Towels and sheets stay fresh for weeks thanks to 6p item that makes them smell 'lovely'

Towels and sheets stay fresh for weeks thanks to 6p item that makes them smell 'lovely' Countless households will have a couple of musty-smelling towels in the cupboard, but cleaning fans on Facebook have shared a cheap and simple solution that requires zero effort on wash day We've all been there - you pull a freshly washed towel from the cupboard, give it a sniff, and that unmistakable damp, musty odour hits you in the face. It's one of the most common household frustrations, and no matter how often you wash them, those unpleasant smells just keep coming back. But before you splash out on expensive detergents or a new washing machine, cleaning fans think they've solved the issue - and the fix costs next to nothing. Why do towels go musty in the first place? There are two main reasons your towels end up smelling bad. Either they've been put away before they're fully dry, or too many have been crammed into a confined space such as an airing cupboard, trapping moisture and allowing that distinctive musty odour to take hold. One woman brought the issue to the popular Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page, asking fellow members: "How do I stop my stored bedding and towels from smelling musty? Thanks in advance." Dozens of group members flooded the comments, and one solution kept coming up again and again. How to fix musty towels The answer, according to cleaning enthusiasts, is a product most of us already have in the utility room: tumble dryer sheets. Rather than just using them in the tumble dryer, fans swear by slipping a sheet or two between folded towels and bedding before storing them away. The fragrance-infused sheets get to work neutralising odours and keeping everything smelling fresh until the next time you need them. "Put some tumble dry sheets between them when you store them," advised one group member. Another added: "I put tumble drier sheets in my stored bedding. I placed them in as I folded them. They smell lovely when taken out of storage. I do it with holiday clothes as well." A third user offered an extra tip alongside the dryer sheet method: "Make sure they are 100% dry before you put away. Tumble dryer sheets and a dehumidifier in with them." Why does it work? Tumble dryer sheets are coated with softening agents and fragrance compounds that are designed to transfer onto fabrics. When tucked in amongst stored towels, they release those same fresh scents over time, masking and preventing the build-up of musty smells between washes. The best part is that it requires absolutely no changes to your existing laundry routine - just an extra step when folding and putting things away. And they're cheap too, with a 40-pack costing £2.65 from Tesco, meaning each one works out at just 6p. Other tips worth trying For those who want to go even further, group members shared a handful of additional ideas. Storing towels alongside bars of unwrapped soap is a popular option, as the scent permeates nearby fabrics. Others recommended keeping towels in vacuum storage bags to limit their exposure to damp air, while regularly rotating your stock - making sure older towels get used before newer ones - also helps prevent odours from developing in the first place.