Washing settings guide
Washing Machine Smells After Wash: What Setting Should You Use?
Use this guide when laundry smells damp, stale, or musty after a wash cycle.
Use a hotter cottons wash for towels and bedding where allowed, avoid overloading, reduce detergent if needed, and check whether poor drainage is contributing to smells.
Last updated: 29 April 2026
Quick answer
Best washing machine setting
Program
Cottons or Maintenance Wash
Temperature
60°C for suitable towels/bedding; hot maintenance cycle for empty drum
Spin
1200 to 1400 rpm for towels
Why: Smells often come from low-temperature washing, trapped detergent, damp laundry, or poor drainage.
Safe tip: Do not run repeated hot washes on delicate clothes; treat the cause instead.
Step-by-step setup
- 1.Remove laundry promptly after the cycle.
- 2.For towels or bedding, use Cottons at 60°C where the label allows.
- 3.Use the correct detergent dose and avoid overloading.
- 4.Run an empty maintenance wash if the machine itself smells.
- 5.If water remains in the drum, compare drainage pages such as Bosch E18 and Samsung 5C.
Related problems and error codes
Drainage fault codes that can cause stale laundry
Hotpoint Washing Machine F05
The washer has not drained the water out before the spin stage.
Samsung Washing Machine ND
The machine is not draining water correctly
Hotpoint Washing Machine F11
The washer has a drain pump or drainage-circuit fault and cannot empty water properly.
Samsung Washing Machine 5C
The washer cannot drain the water away
Samsung Washing Machine SE
Drainage timeout or not-draining fault
Beko Washing Machine E18
The washer is not draining fast enough through the pump and hose system.
Indesit Washing Machine F11
The washer has a drain pump or drainage-circuit fault and is not emptying water properly.
Bosch Washing Machine E18
The washer cannot drain within the expected time
When to use this setting
- Towels or bedding smell musty after washing.
- Laundry stays damp too long after the cycle.
- The washer itself smells stale, especially around the seal or drawer.
When not to use it
- Delicate garments that cannot handle higher temperatures.
- A machine showing a drainage fault that needs checking first.
- Loads where the care label limits temperature.
Common mistakes
- Using low-temperature quick washes for towels every time.
- Closing the door and drawer tightly between washes, trapping moisture.
- Adding more detergent when the real issue is residue, dampness, or drainage.
Related guides
Best Washing Machine Setting for Towels
Use a cottons programme, 40°C to 60°C, and a high spin for towels. Avoid overloading, too much detergent, and fabric softener build-up.
Washing Machine Leaves Residue on Clothes
Residue is often caused by too much detergent, overloading, low water movement, short cycles, poor rinsing, or drainage issues.
Washing Machine Not Cleaning Properly
Start by reducing the load, using a suitable full-length programme, checking detergent dose, and comparing drainage or foam-related faults if laundry is soapy or wet.
Why Your Washing Machine Won't Drain
Understand the usual signs of a drainage fault, what you can safely inspect first, and when a blocked filter, hose, or pump needs professional help.
Frequently asked questions
Why do towels smell after washing?+
Towels can smell if washed too cool, overloaded, overdosed with detergent, left damp, or not dried quickly enough.
What setting removes musty smells?+
For suitable towels and bedding, a cottons cycle at 60°C can help. For the machine itself, use the maintenance or drum-clean cycle.
Can a drain problem make clothes smell?+
Yes. If water is not clearing properly, stale water and poor rinsing can contribute to smells.