Why do my clothes smell :

• when they’re in my wardrobe? 
• after washing them? 
• after drying? 
• when I sweat? 

Why do my clothes smell when they’re in my wardrobe? 

Believe it or not, where you store your clothes is just as important as actually washing them. If your clothes didn’t dry correctly and are being stored in a dark place with no ventilation its entirely reasonable for your clothes to remain damp and get musty or sour.  

To avoid this problem in the future, hang your clothes in a warm, well-lit area for a while before hanging them in your wardrobe. This will ensure that they dry completely and don’t end up smelling musty later on.  

Give your wardrobe a deep cleaning to make sure that there are not any moths or silverfish eating at your clothes. These pests are known for giving clothing a musty smell. If possible and appropriate for the material of the closet, after emptying your wardrobe wipe the inside down with a damp cloth and a spray bleach cleaner.  

Why do my clothes smell sour after washing them? 

If your clothes are not smelling fresh after being put through the washing machine there a couple of things that you’ll need to check for. First, you’ll want to inspect your washing machine to ensure that it doesn’t need to be cleaned. You can do this by grabbing a flashlight and inspecting the inside of the washing machine to see if there is any build-up around the door. If there is some build up then it’s likely time for your washing machine to have a good cleaning. Here’s how you can clean your washing machine and eliminate that post-washing musty smell.  

Here’s what you will need to clean your washing machine: 

• Vinegar  
• Baking soda 
• Empty pray bottle 
• Cleaning cloth or rag 

1. Mix one-part vinegar and one-part water in the empty spray bottle. Shake well.  
2. Spray vinegar around the door opening of your washer. Let sit for 30 seconds. Wipe with damp rag or cleaning cloth. 
3. Repeat this process until the rag comes out clean 
4. Rinse the rag and set aside to dry 
5. Next, make sure the washing machine is completely empty and set it to the highest temperature setting available and on the highest power setting. 
6. Pour in two cups of vinegar and set washer to run through a complete cycle 
7. Allow cycle to finish 
8. Pour in one half cup of baking soda and run through another cycle on the same high setting  
9. Once the cycle is complete, take your cleaning rag and dampen in again 
10. Use the rag to wipe down the inside of your washer 

Another possible reason that your clothes are smelling musty after being put through the washer is that you’re not using the correct amount of laundry detergent. You could be using too much or too little detergent, which affects the outcome of your load of laundry. Try adjusting the amount of liquid or powder detergent that you use according to the information on the packaging, your washer, or personal experience until you notice a change in smell.  

Yet another reason that your clothes smell musty or sour after washing them is that you allowed your now-damp clothes to sit for too long after the washing cycle has completed. This can definitely cause your clothes to have a sour smell even after being run through the dryer. You should always try and transfer your clothes from the washer to the dryer in as short amount of time as possible, but as a golden rule, try not to let your clothes sit in the washer for more than an hour after the cycle has completed. If you do accidentally allow the clothes to sit for too long and you notice they have a sour smell don’t hesitate to put them through the wash cycle again before the smell really sets in. 

Why do my clothes smell musty after drying them? 

If your clothes are smelling musty after being run through the dryer there are a couple of things that could be happening. 

First, your clothes may have been too tightly wound up or tucked together in the dryer which means that they probably didn’t dry completely leading to a musty smell later on. This sometimes isn’t a big deal and doesn’t lead to a musty smell in your clothes if you hung them in a way that they could still airdry immediately after coming out of the dryer.  

If, however, you allowed your laundry to sit in a basket or hamper for several hours or even days after coming out of the dryer, then those few clothing items that didn’t dry properly could have essentially infected the rest of your load with the musty smell.  

To avoid this problem in the future, make an effort to hang up your clothes to dry as soon as they drying cycle is complete. Or, if you do notice that a few of your items didn’t dry properly, run them through the dryer again.  

Why do my clothes stink when I sweat? 

What causes an odor on your clothes after you sweat is bacteria, which can actually linger on clothing items that get sweaty on a regular basis. It can even seem that your sweat is activating a musty smell in your clothes. There are a few things that you can do to combat this issue.  

First, use a detergent that is specifically made for activewear. These detergents are designed to penetrate further into the materials than traditional detergents which is needed to remove the body oils that are clinging onto them and causing them to smell.  

Second, consider having a separate place for your dirty activewear to wait for the washer other than the hamper. In the dirty clothes hamper the bacteria can multiply in the dark and spread to your other clothes. Try turning them inside out. Leave them in a sunny place where they can air out and dry completely before washing. Better yet, throw them straight into the washer or hand wash them in your bathroom sink or tub as soon as they need to be washed.  

The last thing that you can try is allowing your activewear to airdry instead of running it through the dryer. This will ensure that your clothes are receiving a constant flow of air to allow any remaining moisture to evaporate.  

The post Top Reasons Why Clothes Smell When They’re Clean appeared first on Why Do My.

To answer some common questions about squeaking brakes and put your mind at ease, this article will answer “Why do my brakes squeak: 

• when I back up? 
• in the cold? 
• in the morning? 
• after changing the brake pads? 

These sounds could be indicating a number of things depending on the circumstances. Here are a few possible reasons that your brakes are making these sounds.  

Why do my brakes squeak when I back up? 

Many people wonder why their brakes make a squeaking noise when backing up out of their driveway to leave to work in the mornings or drop the kids off at school. This leads many to start questioning whether or not something is wrong with the brakes or even the vehicle.  

One thing that may be causing the squeaking noise that you’re hearing when you’re reversing is warped rotors. This is more likely cause if your vehicle has a higher mileage or has not had its brakes changed in the suggested time frame. Before jumping to the conclusion that this is the issue, ask yourself “are my brakes only squeaking when I reverse or do they squeak when I’m moving forward too?”  

If the answer is yes, this could actually indicate a serious problem that is best left to professionals, if possible. If you yourself have professional experience in mechanics you might decide to attempt fixing this yourself as well. When in doubt it may be best to take your vehicle into an auto shop as soon as possible.  

To avoid this problem in the future, makes sure not to wash your vehicle when the brakes are hot. This small, but easy to follow, tip could save you money and stress in the future.  

Let’s consider another common question about squeaking brakes: 

Why Do My Brakes Squeak in the Cold? 

If you live in an area that has had cold weather during recently or does so for the better part of the year, you make experience some temporary squeaking coming from you brakes when you apply pressure to them.  

However, not everyone who lives in your area may experience the same squeaking coming from their brakes. Why is that? 

The squeaking that you’re hearing is likely coming from a buildup of rust on your brake rotors, which, when scraped, leads to a squealing or squeaking sound.  

If your vehicle sits outside at night or for the better part of the day during damp, cold weather, moisture will collect on the rotors and cause this rust to from.  

To avoid this problem in the future, try to park your vehicle in a covered or sheltered area that will allow less moisture to build on the brake rotors.  

Of course, if the squeaking continues after several brake applications or turns into a deep grinding noise, consult a professional mechanic as soon as possible since this could be an indication that your brake pads and/or rotors need to be changed.  

Why do my brakes squeak in the morning? 

Another commonly asked question about squeaking breaks has to do with brakes that begin squeaking when activated in the morning. 

The first question you should ask yourself is ‘was there rain or snow last night?’ If that’s the case. It’s entirely possible that there is moisture that has collected on the rotors. This condensation is something that commonly happens when the climate included a high amount of humidity.   

Another cause of this morning squeaking could be a bit of rust build-up on the surface of your rotors. When you step on the brakes, the brake pads begin to scrape off the rust until its gone and the squeaking stops. 

The main thing that you want to pay attention to with either of these possibilities is the amount of time that your brakes continue to squeak after you start driving in the morning. As long as the squealing stops after your first few brake applications, you should have nothing to worry about.  

Why are my Brakes Making a High-Pitched Squeaking Noise? 

If none of these scenarios seem to fit your situation and the squeaking continues constantly while driving its very likely that your brake pads have thinned out and will need to be replaced. Even if this is the case, the squeaking that you’re hearing isn’t dangerous, it’s actually a safety measure that’s being activated. This safety measure is the brake-wear indicator that’s been installed in your vehicle.  

Your brake-wear indicator will start making a squeaking or squealing sound when your brake pads are getting to be worn out and will need to be changed soon. When the pads get too thin, a metal tab will begin to make contact with the surface of the rotor, which causes the high-pitched squeaking sound that you’re hearing. 

Why are my Brakes Squeaking After I Changed the Brake Pads? 

What if you already went ahead and decided to get the brake pads on your vehicle changed but you’re still hearing the same squeaking noises coming from your brakes? 

Once again, brakes should not be squeaking constantly. This is especially true if you just had them changed. But if they are still squeaking after taking your vehicle into an auto shop to get the pads changed, then you’ll need to consider taking your vehicle back to a professional to be inspected further.  

The first question you should ask yourself is “did they replace the rotors or only the brake pads?” You could also ask “Did they clean the rotors?” If the auto shop changed the brake pads but kept the old rotors without cleaning them, the rotors could still be glazed with dust, which would mean that your new brake pads don’t have much to grip onto.  

Another possibility is that the brake pads themselves are the problem. It’s possible that the new brake pads that the mechanic installed in your vehicle are not of the highest quality and are going to be squeakier than brake pads of a higher quality. Of course, these higher quality pads are going to be more expensive which is why some mechanics are less likely to put them on your vehicle unless specifically asked to do so.  

If you have any doubts or concerns about the reason your brakes are squeaking you should consult a professional dealership or mechanic shop just to be safe.  

The post Brakes Squeaking in Different Situations? appeared first on Why Do My.