How to Keep Laundry From Stinking

Keep your laundry in a ventilated bin or basket. Keeping laundry in plastic bags or fully closed plastic bins will cause mold and bacteria to grow, promoting odor. Choose a wicker or canvas laundry hamper or a plastic one with enough holes to keep the laundry aerated.

Put a dryer sheet at the bottom of your laundry bin. This will keep the clothes inside smelling fresh until you get around to washing them. Replace the sheet every time you empty the bin to do the laundry.

Never put wet clothes or exercise gear in the laundry hamper with all the other laundry. Wet or sweaty items such as towels, bathing suits and workout clothes will result in odor-causing bacteria growing on your laundry. Try to wash wet items immediately. If this is not possible, hang them to dry before placing them in the hamper.

Keep your laundry hamper in a cool, well-ventilated room. Keeping your laundry in hot or moist places such as bathrooms or closets can cause mold to grow on the fabric and contribute to foul odors.

Wash your laundry more often. Keeping laundry sitting around for a long time promotes odor formation even if the clothing doesn't smell bad when first tossed into the bin. Body oils on clothing will eventually cause odors to build in your hamper and spread to the surrounding area.