Why Does My Rug Smell After Washing?

Almost always one of four things, and three of them are about drying rather than washing.

1. It did not dry fast enough

A rug left damp for more than about a day starts to smell musty. It is bacterial and it is the most common cause by a distance. Get air moving around it — hang it rather than laying it flat, open a window, put a fan on it.

2. Too much detergent

Excess detergent does not rinse out. It stays in the fibre, attracts dirt, and holds moisture. Use the normal dose for a small load, not a large one, and run an extra rinse if you have overdone it.

3. The machine itself

If the smell is on everything and not just the rug, it is the washing machine. Run an empty 90°C cycle with a machine cleaner, and clean the door seal and the detergent drawer.

4. Something was not removed before washing

Pet accidents in particular. Detergent does not break down uric acid, so the rug comes out clean and starts smelling again as soon as it is humid. Treat with an enzyme cleaner and rewash.

What not to do

Do not use fabric softener to cover it. Softener coats the fibre, reduces the backing's grip, and traps the smell rather than removing it.