The smell of fresh, clean laundry is one of the simpler pleasures in life. However, you need to follow certain procedures with your laundry if you want to get that pleasant aroma consistently. Otherwise, it's too easy for your clothes to have a permanent odor by attracting bacteria and mold.
One of the easiest ways to keep your laundry fresh is to take it out of the wash machine at the end of every cycle. As busy as you are, it only takes a few minutes to transfer your clothes from the washer to the dryer. If you leave them for a few hours or even overnight, it's almost guaranteed that mold or bacteria will grow. After all, a dark and damp environment is the perfect breeding grounds for both of these substances.
Other Tips to Keep Odor at Bay
When washing heavy items, such as blankets and blue jeans, be sure to allow enough time for them to dry adequately. If you don't want to keep them in the dryer for so long, consider hanging these items outside on a clothesline for the sun to dry naturally.
Before putting an item of clothing in the wash machine, check the pockets for dollar bills, sticks of gum, and anything else that could ruin the entire load of laundry. You should also teach your family to do the same. Another thing to consider when washing clothes is to add a few pinches of table salt or white vinegar to the water. This helps lessen the damage, and the eventual smell, caused by hard water deposits. It's also much less expensive than buying fabric softener.
Wash clothes, towels, or blankets that already have an odor in hot water to help eliminate it. Scented laundry soap can also help to mask the odor.