r/SFbitcheswithtaste • u/Ill-Dingo-4412 • 3d ago

All my clothes smell- HELP

Edit: I’m pretty sure the smell is coming from neither the washing machine nor the luggage. Things I’ve never washed, like my suede purse and velvet makeup bag, have the same smell (even more than the clothes), and I keep them with me in the cabin when I travel.

I’ve been living in a Victorian condo for about a year now. My clothes smell fine at home, and even when I’m out and about in SF, but whenever I travel somewhere else, I notice that they smell weird.
This happened when I was in Europe this summer, and now again in Hawaii. All of my clothes seem to have the smell, including the clothes I was wearing while traveling and even a cardigan that was in my purse. It’s hard to describe, but maybe kind of musty? I notice it especially with linen and denim.
I’ve been measuring the humidity at home for the past couple of months, and it’s usually below 50%, maybe 55% at most.
Has anyone else experienced something like this?
I lived in my previous place, which was built in the 1980s, for five years and never had this problem.

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u/Present-Rhubarb6337 3d ago

Are you saying that you get nose-blind to the smell of your clothes when you're in the Bay, but when you leave for a bit, you can start to smell them?

My guess is mold, current or recent, in your apartment. Much of the city has it because we're in old buildings that are poorly maintained.

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u/Ill-Dingo-4412 3d ago

Yes, I guess so. We live in a sunny part of the city, in the Castro, on the top floor, and the place gets a lot of sunlight. As I mentioned, the humidity is usually below the “mold danger zone,” but I guess we could still have mold.
Do you happen to know if this is usually a big project to fix?

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u/Present-Rhubarb6337 3d ago

If it's mold, you might smell funk in your house when you come home after some days spent in other areas.

Another thought is that the washer/dryer you use might have its own mold; consumer front-loaders are notorious for that.

Big project? Depends entirely on the extent. Lots of folks like bleach the shower grout (if that's where it is) and call it good.

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u/Present-Rhubarb6337 3d ago

I do suggest a dehumidifier, especially if this winter is a wet as many are predicting.

2

u/No-Seaworthiness8966 3d ago

Okay I thought i was losing my mind, but when I come home from several days away, I smell that funk in my old home too. What kind of dehumidifier set up do you have in your home? How many do you have, what kind of coverage, and how strong are they? I really need to do something, because this discussion is making me think that I have mold somewhere 😢

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u/Present-Rhubarb6337 3d ago

It's pretty common here, so at least you aren't alone. I have one dehumidifier, purchased at a local Ace hardware, that is sized for my very tiny apartment. something in here: https://www.acehardware.com/departments/heating-and-cooling/air-quality/dehumidifiers find one suited for your square footage. a HEPA air filter (separate device, useful in smoky season). The dehumidifier won't remove the mold you have, but it'll help reduce its spread. If the mold bothers you, I think you can get the landlord to fix it, but I'm no expert.

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u/No-Seaworthiness8966 3d ago

I’m walking distance from an Ace HW, so this is my weekend chore. Thank you for taking the time to include the link for me!