Smelly Clothes - After They've Been Washed .......

[Gizmonster]

A bit of a strange one this.
I wash all the clothes using branded products: Daz powder and Fairy fabric conditioner.
All the clothes come out smelling nice and fresh.
However, when they've dried, 2 of my woolly jumpers smell .... well the best I can describe it is a cross between sick and a doggie smell.
This problem is only isolated to these 2 jumpers. I don't get it, they smell lovely when they come out of the machine when they're slightly damp, but when they're dry, they smell quite vile. I tried washing one jumper 3 times in total - no joy. I tried spraying them with fabreze - that kinda helped, but it still doesn't explain why it's happening.
The jumpers are quite old, but in good condition, so I'm thinking if the age of the wool has anything to do with it, as there doesn't seem to be any other explanation.
The problem has only just started recently and I haven't done anything differently .... have my woolly jumpers finally passed their best before date lol ??

[Tilly2]

Are they actually wool?

[Cloverjo]

Maybe to do with where they're dried.
Try drying them on a rack in the fresh air, if you don't already.

[Gizmonster]

//// Are they actually wool? ////

.... probably not, but they're a woolly kind of fabric ..... if you catch my drift :)

[Gizmonster]

//// Maybe to do with where they're dried.
Try drying them on a rack in the fresh air, if you don't already. ///

Tried that.
Over the winter, they're dried on the radiators and when it's warm enough, they're out on the washing line .... same routine as it's always been - can't understand why this problem has just started now :(

[Tilly2]

Take them to the charity shop and buy two new ones from M&S, Giz.

[ducksie]

I know the smell you're on about, I had 2 facecloths flannels I only use brands like bold and comfort etc., only when everything is dried and aired, these 2 items stink after a few days even though I've not used them, I only use them now to wash the floors as I know they are really clean. I'd not give smelly (yet clean) clothing to charity shops, just bin them

[Hopkirk]

Try getting some Dettol antibacterial laundry cleaner to go in the final rinse.

[Gizmonster]

//// Try getting some Dettol antibacterial laundry cleaner to go in the final rinse. ////

.... now there's a coincidence. My missus bought some on special offer a while ago (the exact same product) .... I've just never bothered to use it. I shall try it in the next wash .... if that fails, then I'll be treating myself to some new jumpers and these will go to the charity shop.
Right ..... off to the pub now :)

[daz1969]

Yep, we are getting the same problem with daz at the moment!

[Eve]

Some ideas here, but a bit high maintenance!

http://www.getsmellout.com/how_to_get_smell_out_of_wool

[KARL]

If I correctly understand what the smell is like, then the remedy may be quite simple. If the material genuinely is wool then there is a risk of shrinkage, but from what you also say, I suspect they may be synthetic. However, either way, to get rid of the smell you should try washing them, on their own, at at least 50 degrees, higher is better, using any washing detergent. Ideally, you should steep them at this temperature for more than just a very few minutes so, if your machine allows you to, do this or else stop the cycle and return to the beginning of the heated part to lengthen the time at 50 degrees. The point is that certain bacteria/fungus have colonised the fabric and they are largely immune to low temperature washing but they succumb somewhere at or above 50 degrees if maintained for a while.

You can test whether you have wool or synthetic material. If you have areas where there are knotted fibres gathering ("balled up") then gently pull or cut/shave a few lumps off until you have a small tufts of these. Put them in a teaspoon and hold over a lit candle - if they melt into a blob then they are synthetic. Genuine wool, when heated close to burning, will smell like burning hair, if you are familiar with that.

[Tilly2]

You can't was wool at 50 degrees. It will shrink far too much, won't it?

[ummmm]

Not if it's not 100% wool, Tilly.

[Tilly2]

...but 100% wool will, won't it?

[anneasquith]

If they still smell after all you have tried .,bin them. Don't give to a charity shop ,they won't want them either !!!!!

[ummmm]

I wouldn't risk it but I think washing machines and detergents are much improved nowadays.

By the sounds of it Giz's jumpers are not 100% wool. If they were they'd be out of shape from drying on the line after all this time.

[Tilly2]

Yes, you are right about the charity shops. I shouldn't have suggested that.

[Zacs-Master]

Have you cleaned the filter on your washing machine? Usually behind a flap at the bottom of the front panel.

[Gizmonster]

//// Have you cleaned the filter on your washing machine? Usually behind a flap at the bottom of the front panel ////

I'm fairly sure it's not anything to do with the washing machine. It's always dried out and cleaned and recently it got a full clean out with soda crystals and white vinegar.

I've checked the labels and they're both "synthetic", so I've just put both of them on a synthetic wash at 60 degrees, with a decent dosage of Dettol antibacterial laundry cleaner ..... watch this space.
I'll have to wait until they're dry before I'll be able to tell, as they usually come out smelling nice and fresh - it's after they've dried that they start to whiff :P

[ummmm]

I'm weirdly interested in if it works :-) I'm a bit basic like that...