Why Your Winter Clothes Smell Musty After Storage, and How Experts Say to Fix It

A laundry expert has revealed the simple household staples that can freshen up even the stalest sweaters. His tips could also save you from facing the same problem next year.

Gone are the days of light linen clothing and shorts; now it's time to bundle up against the chilly temperatures. With this seasonal switch, many people are breaking out storage boxes packed with their warmest clothes, only to be met with a setback: that musty smell.

We've all been there: as soon as you lift the lid on your storage bins, a stale, slightly plastic scent greets you.

It's far from a pleasant aroma, and it turns the seasonal wardrobe swap into a less-than-welcome chore. Thankfully, it isn't hard to eliminate either. But before you get started, it's worth understanding why clothes smell funny after they've been stored.

Tom Ceconi, president of laundry detergent company Heritage Park Laundry Essentials, says the culprit isn't always the same. He notes that the odor can stem from several sources, including mold, mildew, damp air, mothballs, body odors, perfumes, detergents, and stale air.

With so many possible causes, the smartest strategy is to tackle the problem from several angles, both by freshening up your clothes and by stopping the smell before it starts. Washing your clothes is the best way to get rid of the musty odor, but Ceconi recommends a few extra steps to ensure it's truly gone:

1. Air your clothes out. Ceconi recommends hanging items in a sheltered outdoor spot, such as a covered porch, for a few hours so air can flow through them, while keeping them out of direct sunlight, which can fade fabric.
2. Wash with vinegar. Put your clothes through a standard warm cycle, swapping laundry detergent for a cup of white vinegar. According to Ceconi, the vinegar helps strip away the residue that builds up in fabric, which is one of the culprits behind that musty smell.
3. Follow up with baking soda. Run another cycle with half a cup of baking soda to tackle any remaining odors.
4. Wrap up with an enzyme detergent. Ceconi explains that enzyme, or biological, detergents work by breaking stains and odors down into smaller components, making them easier to wash away. Just skip this step for silk, wool, and other protein-based fabrics.

According to Ceconi, musty clothes are better off without fabric softener or bleach, since both can lead to fading, yellowing, and residue buildup. He recommends airing items out and reaching for a color-safe bleach instead.

Beyond banishing the musty smell, there are also ways to stop it from developing at all. Washing and drying your clothes before storing them is one of the most effective ways to keep the dreaded storage smell at bay.

Ceconi advises making sure clothes are fully dry before storing them and, where possible, keeping them out of musty spots like damp basements. If damp spaces can't be avoided, try compression or vacuum bags and a plastic bin with a lid.

As long as clothes are dry and the storage is airtight, Ceconi says the musty smell shouldn't develop. The storage containers you choose also make a difference.

You may also want to avoid cardboard boxes, as rodents like to gnaw on them, and once they break through, they can chew through your clothing too.

Additionally, you can pack dried lavender or cedar blocks alongside your clothes to give them a pleasant scent. Alternatively, tuck in a sock filled with baking soda or even coffee grounds, both of which are excellent at absorbing odors.