A North Carolina couple turned to fellow homeowners for help after a laundry mystery left them taking apart their appliances and trying a growing list of cleaning products.
With a newborn at home, the couple wanted to understand why their laundry developed a wet-dog odor within seconds of going outdoors, even though it smelled freshly washed inside.
Here's what to know
In a post to Reddit's r/Homeowners community, the original poster described their efforts to solve the problem.
Even the interior surface of their washer's plastic drum had been thoroughly cleaned during their dismantling and cleaning of both the washer and dryer. But despite their efforts to troubleshoot the issue the OP explained, "The second (and I mean within 10 seconds) you go outside, your clothes start to smell like wet dog. … We are at our wits end."
The couple also tried soaking their laundry with vinegar, then an oxygen-based cleaner, and then dish soap. They also switched detergents and tried a pet enzyme booster, baking soda, and borax, but the odor persisted.
Humidity was among the Reddit community's possible explanations. When asked about their local weather, the poster confirmed the couple lived in humid coastal North Carolina.
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Another urged the OP to "Check your anode rod in the water heater." The poster responded to this with an image of the rod, adding, "I pulled it out and it STINKS."
One commenter recommended Lysol laundry sanitizer as being "great for getting organic smells out of synthetic fabrics. If you have a front load washer, [also] make sure that's not part of the problem." Others pointed to synthetic fabrics too, with another user writing, "If you are wearing clothing made of polyester or other manmade fibers, yes they hold onto smells."
Where can I learn more?
Stubborn odors and damp laundry have left other homeowners looking for answers, too.
• A washer left clothes musty until its owner learned a 10-minute washer fix.
• Owners battling persistent washer odors recommended citric acid over vinegar and checking the filter.
• An old-school washer smelled like rancid fabric softener until a teardown exposed sludge.
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