Martha Stewart's Relaxed Approach To Avoid Musty Clothes In The Washing Machine

When it comes to housekeeping, what Martha Stewart says goes. While most of us can only strive to abide by her meticulous standards, there are some areas of housekeeping where Stewart graciously loosens the expectations just a bit. If you consider yourself Type-B, you'll be glad to know that one of those areas is laundry. You might be afraid to admit that you've left wet laundry sitting in the machine long after the cycle completed — much less to Martha Stewart herself — but she reassures us that it's really no big deal. "It is perfectly alright," she said on Today, adding, "If you get up in the morning and throw it in the dryer, it should probably be okay." She says the best way to tell is with the sniff test. Wet laundry may develop that dreadful musty odor after sitting in the machine all night, but if your clothes smell fine, you can trust that they are. 

If you know you are the type to "set it and forget it" when it comes to laundry, here's a tip: Adding bleach to your load will keep smelly bacteria at bay for longer, so make a habit of using it if you know yoy may leave your wet laundry until the morning. Other factors will also contribute to your laundry passing the sniff test the next day, including their initial soil level, the cycle's water temperature, and the type of detergent used. Still, smelly laundry can occur even when you are quick to change the load. If musty laundry is an ongoing issue, Stewart also shares her tips to keep your clothes smelling fresh.

We all deserve to celebrate Martha Stewart letting us off the hook when it comes to our laundry habits, but it's important to note that while leaving wet laundry in the washer overnight won't necessarily make your clothes musty, it could be a contributing factor. To avoid a smelly morning wash, try setting an alarm (or two or three) to switch the load over soon after it finishes, and see if that takes care of the funky stench. Another habit Type B's sometimes have is overloading the washer, which can also lead to laundry going sour, especially when combined with staying damp overnight. To keep your laundry smelling fresh, divvy up your loads so the detergent has plenty of room to do its job.

If the musty odors persist, your clothes or linens might benefit from being left in the sun. The antimicrobial properties of sunlight make it a great, all-natural ingredient for removing musty odors from laundry. Plus, it's free! Beyond the laundry itself, the washer could be the real cause of musty loads. Soil buildup in the machine can turn the washer into a breeding ground for bacteria between cycles. If you suspect this is the cause of your stinky laundry, run the washer on a hot-water rinse with bleach and without laundry. The bleach should kill any lingering bacteria in the barrel, ensuring your next load will be fresh and clean, even if it spends the night in the washer.