You put a load of laundry into your washer only to forget about it until the next morning. When this happens, it's common for your clothes to develop a mildewy odor due to the growth of bacteria overnight.
It can take as little as 8 hours (and up to 12 hours) to develop. If you notice wet clothes starting to smell it's likely that mildew has begun to take hold, so you should run another wash with an extra rinse cycle.
After a day or two in warm conditions the clothes will start to mildew and smell funky, but you can still salvage them at that point if you rewash them with fresh detergent and an oxygen bleach. Left for a week in the bag they will reek and be permanently stained.
A good rule of thumb is to avoid leaving clothes in the washer for more than 8 to 12 hours. However, Murphy says there's more to think about than just timing to prevent your clothes from smelling and mildewing, especially if you're prone to letting your laundry sit for hours at a time.
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.
Surely you've forgotten about wet towels in your hamper, or you've left a load of clean, wet laundry in the washing machine too long and it's soured. Mold and mildew spores thrive in these dark humid environments, so it will start growing on wet clothes quickly.
The Bottom Line. If you've left clothes in the washing machine for over 12 hours, they probably need to be rewashed. If it has between 8-12 hours, give them a simple smell test, but they probably won't need to be rewashed. If it has been under 8 hours, you can just dry them straight away.
You can leave washing out overnight, but it may not dry as effectively without the sun's rays.
Your clothes will develop a musty smell.
"This is because the warm, damp environment inside the washing machine provides the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and mold to grow on the fabric," says Johanes Bangao Godoy, laundry and cleaning expert at Liox. And no, that scent won't go away simply by drying them.
It's best not to place soaking wet clothes directly into the dryer, since pooling water can damage the internal mechanisms of the dryer, and the extra water weight will increase the wear and tear on the machine. However, wringing out the clothes by hand will usually remove enough water to make the clothes dryable.
Try washing before 4 p.m. or after 7 p.m. – Many energy companies charge extra for electricity during their “peak hours,” which see increased energy usage. During the summer, run your washer early in the morning – energy use peaks on hot afternoons.
Combine lemon juice and salt to make a thick paste and rub it into mildewed-infested areas on clothing. Quickly dry affected garments in direct sunlight, then, if the stain is still there, do it all again. Repeat the process until the mildew is gone. Water and vinegar is another simple way to rid clothing of mildew.
Wash your moldy clothes with very hot water and laundry detergent. Hot water will kill mold spores, and laundry detergent will remove any musty smells. Since mold stains are hard to remove, you should also pre-soak your stained garment before washing it. Add baking soda to your wash cycle.
It may be coming from your clothes. You can try washing them again, but once mildew smells penetrate the fabric, it usually takes more than a regular wash cycle to remove them. This is a serious problem since mildew smells aren't only unpleasant, they wreak havoc on your sinuses and allergies.
You should keep the clothing in a high-temperature wash for two full cycles to be absolutely certain the mold has been removed. Once the washing process is complete, hang the affected clothing up in direct sunlight to dry.
This can reach the electronics and other parts which aren't intended to be exposed to water, causing serious damage. Aside from the immediate problem of electronics shorting, rain can also cause parts to corrode or mould to grow.
Pump May be Blocked or Need to be Cleaned
If your filter or pump is partially or fully blocked, it can impact your appliance's ability to drain water from the drum, therefore causing your clean clothes to be soaking wet.
When wet clothes are placed for drying, water changes into vapour as a result of heating. The water vapour so formed becomes a part of the air and cannot usually be seen. This process is called evaporation.
If you let your wet clothes sit long enough, you'll have to deal with not only the mildew smell in your clothes, but also possible stains and patches of rotten fabric. Yuck! The moist environment of your washer encourages mold and mildew to release spores. This can cause problems for people with conditions like asthma.
Wash your clothes in a cycle with vinegar.
The water in your machine won't necessarily get hot enough to sanitize your laundry, but the heat combined with the acetic acid in the vinegar will help break up any grime or bacteria that has started growing, which will help rid your clothing of that funky, musty smell.
Circulate the air
Poorly ventilated closets get damp and musty during continued wet weather, and articles stored in them are apt to mildew. Try to improve the air circulation by opening the closet doors or by installing a fan. In addition, hang the clothes loosely so that air can circulate around them.