Stinky Towels.

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I have two teenagers. As stereotypes dictate, they are a lazy lot. I'm forever finding damp towels bundled up and shoved in forgotten corners, under beds and generally not hung up or deposited where they might get laundered. Now, I have stinky towels. No matter what I've done, I can't get the stink out. The towels are dark blue so bleach is not an option.
I've tried bleach for unbleachables, vinegar, hot-hot water, sunlight - you name it - nothing has worked. So, I'm asking for ideas before I have to throw the whole lot out. Kids included... Laughing

Anyone else have this problem, not the kids, the towels???
What to do?
Ta, Ceili

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baking soda?

let them all soak in a tub of water and baking soda overnight.

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That'll learn 'em. Then try washing towels in nearly boiling water.

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btw steve, where did you pick up THAT expression (that'll learn 'em)? Have you been spending time in east texas?

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Try a high concentration of Tide detergent in a hot tub of water. Keep the towels in the detergent over night.
If that doesn't work, soak towels in a solution of dilute alcohol.

Good luck.

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Chai Tea wrote:

btw steve, where did you pick up THAT expression (that'll learn 'em)? Have you been spending time in east texas?

You said so for decades .... until he watched "That'll Teach 'Em" on Channel 4 :wink:

(I suppose that expression is common everywhere in every language - we know it in German as well Embarrassed

)

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Miller wrote:

...If that doesn't work, soak towels in a solution of dilute alcohol...

If that doesnt work try a stronger solution of alcohol. And if that doesnt work mix an even stronger solution of alcohol, drink it, and throw away the towels.

Chai

No. Where is east texas? That'll learn 'em is a common expression in England. Especially where I hail from Manchester/Cheshire.

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East Texas? Land of Big Hair, Big Trucks and Big Baptists

http://www.lifted-lorax.com/images/036.jpg

http://mcmains.com/wren/albums/2000/july4th/000701bj.jpg

http://www.radaronline.com/the-wire/10_2005_megachurch.jpg

The towels in East Texas do not stink.

Rolling Eyes

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Chai Tea sez
"...The towels in East Texas do not stink..."

Shoot, you leave a wet towel rolled up in a dark corner in East Texas
and it will not only stink, it will turn into a biology experiment.

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You don't have to use straight bleach. Read the directions on the bottle for washing colored clothes. Besides, the towels can't be used now. If they are a little paler, they can be used as teen-age towels.

You might also try a cup of baking soda in the wash cycle. Baking soda boosts most other cleaning agents.

Good luck.

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What, nobody ever washed cloth diapers? Talk about Stinky! Smile

20 Mule Team Borax added to the wash. The baking soda soak is a good idea too.

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If the concentration of bleach is too high, the towel will dissolve. Well, anyway, the "STINK" will be gone.

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Hey, I can sympathize. Gotta few of those teens and towels myself.

Just like every other cleaning problem here I respond to... Krud Kutter. It's in the paint department (paint remover section next to Goo Gone) at Home Depot or Lowes.

It'll clean your grout, tiles, tubs, concrete, furniture, remove sticky stuff, stinky stuff, bloody and grass stained stuff and everything else I've tried it on.

Best of all, it won't harm colors, fibers or wood work. Works on whites without damaging like bleach, and...

It's all natural ingredients. No harmful chemicals.

(I swear I gotta buy stock in this stuff!)

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Hey thanks for all the advice.
I never even thought of using baking soda. Of course! But this Krud stuff sounds interesting. Wonder if they do Canada???

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Chai Tea wrote:

East Texas? Land of Big Hair, Big Trucks and Big Baptists

The towels in East Texas do not stink.

Well nice pics thanks. but no never heard of the place. We have Tesco here, and Texaco filling stations but Texas is not known in these parts. Wink

(Anyway thats not the Texan flag on the truck is it?)

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No, but that is a typical East Texas studly youth wearing the orange t-shirt and hanging his petite little buns over the side of that truck.

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When squinney was out of town I put all the towels in one room and only let the cubs have two a week. Problem solved when they realized they could hang 'em up or use 'em stinky. Made no difference to me.

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NO more stinky towels!!!
Ok here is how you get rid of the stinky towel smell....
On the 1st wash....
Fill up the washer w/ water, nonchlorine laundry detergent and 1 cup of household ammonia THEN add towels
Then add another cup of ammonia just before the washer starts aggitating....

then either hang up in the sun or dry in the dryer until DRY....

Then follow up w/ just 1 cup of ammonia to your wash...if needed..

Now if that doesn't do it, then repeat only add a cup of white vinegar to your rinse cycle!

There ya go...no more stinky towels!!!

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I've also heard of putting 1/4 cup of table salt in 2 cups of bleach, this keeps the bleach from "bleaching" colors and still kills the bugs and stink.

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@john101,

Reading this old hread now, I'd say let them live with their towels. I don't know that I'm right, but action or inaction has consequences.

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Stinky Towels.

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