Is There A Mildew Smell In The Dryer? (Possible Causes & Fixes)

One of the most discouraging feelings is opening up your dryer and smelling mildew. You just ran a cycle of clean laundry, and yet your clothes smell like a gym locker. This stale, musty odor is really frustrating to discover in your laundry room. So why does your dryer smell like mildew?

A mildew smell in your dryer may be the result of built-up lint that has grown mildew. Wet clothes left in the dryer too long may also be the cause. Your dryer might also have a clogged dryer vent. Get rid of the mildew smell by cleaning the lint trap and vent hose, and washing the dryer drum.

Keep in mind, mildew smells musty, like stinky socks, and isn’t the same as mold. Mildew has a powdery consistency, and a weaker scent. It’s less damaging to your health than mold. It is also easier to clean. If your dryer smells really pungent and offensive, you may actually have mold.

Related Guide: Musty Smell In The Laundry Room?

One of the most likely and easy to solve causes of mildew smell is your damp clothes. We all know what it’s like to be in a rush. We’re running late for work, so we pull a sopping wet laundry load from the washer and stick it in the dryer. But then we forget to hit START on the dry cycle. Then the wet clothes sit there in the dryer drum for hours.

When moisture collects inside a warm, unventilated space, it will begin growing bacteria. Wet objects like clothing attract mold very quickly. Sometimes all it takes is 24-48 hours of damp fabric for it to collect mold spores and toxins.

Wet clothes that sit in your dryer for too long can cause mildew to start growing. This mildew can grow on the clothes themselves, in the dryer drum, or in the lint trap. The key is to finish the drying cycle as soon as possible. Also ensure there is ventilation in your laundry room. Dry out your machines by keeping the doors open after use.

Another common offender of mildew smell in the dryer is a dirty lint trap. When lint from your clothes collects in the lint trap for too long, it can start to grow mildew and mold. Just like your damp clothing sitting in the dryer, this lint is moist and in an unventilated space. This creates the perfect breeding ground for bacteria to thrive.

To prevent this, remove the lint from the lint screen after every drying cycle. This prevents the lint trap from growing mold. You can use a paper towel or rag to do this. And if the mildew is still a problem, remove the lint screen and clean it. You can do this by soaking it in distilled vinegar and washing it in hot water.

Note: Regularly cleaning out lint from the trap is very important. Built-up lint and dust are the leading cause of dryer fires.

Has your lint trap grown black mold? It’s probably past the point of handwashing. You will need to replace it. This type of mold is bad for your health and should be taken seriously. It can also affect the cleanliness and smell of your clothing.

A clogged dryer vent is a very common but overlooked cause of bad smells in your dryer. While you might regularly clean the lint from the lint screen, it doesn’t catch everything. Lint, dust, paper, and other fabrics get pulled from your clothes.

Sometimes these items get lodged in the vent as the air heads through the vent hose on its way out of the house. The result of this damp buildup is bacterial growth, resulting in mildew and mold. Venting your dryer through the roof or directly outdoors can help prevent these clogs.

How can you tell if you have a clogged dryer vent? Here are some signs:

If mildewy or damp clothes have been sitting in your dryer, mildew may be growing in the drum. But how can you tell if the mildew smell is coming from your clothes, or the dryer itself?

After you finish a drying cycle, remove all your clothing. Let the dryer sit with the door open for at least an hour. Then come back and take a whiff inside – does it still smell musty inside? If so, you should clean out your dryer drum.

Follow these steps to clean out your dryer thoroughly.

A lack of ventilation in your laundry room contributes to the growth of mildew. When moisture collects in a warm, confined space, bacteria thrive. This growth of mildew and mold emits that unpleasant musty smell.

To prevent future bad smells, make sure you always properly ventilate your laundry room. Keep the door to the laundry room open, especially after running the washer and dryer. Keep the dryer and washer doors open after use so the machines can air out. Washing machines are highly susceptible to mildew smells.

In addition to ventilating your laundry room, make sure to dry your clothes properly. Moisture trapped in a warm confined space is a breeding ground for mildew. One of the most common causes for a smelly dryer is leaving wet clothing in the dryer too long.

Make sure you run your drying cycle as soon as you put a load in. Be sure to check that your clothes are fully dry once the cycle is complete.

As a precaution, try only running small or medium loads. Large loads produce more lint, which can collect and contribute to mold growth. Large loads also take longer to dry, and can contribute to a damp, mildewy dryer.

Mildew smell in itself is not dangerous. The CDC reports that only when mildew develops into mold does it cause irritation. Inhaling mold can cause throat irritation, a stuffy nose, eye irritation, or coughing and wheezing. Prolonged exposure to mildew smell can cause these same symptoms. It is important to treat the mildew or mold after early detection.

Mildew can grow in a variety of home environments. The most common places to find mildew are in bathrooms and showers, on natural fabrics like cotton and linen, plants, foods, woods, decaying organic matter, and other locations where leaks or moisture buildup occurs.

To avoid dryer vent issues like clogs, look into installing the right dryer vent for your home. Consider the orientation of your laundry room and shape of your home first. If you have a basement or second-floor laundry, choose a dryer vent connected to the wall by duct work. Laundry rooms on the ground floor against the back south wall would benefit from a flexible steel or metal dryer vent.