Cleaning wash cloths?

[BabbyO]

After a while no matter what I do to launder our wash cloths they get a funny smell (only noticable when wet), AND they start getting very rough even after washing and drying. None of my other towels/clothes end up this way.

We have very hard water, and I suspect that part of what is happening is there is ALOT of soap build up in the wash cloths, which is leading to the smell and roughness.

I've tried soaking in vinegar and washing - multiple times. I've tried washing in really hot water and little soap. I've tried 2 rinses. Nothing seems to be helping. Are they a lost cause?

I actually tend to use less than the recommended amount of laundry detergent on a regular basis, so I don't think its a build up of laundry soap as much as a build up of bar soap from the shower.

Any thoughts/recommendations are greatly appreciated! TIA!

[babyready]

Hmmm...I think you tried all my recommendations! We had this problem as well. I had a lot of success with using a very small amount of detergent and doing an extra rinse. Although, we have a water softeners and HE machine.

You are not using fabric softener are you? That could cause some build-up.

Good luck!

[BabbyO]

Nope, no fabric softener of any kind. I'm usually pretty good with laundry, but I have to admit this one has me stumped. I've tried every thing I've ever heard of.

The smell isn't horrible, but the roughness is pretty off-putting. DS HATES when we wash his face with one of these washcloths.

[RunnerDuck]

If you can find washing soda in your area - give it a try. I have used it sucessfully to get some serious funk out of a load of laundry I forgot about in the washer for 2 days... but it's not always easy to find.

[BabbyO]

Washing soda...is it in liquid or powder form? Found in cleaning aisles I'd assume?

[RunnerDuck]

It's a powder, it's like baking soda. Chemically it is slightly different, I am not sure exactly how. Big yellow box, arm and hammer, laundry aisle. N ot sure why you can't get it in some places - I could never find it near us in CA.

Also - you can try bleach and hot water. If you go light on the bleach it might kill the funk without destroying the color, if they are colored items - bleach will get rid of smells.

Have you tried the full amount of soap? I am not a huge believer in the detergent build up theory of odors. Tide powder gets stink out of my diapers well, maybe try the full amount of soap, or try tide.

[RedSuedeShoes]

For YEARS, my MIL's towels and washcloths had a horrible funk smell. We hated that part of visiting her, because after using them, our hands and faces would smell like that! Gross. We always thought it was because she left her wet laundry in the washer overnight. But she finally had someone recommend using vinegar as fabric softener and it totally alleviated the problem! It gets rid of any soap residue, which was apparently getting funkified (yep, that's the technical term) when she left it in the washer...? We don't really know, and don't care.

Now we use vinegar as fabric softener, too, and love it. We all have sensitive skin and both fabric softener and soap residue make us itchy. Vinegar takes care of all that.

Good luck!

[artvandalay]

I would try regular ole Arm & Hammer baking soda.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/533599/how_to_get_a_musty_smell_out_of_towels.html?cat=7

[DebbieJ]

Washing soda...is it in liquid or powder form? Found in cleaning aisles I'd assume?

Not sure where you live, but I've seen it here in Meijer and in Jewel (Albertson's).