You’ve been airing your bath towels wrong! Expert reveals source of that that lingering ‘damp’ smell – and how to stamp it out

We’ve all been there: stepping out the shower, grabbing the towel through the steam and – yeuch: the familiar, horrid smell of damp and must has taken hold.

Thankfully, experts say getting rid of it is an easy fix – and keeping it away for good is possible with some small changes to how you wash and dry your bath towels.

The musty smell of a damp bath towel is typically the result of bacteria or mould feeding on trapped moisture, dead skin cells and body oils. 

In the right environment, they can thrive.

But Jo Perks, of luxury homeware brand Hampton & Astley, says a few steps of towel care will lead to much happier bathtimes.

She said: ‘There are a surprising number of reasons towels can end up smelling bad. 

‘Thankfully there are some very simple hacks that will keep them odour free, and it’s all about ensuring good air flow.’

The key to avoiding a smelly towel is to avoid bunching it – whether that is bunched on a hook, or folded over on itself.

Keeping the surface area as big as possible will stop the towel from developing that unwanted musty smell. 

‘You should never leave towels bunched up, folded or on the floor,’ Ms Perks said.

‘Hooks are my greatest bugbear. Using a hook keeps the middle of the towel bunched together, trapping moisture and preventing it from drying.’

Instead, she recommends using a heated towel rail if it is available to dry the fabric as quickly as possible. 

Failing that, running your extractor fan – or opening a window – can stop humidity from building in your bathroom. Warm, damp air is the perfect breeding ground for a smelly towel. 

In fact, she recommends taking damp towels out the bathroom altogether.

‘Your towels do not need to stay in situ. In fact, hanging them somewhere dry and well-ventilated will help them to dry much faster,’ she added.

Whether freshly used or freshly washed, Ms Perks says you should give any damp towel a good shake to loosen up the fibres and help it dry more evenly.

Ultimately, keeping damp towels away from humidity – even those that have come out of the machine – and giving them room to breathe is the key to avoiding that dreaded musty stench.

‘Leaving a damp towel in a warm, humid bathroom for hours creates the perfect conditions for that dreadful, stale smell,’ she said.

‘Make sure all towels are completely dry before you put them away. Even a slightly damp towel can make a cupboard smell musty.’

And for towels that already smell musty? Simple. 

‘A towel that already smells musty, will stay musty. You will need to wash it.’