Oops-- Forgotten Laundry - dodged a bullet...

[mattl]

Like many here I have a selection of washers to use.  Couple of little used TLs and a few FLs.  A while back, 4-5 weeks ago I tossed a load of towels into one of my Duets, started cleaning up my laundry area in my basement and placed a big box of 2'x4' ceiling tiles in front of the machine. Got busy with other things and totally forgot the laundry.  Flash forward I'm getting low on bath towels and looking for some - then I remembered the load in the FL.  Dreaded opening the machine expecting to find a lot of mildew or mold on the load.

 

Amazingly other that a stale smell no damage, slightly damp but  no mold no mildew!  Towels I normally use the Sanitize wash temp with steam and a bit of oxygen bleach.  I guess it killed the spores, I was amazed.  Ran them through a hot cycle and dried them and they are fine.  Got lucky on that one...

 

[combo52]

I Did That Trick As Well

When I went to Australia I had put my sheets and pillowcase covers in my SQ FL washer, set for hot wash  regular cycle with 3rd rinse selected with liquid Costco detergent and 1/4 C LCB in the dispenser.

 

When I got home and went down to the laundry room and saw condensation on the inside of the glass door I said oh s..t. I opened the door and the load smelled like it was just washed, no sour smell at all, just fresh & clean, so in the dryer they went.

 

John L.

 

[iej]

I think unless you've a machine that's either badly maintained (always run on short, cool washes) or that is particularly prone to mildew (bad designs with various water traps in the outer tub) then you shouldn't have any problem with a properly washed load that's sat in the tub for a while.

If there's bacterial growth happening that quickly after a wash, there's something wrong with how you're doing laundry.

A good detergent (not necessarily even with bleach) and a proper wash (right temperature and length) should really leave the clothes quite bacteria and fungus free.

Also some of the latest blends of enzymes from the likes of Novozymes literally slice up fungal spores and bacteria, and typically should leave the laundry a lot fresher, particularly if the wash hasn't been ludicrously short.