6 Things That Keep Making the House Smell Like Damp Laundry

There’s nothing worse than walking into your home and getting hit with that sour, musty smell—like wet towels that never dried all the way. Even if your laundry’s technically clean, lingering moisture and poor airflow can make the whole house smell off.

If it seems like that damp laundry smell won’t go away, there’s a good chance one of these culprits is to blame.

Wet Towels Left Hanging in the Bathroom

Towels that don’t dry fast enough will start to smell stale, especially if they’re bunched up or draped over the shower rod. That trapped moisture lingers in the fabric and builds mildew fast.

It only takes one or two bad towels to make the whole house smell like a gym bag. Try hanging them wide open on hooks or bars, and wash them more often during humid months.

A Washer That Needs to Be Cleaned

If your washing machine smells funky, it’s probably spreading that odor onto your clothes and towels—even if they’re fresh out of a cycle. Front-loaders are especially known for mildew buildup.

Clean the gasket, run a cleaning cycle, and leave the door open between washes. Don’t forget to clean the detergent drawer, too—that gunk adds up and keeps the smell going.

Laundry Sitting Too Long in the Washer

We’ve all forgotten a load in the washer once or twice, but leaving damp clothes in there for hours gives mildew the perfect environment to grow. And once that smell sets in, it’s hard to wash out.

If your clothes smell sour even after drying, this might be why. You may need to rewash the load with vinegar or baking soda to kill the smell before it spreads through the rest of the house.

Overloaded Dryers

Stuffing the dryer full makes it harder for air to circulate, so things come out feeling dry on the outside but still damp in the middle. Those damp spots start to smell musty fast—especially if they go right into the laundry basket.

Try drying smaller loads or running an extra cycle if needed. Clothes and towels should feel bone dry before you toss them in a pile.

Clogged Dryer Vents

If your dryer isn’t venting properly, moisture can build up inside the machine and in the air around it. That excess humidity creates a stale, sour smell that spreads through nearby rooms.

Lint and debris in the vent can also turn into a fire risk, so it’s worth checking. Clean the vent and lint trap regularly, and make sure the vent hose isn’t kinked or crushed.

Damp Clothes or Towels in the Hamper

Throwing even slightly damp clothes into the hamper traps that moisture at the bottom—and it doesn’t take long before it stinks. That odor can fill the whole room and hang around long after you’ve done the laundry.

Make sure sweaty clothes, wet swimsuits, or towels get a chance to dry out before they hit the hamper. If needed, toss them over the edge of the basket or hang them up first.

*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.