Value Village ／ Clothing
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
"I washed it and it still smells" and "my towels have gone stiff" are complaints heard everywhere. In Japan's hot, humid climate they happen especially easily. This article sorts out a common misunderstanding about fabric softener, and what is known about the bacteria behind the smell (*Moraxella*).
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cause of the smell | Skin oil and dead skin that the wash did not remove are broken down by bacteria (*Moraxella* and others) while the towel is damp. This is the main cause of "damp-dry smell" (生乾き臭, namakawaki-shū) |
| Detergent | The stated dose. Too much leaves residue in the fibres, which feeds the bacteria |
| Fabric softener | Coats the fibres, so absorbency and cleaning both drop. If you use it, once every few washes, at the stated dose |
| Temperature | Hot water at 40–60°C (104–140°F) removes bacteria and skin oil more easily (check the care label). A soak in powdered oxygen bleach (酸素系漂白剤, sanso-kei hyōhakuzai) also works |
| Drying | Hang the wash as soon as it finishes (leaving it in the drum lets bacteria multiply). A tumble dryer (60°C or above) reduces bacteria |
| How to hang | Spread out, with air moving through. Shake the towel a few times before hanging to lift the pile |
| When to replace | Smell comes back after washing, no longer absorbs, fraying. A rough guide is 1–2 years (depends on how often it is used) |
[Verify] The explanation of *Moraxella* is based on research published by detergent makers (Kao, Lion and others). Check the care symbols against the Consumer Affairs Agency's "Care labelling" page.
Softener has no cleaning power. Because it lowers absorbency and gets in the way of removing dirt, the guide for towels is once every few washes.
Too much detergent leaves residue after rinsing and makes things worse. The cause is the bacteria left behind, and the answer is heat, bleach and drying.
The bacteria stay in the dry towel and smell again as soon as it gets wet. Reset the towel with a soak in oxygen bleach (40–50°C, 30 minutes to 1 hour) or a wash at 60°C.
Towels carry a lot of skin oil and dead skin, and can pass bacteria to other clothes. Washing towels together on their own in hot water is a method widely shared among people living in Japan.
Usually the pile is flattened or detergent is left in the fibres. It often comes back if you add a rinse, shake before hanging, or give it a short spell in the dryer. When a towel stops absorbing, it is at the end of its life.
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https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/representation/household_goods/guide/wash_02.html
https://jsda.org/w/index.html
https://www.kao.com/jp/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Follow the care label and the maker's instructions for any garment, shoe or bag. For expensive or sentimental items, ask a specialist cleaner or repairer.
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