Clothes Smell Like Wet Dog After Drying: The Reasons And Solution

The clothes that you wear play a big role in showing your overall personality. This cloth has to be clean and also smell good.

Just imagine, once you find out that your clothes smell like wet dog after drying, how it would impact your confidence level that day!

Well, laundry smells bad after drying would be clearly horrible. But such an incident might happen once in a while in our lives.

Now, let’s dig down what makes such smelly clothes.

Reasons Behind Laundry Smell Bad After Drying

There could be several reasons behind the bad-smelling laundry after drying it. However, some reasons are the most significant and common ones. For instance:

laundry smells bad after drying
  • Using Excessive Laundry Detergent

Do you always consciously measure the amount of detergent pouring into your washing machine? Or you are just doing the guesswork.

The amount may vary according to the number of clothes you are going to wash. If you are using excessive detergent on your clothes, then it might not wash away.

It will remain trapped in your clothes. It may eventually smell bad after the drying process is complete.

  • Overloading The Washing Machine

There is a certain range in which you can wash your clothes in a washing machine.

It would be very unwise to overload the machine with more clothes than its capacity. 

You can’t expect to get a good wash from it. Some clothes may not be washed properly and all the cleaning materials may not get washed.

Such clothes may smell awful later.

  • Having An Untidy Washing Machine

When you regularly wash your clothes using a washing machine, it is natural that the washing machine may get untidy after some time.

So, you need to pay close attention to it. Once in a while, you need to clean your washing machine to make sure the cleaning process is perfectly done.

Make it a routine to keep the washing machine clean and always ready to use.

  • Keeping Clothes Inside Washing Machine For Too Long

Once the cleaning process is done, you need to take the clothes to the dryer.

Keeping the damp clothes for a longer period of time inside the washing machine can seriously harm the fiber of the clothes.

Also, it may result in creating a bad smell for the clothes once you wear them.

  • Drying The Clothes Take Too Much Time
clothes smell like wet dog

Are you sure your dryer is working well?

If it is not, then it would take way too long time to dry your clothes than usual time.

Also, if you are drying your clothes naturally in your house, a later dry process can also cause a bad smell to your dry clothes.

That is why drying the clothes at right time is important.

  • Having Unused Clothes

Unused clothes kept on your cupboard can start smelling weird.

This bad smell may continue even when you wash it thoroughly. With chemicals in the detergent and softener, the smell may be worse.

Could it be a reason, that your clothes started smelling like wet dogs?

  • Having Moisture In Our Home

When there is too much moisture in the atmosphere, then the clothes may smell damp.

It could be another significant reason for having smelly clothes. So try to use the dryer to keep the clothes dry.

 You can use the “delay start” function on your washing machine to start the washing process at a convenient time, then take your clothes to the dryer.

  • Having Improper Airflow Inside Your House

Is there proper airflow in your house?

It is a very critical attribute to keep the clothes dry and keeping it odorless.

So, if it is not, then try to ensure a healthy airflow

How To Get Rid Of Wet Dog Smell On Clothes?

get rid of wet dog smell on clothes

Alright, let’s talk about how you can get rid of that foul odor and avoid this in the future:

  • Cleaning Lint Filter Of The Dryer 

After long usage, the lint filter of the dryer needs to be cleaned. So clean that filter before putting your clothes inside it.

  • Cleaning The Inside Drum Of The Dryer

The inner tub or the drum inside your dryer needs to remain clean for getting dry clothes.

This is where you put all your clothes in to make it dry. So, once in a while, you need to clean it thoroughly.

  • Securing The Proper Flow Of Air

The absence of proper flow of air is another problem that you might face. You can’t shift your home overnight. But, you can figure out alternate ways to dry your clothes.

  • Using Clean Water During Washing Clothes

What’s the point of cleaning clothes with not-so-clean water? Making sure that your washing machine is getting a supply of clean water can be crucial.

  • Ditching The Softener

It is found in different forums, that people have found the softener they are using is causing the smell of their clothes.

You can check it too by not using it for a day or so. Hopefully, you will get rid of this bad smell issue by doing so if this is the single reason.

  • Rinsing The Clothes Twice

No matter whichever solution or chemical you are using to wash your clothes, make sure it is perfectly washed away.

For that, you can rinse the clothes twice if needed.

  • Checking The Fiber Materials

Picking the fiber of the is crucial if you want to consciously avoid the chance of having a bad smell.

Some materials attract germs. They might look tidy but for the germs in them, the clothes might have a bad smell.

  • Using Vinegar

To hamper the habitat of mildew, and how it smells, you can add a bit of vinegar with the mixture. It is a very highly effective disinfectant.

It will surely play a good role in keeping the clothes safe from bad smells. 

  • Avoiding Unused Clothes For A Long Time Or Washing It

As it is already being mentioned, you can maintain a proper routine for washing unused clothes at least once a month. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you get the smell out of clothes after drying?

Several reasons like; keeping the clothes damp, using excessive detergent, improper airflow, not rinsing enough, etc. are the main reasons behind getting the smell out of clothes after drying.

Why do my clothes not smell fresh after washing?

Possibly, due to the dysfunctional dryer, you are having this issue. Or it can be not clean enough. So notice these factors to identify the main reason behind this problem.
Once you identify it there are plenty of ways to get rid of this issue.

Does dog smell come out of clothes?

There are various reasons for it, but the main catalyst of it is Mildew and bacteria of various species mostly.
All these react with the skin cells, sweats, etc. All these create a smell like a wet dog, especially with a few particular clothing materials.

How can I make my clothes smell new again?

There is a way out. You can give it a try!
You can mix water and vinegar with a ratio of 1:1. Then you can turn your clothes inside out. Then spray the solution on it.
Hang it up to dry it, or you can use a dryer as well for a few minutes. Depending on the materials, the cloth will start smelling like new.

Final Words

Still worried about your clothes smell like wet dog after drying? Well, now you have ideas about why it happens and how you can solve it. 

So, what are you waiting for? Give it a try, figure out the possible reason behind such discomfort, and get rid of this problem you are having for months.

I am sure you can solve it on your own now!

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