PSA: If your towels smell “musty” right after washing, your washing machine might be the actual problem
For MONTHS I thought my towels were just old or cheap or something because they kept getting that gross damp smell literally one day after laundry. I tried hotter water, extra detergent, vinegar, baking soda, those scent booster things... towels would smell clean for maybe an hour then instantly go back to wet basement mode.
Turns out the problem was my washing machine the whole time.
I finally ran one of those washing machine cleaning cycles and almost threw up. There was black sludge under the rubber seal, detergent buildup in the tray, and apparently you’re supposed to leave the washer door cracked open after loads so moisture doesn't get trapped inside?? Nobody teaches you this stuff lol
Ran 2 cleaning cycles, scrubbed the seal, cleaned the filter, left the door open overnight and suddenly my towels smell normal again. Genuinely annoyed at how long I blamed the towels when my washer was basically marinating everything in swamp air