How to Get Rid of that Musty Smell from Your Stored Woollens

Are you getting ready to unpack your stored woollen clothes with the approach of winter? Unfortunately, some of your woollens may come out of storage with a musty smell. In this article, we tell you how to wash wool and get rid of that odour while keeping your woollens fresh and ready for winter.

1) Using Essential Oils

You can use essential oils, such as tea tree oil, to mask the musty smell in your stored woollens. Before you machine-wash your sweater or woollen accessories, read the care labels for instructions. If you have a wool setting in your washing machine, use that, or else run your regular wash cycle. Use a mild detergent in your washer. If you’re hand-washing, add a mild detergent to a bucket of lukewarm water and wash.

Next, before the rinse cycle begins on your washer or before you rinse in another bucket of clean water, add 2-3 drops of an essential oil to the washer or bucket and rinse. Finally, wrap your woollens in a towel and let it soak up all the water. Keep it on a flat surface to dry.

2) Using Charcoal and Muslin

The use of charcoal briquettes is an effective way to remove the musty smell from your woollens. These are easily available and are made from sawdust or leftover wood that has been burnt down. For this method, you will need a muslin cloth.

First, read the care label to find out how to wash woollen clothes, then wash your woollens using a mild detergent and dry. Wrap 7-10 briquettes in the muslin cloth and tie the ends to ensure no fragments or charcoal dust can get out. Wrap your woollen garment around the cloth. Next, place it in a bag that you can tie at the opening and seal it. Keep it aside for 5-6 days, and the cloth filled with charcoal will absorb the musty smell.

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