Last night, I washed a load of towels and… fell asleep on the couch, forgetting to dry them. It was mid-afternoon before I remembered them and realized I’d have to get mildew smell out of towels.

In the past this was a troublesome task but I now have a foolproof way to get mildew smell out of towels every single time.

I’ve tried several methods you’ll find on Google. Washing with vinegar. Soaking in hot water and baking soda. I even tried essential oils (they work great to freshen regular laundry).

Each worked temporarily, but as soon as the towels got wet again, the scent came back.

Several months ago, I was ready to pull my hair out because I was tired of wasting my time on methods that only removed that musty scent for a short time.

You see, my family likes to leave their wet towels bunched up on the towel rack where they do not dry properly. So I was trying to remove that mildew smell more often than I’d like to admit.

That is… until my husband saved the day.

How To Get Mildew Smell Out of Towels

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After trying all the Google-approved ways to get mildew smell out of towels, my eyes fell on a small detergent bottle that had been sitting in my laundry room for months.

I never thought to use it because it wasn’t my detergent… it was my husband’s. As a hunter, he bought and used the Scent Killer laundry detergent to remove scent from his clothes.

If it could remove the human smell from his clothes prior to hunting, why couldn’t it remove the mildew scent from towels?

So I tried it… and it worked!

Not only that, it worked way better than the other methods I had been struggling with.

After one wash using the Scent Killer laundry detergent, I was sold. The smell was completely gone. My laundry room became a disco as I did a happy dance of joy.

Now, I’ve used both the Scent Killer clothing wash in powder form and the Scent Killer Gold in liquid form. Both work equally well.

And I’ll let you in on a little secret: this detergent is sold at clearance prices after the hunting season. Check your local stores in late fall. You may find a deal on this product.

A word of caution: Do NOT buy the Autumn formula unless you plan on using your towels out in the woods; it’s got a slight dirt scent that will leave anything washed in it smelling like it’s been rolling in the dirt.

Because this product removes all scent from your towels, you can put a few drops of essential oil on a washcloth and put it in the dryer with your wet towels to add a little scent post-wash. Your towels will come out of the dryer smelling fresh and clean!

What has worked for you? What have you used to get mildew smell out of towels?

Give the Scent Killer detergent a try and then come back here and let me know how it worked for you! Or chat me up on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. I’d love to hear about your results.