Bicarbonate of Soda: The Under-£1 Trick for Fresh-Smelling Laundry

The jumper pulled from the wardrobe looked perfectly clean, yet its smell told a different story: a damp, slightly chilly note, like the scent left in a towel forgotten in the drum for too long. We all know that awkward moment when we lift a garment to our face before leaving, hoping nobody else will notice. The usual reaction is to add more detergent or spray on fabric freshener. Yet the simplest solution may already be sitting in the kitchen cupboard. This white powder, costing only a few pence per dose, is still valued in some laundry workshops for restoring freshness to washing. Its effectiveness is less about magic than sound old-fashioned household logic. It is worth trying.

Musty smells do not always mean laundry has been washed badly

A sheet can come out of the machine warm, smell pleasant for an hour, then take on that cellar-like odour again once folded. This commonly happens when laundry is shut away while still ever so slightly damp, whether in a basket, cupboard or poorly ventilated bathroom. The fibres then hold onto detergent residue, sebum and moisture: an unobtrusive but welcoming environment for the bacteria behind unpleasant smells. It is not necessarily a cleanliness issue, which is reassuring. A garment may have been washed properly and still retain a stubborn odour. Our noses do not always tell the difference.

In many families, this tip is handed down alongside granny’s bed linen: a spoonful of bicarbonate of soda in the drum or pre-wash drawer. For under £1, one pack can cover many loads, particularly when it is used only once laundry begins to smell musty. A quantity of 30 to 50 grams is usually enough for a standard machine. In some laundries and dry-cleaning workshops, bicarbonate of soda remains a familiar extra for neutralising odours in water-washable textiles, although professionals also have access to more technical products and procedures.

Bicarbonate works as a regulator: it helps alter the water’s pH and lift some of the odour-causing residue embedded in the fibres. Rather than hiding smells under a strong fragrance, it addresses them directly, making it useful for towels, sportswear and tea towels. Its real purpose is to neutralise, not perfume. This distinction matters, since highly scented detergent can make it seem as though the problem has gone while the moisture remains. Let us be honest: nobody thoroughly cleans their washing machine every day. Even so, a clean machine already makes a considerable difference.

The under-£1 bicarbonate of soda method for fresher laundry

To give it a try, add two to three tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda straight into the drum before putting in the laundry. Put your usual detergent in its drawer, then select a cycle suited to the fabric, ideally at 40 °C for towels, cotton and sheets that can tolerate it. If the smell is especially ingrained, avoid overfilling the machine: water needs room to move between the items. Once the programme has finished, take the washing out straight away. It may sound insignificant, but 30 minutes in a closed drum can be enough to bring back that familiar damp smell.

The most common mistake is pouring bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar into the same place at the same time, in the hope of doubling the effect. The fizz is impressive, and almost satisfying, but the two products largely neutralise one another. It is better to use white vinegar during the rinse, in the fabric-conditioner drawer, and bicarbonate of soda during the wash, in the drum. Using them separately can help with rough-feeling laundry or fabrics holding odours. Take care with fragile textiles, delicate materials and garments labelled dry clean only: the care label remains the best guide.

The method is straightforward, but it works best alongside a few practical routines that professionals often follow without thinking about them.

“A bad smell that returns after washing often points to a drying or machine problem, not simply a detergent problem.”

To stop mustiness from taking hold again, keep these points in mind:

• leave the door and detergent drawer open after every cycle;
• clean the seal, where standing water can easily collect;
• dry large items without piling them up;
• never put away a towel that still feels cool to the touch.

Air remains the best ally for laundry that smells clean for longer.

A simple routine that stops you washing the same load three times

There is something very practical about this tip: it does not promise to turn a utility room into a hotel, but simply prevents that small morning annoyance when the shirt you planned to wear smells less fresh than expected. Keep bicarbonate of soda for rescue washes after a holiday, a spell of damp weather or a machine load left overnight. If the odour still returns, look elsewhere for the cause: a clogged filter, a blackened seal, too much detergent, or drying in a room without air circulation. Laundry can sometimes speak before the machine does. A persistent smell is not inevitable, but it is a clue worth paying attention to.

Key point	Detail	Benefit for the reader
Bicarbonate of soda	Two to three tablespoons in the drum before the laundry	Neutralises stubborn odours without adding an overly strong artificial fragrance
Quick drying	Remove laundry as soon as the cycle ends and avoid stacks that are still damp	Reduces the return of musty smells in the fibres
Maintained washing machine	The seal, product drawer, filter and door should be kept clean and dry	Prevents fresh laundry from being contaminated by residue from the previous wash