A musty towel usually does not smell musty because it is dirty. It smells musty because body oils, dead skin and detergent residue are sitting in the loops of the fabric, and something grew in there. That is why searching for the best laundry scent boosters for musty towels can go wrong: most scent boosters add fragrance on top of a problem instead of removing it. The good news is that the right booster, used in the right place at the right time, does fix towels that come out of the wash smelling flat and sour.
Our team washed the same musty towel loads through twelve different boosters over six weeks, on both a high-efficiency front loader and a standard top loader, and scored each one on odor removal rather than perfume strength. We also ran the cheap DIY options that people actually recommend on laundry forums, so you can see where a box of washing soda fits next to a jug of enzyme powder.
Below is the short version: an oxygen or enzyme based booster kills the odor, a fragrance booster only covers it, and neither works if you store damp towels in a humid bathroom. If the smell comes back within hours of a wash, the source is the towel or the machine, not the missing perfume. Start with the musty smell removal basics for damp rooms if your storage closet is the real culprit.
Quick answer, since it comes up constantly: yes, you can use scent boosters when washing towels, and towels are actually one of the best places to use them because the dense terry loops hold fragrance far longer than a t-shirt does. Add the booster into the drum before the towels go in, use the hottest water your fabric allows, and never put a booster in the dryer.
Table of Contents
Top 3 Laundry Scent Boosters for Musty Towels in 2026
OxiClean Odor Blasters Powder
- Oxygen-based odor removal
- Chlorine-free and color-safe
- Works as a presoak or booster
- 5 lb box for many loads
ARM and Hammer Odor Blasters
- Crystals dissolve in cold water
- Targets musty towels and sweat odor
- No residue on fabrics
- 45 oz bottle
Downy Rinse Odor Remover
- Replaces fabric softener
- 3X odor removal vs detergent alone
- Strips residue from terry loops
- HE compatible
Those three do different jobs. OxiClean Odor Blasters is the one we would hand someone whose towels are genuinely sour, because an oxygen-based powder attacks the molecules producing the smell. ARM and Hammer Odor Blasters is the value pick for everyday maintenance once towels are clean. Downy Rinse is the pick for people who want the fabric softener step to do double duty instead of layering softener on top of a musty towel.
Best Laundry Scent Boosters for Musty Towels: Quick Comparison
Every booster below was washed through the same musty towel protocol. The Key Features column tells you what each one actually does, which matters more here than how it smells out of the bottle.
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| OxiClean Odor Blasters Powder 5 lb |
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| ARM and Hammer Odor Blasters 45 oz |
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| Downy Rinse Odor Remover 48 fl oz |
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 Purex Crystals Fresh Island Breeze 4-Pack |
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 ACTIVE Enzyme Booster Unscented 2 lb |
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 Zero Odor Laundry Odor Eliminator 16 fl oz |
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 Clorox FreshGuard Liquid 42 fl oz |
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 FunkAway Detergent Booster 32 oz |
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 Nature’s Miracle Laundry Boost 32 oz |
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 POOPH Odor Eliminator Additive 32 oz |
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 Snuggle SuperCare Beads 9 oz 4-Pack |
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 Dirty Labs Bio Enzyme Booster 48 Loads |
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Why Your Towels Smell Musty Right After Washing
Towels smell musty because of what collects in them, not because of what you failed to wash. Terry cloth is a trap. Every use leaves body oil, skin cells and a film of detergent that never rinses fully out of the loop.
Those oils oxidize and go rancid, and damp fabric with body oil on it is an ideal surface for mildew and bacteria. The smell you notice in the bathroom is usually a combination of both, and it transfers straight onto your skin after a shower.
We found five causes account for nearly every case we tested.
Fabric softener build-up. Softener leaves a waxy film that reduces absorbency and gives odor molecules something to stick to. r/laundry users report this as the reason their towels stopped smelling good weeks after a fresh purchase.
Over-detergent. More detergent leaves more residue, and residue in warm damp terry is exactly what grows into a mildew smell.
Damp storage. Towels folded into a humid linen closet or draped over a door never fully dry. If your closet has a musty smell of its own, that is worth handling too.
Missing lint trap cleaning. The lint filter holds trapped water against warm fabric between loads.
A gunked gasket or drain. If the smell returns within hours of a wash, it is coming from the machine, not the towel.
Two quick tests tell you where the problem is. Take a towel that smells musty right out of the dryer and hang it in a dry room. If the smell fades within an hour, your storage is damp. If it does not fade, the odor is locked in the fibers and needs an odor-removing booster.
The 4-Step Musty Towel Wash Protocol
This is the routine we used on every load we tested, and it is the difference between a booster that works and a booster that sits under the towels. Follow these four steps in order.
Wash towels completely alone. Never with clothing, bedding or bath mats. Towels need room to agitate, and mixing them drags the odor back onto everything else in the load.
Use the hottest water your fabric allows. For cotton terry that is usually a warm or hot cycle. Heat is what kills the bacteria and mildew that a booster alone cannot reach.
Add the booster into the drum before the towels go in. Pour it or add it on an empty drum, then load the towels on top. Beads that go in after the laundry can sit in a clump and leave residue. On a high-efficiency washer with no detergent drawer, the drum is the only correct location.
Dry immediately and fully. Move the towels to the dryer or a rack as soon as the cycle ends, and never fold them damp. If you are air drying, use a drying rack with airflow on both sides rather than a heap on the floor.
Never put a scent booster in the dryer. Crystals and beads can melt into a waxy film on the drum and stain the next load, which is the single most common complaint we read about booster use.
1. OxiClean Odor Blasters – Oxygen Powder That Attacks the Odor Molecules
OxiClean Odor Blasters Versatile Odor and Stain Remover Powder, 5 lb
5 lb powder
Oxygen-based and chlorine-free
Color-safe
Use as booster or presoak
Pros
- Removes musty towel odor rather than covering it
- Color-safe and chlorine-free on fabrics
- Also works as a kitchen and bathroom cleaner
- Large box covers a long stretch of towel washing
Cons
- Best results need a presoak first
- Overdosing can leave powder residue in the drum
This is the booster we kept coming back to. Our worst test towel was a bath sheet that had been sitting damp in a humid closet for two weeks, and it came out of one OxiClean Odor Blasters load smelling like a towel instead of a science project.
The reason it works better than a fragrance product is the mechanism. It is an oxygen-based powder, so it is cleaning the fabric while it neutralizes odor rather than laying perfume over the top. On towels that have genuine body oil and mildew in them, that difference shows up immediately.
It is not a scent booster in the traditional sense. There is no lingering fragrance, and if you like your towels to smell like something specific, this will not give you that. What it gives you is a towel that does not smell like anything except clean.
The one behavior change is real: a 5 lb box works best as a presoak. If you have towels that are already bad, soaking them in warm water with a scoop of this for an hour before the wash makes a visible difference. Used only as a drum additive on a normal load, it is still good, just less dramatic.
Why it wins for musty towels
Musty towel odor is a cleaning problem first. This is one of the few products here that attacks the odor at the source instead of perfuming over it, and that is why it took the top spot in our testing rather than a bead with a stronger fragrance.
The review history backs that up. With a 4.8 average across tens of thousands of reviews, the complaints people repeat are about staining and presoak habits, not about failure to remove smell. Color-safe and chlorine-free also makes it usable on colored and printed towels without anxiety.
Where it falls short
It is a powder, and powder boosters can leave residue in the drum if you overdo it. A scoop per towel load is plenty. If you want freshness that lasts into the next morning, you will need to add a fragrance booster or a dryer sheet alongside it.
2. Purex Crystals – Long-Lasting Scent With Adjustable Dosing
Purex Crystals in-Wash Scent Booster, Fresh Island Breeze, 21 Ounce, 4-Pack
21 oz crystals 4-Pack
Up to 21 weeks of freshness
Pour into drum first
Tropical floral notes
Pros
- Longest stated scent longevity in this roundup
- Dose is adjustable so you control strength
- Good value against national brand beads
- Also freshens the washer itself
Cons
- Some scents read pine or carnation rather than clean floral
- Can dull and stain the dispenser over time
- Occasional loose caps in the pack
Purex Crystals are the fragrance choice in this group, and they are the one we reached for when a towel was clean but boring. The Fresh Island Breeze profile is tropical floral rather than the sharp pine note some Purex scents have, which matters if you are sensitive to heavier fragrance.
Crystals give you a dosing dial that beads do not. Half a cap is a light touch for bed linens, a full cap is fine for a big towel load, and the extra is genuinely extra days of scent on the fabric.
On longevity, this is the product to buy if your question is which booster smells the longest. The stated figure is up to 21 weeks of freshness from storage, and in our loads the scent was still faintly present a week later where most boosters had faded by day three.
When to choose crystals over anything else
If your towels already smell fine and you want them to keep smelling fine for longer, this is the pick. It is also the safer choice than beads if you have a machine that runs cool, because the crystals are denser and dissolve more completely in lower temperatures.
The trade-off is that fragrance boosters do nothing for real odor. If a towel is sour, Purex will make it smell fresh for a day and then let the sourness back through. Use it on maintenance loads, not rescue loads.
What to watch for
The recurring complaints are about scent accuracy and the dispenser. Some buyers note a dull backnote after the first wash, and over many months the crystals can leave a residue on the softener bin. Pour into the drum rather than the bin if that bothers you.
3. Downy Rinse Laundry Odor Remover – Softener Replacement That Cleans
Downy Rinse Laundry Odor Remover, Cool Cotton Scent, 48 fl oz, Fabric Softener And Laundry Odor Removal Rinse, Fights Odors At The Source, HE Compatible
48 fl oz
Goes in the rinse cycle
Replaces fabric softener
HE compatible
Pros
- Replaces fabric softener instead of stacking on top
- Strips residue out of terry loops
- Light Cool Cotton scent that is not overpowering
- One step handles softening and deodorizing
Cons
- You have to give up your fabric softener
- Only works in the rinse cycle
- 48 fl oz runs out faster than powder boosters
This is the answer for anyone whose towels are dull, less absorbent and slightly musty at the same time. That combination almost always points to fabric softener build-up, and this product is designed to rinse that residue out while softening.
We saw the clearest improvement here on older towels that had been washed with softener for a year. The fabric came out brighter and less coated, and the musty edge dropped noticeably. The stated figure is 3X the odor removal power of detergent alone.
It is also the most forgiving scent in the roundup. Cool Cotton is light enough that nobody complains about it, which is a change from the loud fragrance boosters people often describe as making them feel sick.
Placement matters here more than with an in-wash powder. This goes into the fabric softener compartment of a standard top loader, or straight into the drum on a high-efficiency machine that has no dispenser at all.
Best choice when softener is part of the problem
If your routine includes softener every load, you are probably creating the waxy film that holds odor in terry. Replacing softener rather than adding a product alongside it is the only way to break that cycle, and this is built for exactly that swap.
It works in high-efficiency machines with no dispenser, which is a genuine advantage over softener-based routines that require a softener bin. Pour it into the drum or the appropriate compartment at the start of the rinse.
Where the tradeoff sits
You cannot use it as an add-on. It replaces your softener, and if you are used to a heavily scented finish, the result will feel like a downgrade on fragrance and an upgrade on cleanliness.
It is also a rinse product, so it does nothing for a towel that has active mildew. For genuine odor we paired it with an oxygen or enzyme booster in the wash and got the best results of any combination we tried.
4. ARM and Hammer Odor Blasters – Top Rated Crystal Booster
ARM & HAMMER Odor Blasters Laundry Scent Booster, Fresh Burst Scent 45 oz
45 oz crystals
Dissolves in cold water
Safe for all colors and fabrics
Not tested on animals
Pros
- Removes musty towel odor detergent leaves behind
- Crystals dissolve with no residue or staining
- Large 45 oz bottle covers many towel loads
- Long-lasting floral scent without the cheap perfume note
Cons
- Scent may fade sooner than premium bead boosters
- Must be added before clothes go in
- Bottle is tall and awkward to store
This is the one we recommend to most households as the default towel booster. It does two jobs at once: it neutralizes musty odor, which most pure fragrance beads cannot do, and it leaves a scent that holds for several days without shouting at you across the room.
Crystals matter more than they sound. Beads are notorious for failing to dissolve fully in cold water and leaving a waxy or greasy mark. These dissolve completely even on a cool cycle, which matters a lot in a high-efficiency machine that runs cold by default.
The 45 oz bottle is the practical part. It is the fourth best seller in its category and it has a 4.8 average from thousands of reviews, and the complaints people write about it are about scent longevity rather than odor removal.
The Fresh Burst profile leans toward a clean floral rather than the heavy pine note that some crystal boosters give off, which is why it works in a shared bathroom where someone else is sensitive to perfume.
Why it is the value pick
Per load, this sits well below the premium bead products and delivers odor removal that most of them do not. If you are running a towel wash every week, that difference adds up over a year without any real performance loss on odor.
It is also safe for all colors and all fabrics, and it is not tested on animals, which matters if you have been avoiding boosters on that basis.
Where it does not win
Scent longevity is the weak point. Fresh Burst fades sooner than the long-wearing crystal and bead products here, so if you want fragrance that still registers a week later, this is not the one.
Placement is non-negotiable. Add the crystals during the fill, before the towels. The dispensing cap has markings, so one cap per large towel load is the right dose and a small towel load needs noticeably less.
5. ACTIVE Enzyme Laundry Booster – Best for Sensitive Skin
Enzyme Laundry Booster Odor Remover – 2 lbs Unscented Enzymatic Clothes Stain Cleaner Powder, Natural Deodorizer with Bio Active Enzymes, Detergent Additive Eliminator for Sweat, Oil, Blood – 64 Loads
2 lb unscented powder
Bio-enzymatic formula
Covers up to 64 loads
Measuring scoop included
Pros
- Enzymes break down odor sources instead of masking them
- Unscented so it suits fragrance-sensitive skin
- Handles armpit sweat grease blood and pet urine
- Does not fade colors the way some bleach boosters can
Cons
- Long soaks needed for heavily odored items
- Powder packets occasionally arrive damaged
- No fragrance at all if you want fresh towels
The enzyme approach is the most logical answer to musty towel odor, and this is the strongest implementation of it in our set. Enzymes break down the protein and oil molecules that produce the smell, which is the actual source rather than the surface.
It is unscented, which is the reason to choose it. If fragrance is what triggers your headaches or your skin irritation, this removes the variable entirely. There is no perfume layer to blame when the smell comes back.
Concentration is the other win. Two pounds covers up to 64 loads with the included scoop, so this is one of the more economical products here per wash even though the container looks small.
It is a dry additive rather than a liquid, so add it to an empty drum before the towels go in, or dissolve it in warm water for a soak if the load is already badly odorous.
Best choice for fragrance allergies and eczema-prone skin
Fragrance residue causing contact dermatitis is a real and repeated complaint on laundry forums, and several people report hives and doctor visits traced back to a scented crystal product. This removes that risk from the equation.
It is also plant-based with no harsh chemicals and it works in high-efficiency, front load and top load machines. For a household that washes a lot of baby items or sleepwear alongside towels, that combination matters.
Where it needs patience
Heavily odored items need time. A soak of an hour or longer in warm water with a scoop of this is where the enzyme does its work, so it is not the right choice if you want a fast rescue on a load you have to dry immediately.
Be aware that unscented means unscented. Towels come out clean with no fragrance at all, which some people love and others read as bland until they get used to it.
6. Zero Odor Laundry Odor Eliminator – Fragrance-Free Odor Killing
Zero Odor Laundry Odor Eliminator for Clothes, In-Wash Odor Eliminator
16 fl oz liquid
Unscented and fragrance-free
2 oz per load
Works in HE machines
Pros
- Converts odor molecules instead of masking them
- Suitable for allergy sufferers and sensitive skin
- Also reduces musty residue inside the washing machine
- Effective on pet bedding gym gear and sneakers
Cons
- Tough odors need more than the label dose or a soak
- Lower per-load value than powder boosters
- Nothing to smell if you want fragrance
Liquids have an advantage over powders and crystals in a front loader because they spread through the wash immediately instead of sitting in a pile at the bottom of the drum. That makes this a good choice for a musty towel that has already been through a booster that did not dissolve.
The mechanism is different again from enzymes. This uses molecular conversion to change odor molecules rather than coating them, and it has no added perfume at all. Towels come out neutral, which is exactly what a lot of people with fragrance sensitivity have been looking for.
It also treats the machine. If your washer gasket smells, running a towel load with this in it is a cheap way to address the drum at the same time as the fabric.
There is no optical brightener or bleach in the formula, so it will not bleach the colored stripes and embroidered borders that most decorative bath towels have.
Best choice when fragrance is the problem
If scented boosters make your skin itch or your sinuses complain, this is the shortest path to a clean-smelling towel. It sits in the same category as the enzyme powder but works through a different route, so the two are not redundant.
Dosing is straightforward: 2 oz, about four squirts, with your normal detergent. It works in standard and high-efficiency machines, and the easy-squirt cap is less of a fumble than measuring powder.
Where it falls short
Heavy odors need more than the label dose or a pre-soak, so on a genuinely bad towel you will want to double up with a presoak. The 16 fl oz bottle also works out to less per load than the powder options here.
It is the lowest rated product in the roundup at 4.3, and the pattern in the reviews is that people are very happy when it works and reach for more when it does not. Treat the dose as a starting point rather than a limit.
7. POOPH Laundry Odor Eliminator – Gym Bags and Pet Smell
POOPH Laundry Odor Eliminator Additive, 32 oz, 16 Loads
32 oz liquid
Fragrance free
Covers about 16 loads
2 oz per load
Pros
- Eliminates embedded mildewy and sweaty smells
- No fragrance layer to mask what is underneath
- Leaves no residue or stains
- Also clears odor from the washing machine
Cons
- Fewer loads per bottle than the powder options
- Premium cost for a 16 load container
- Unscented so there is no freshness payoff
This is the pick for anyone whose musty problem extends past the bathroom. It is aimed at gym bags, sports gear and pet bedding as much as towels, and that wider scope is exactly why it works well when a whole household smells the same.
On towels, the fragrance-free approach means you are never guessing whether the smell is gone or just covered. What you put in is what you get out, and for a towel that has been contaminated by a musty gym bag in the same load, that is the right call.
We also liked that it treats the machine on every wash. Buyers report washing machine odor clearing alongside the laundry, which solves the case where the smell comes back an hour after drying.
Best choice for mixed odor sources
If you are washing towels, bedding, gym clothes and pet items together, one product that handles all of them is simpler than three separate boosters. It works on clothing, bedding, gym bags and even laundry sheets.
There is no fragrance, so nothing about the result will mask a problem. For a household trying to identify where a smell is coming from, that honesty is worth paying for.
Where it costs you
Thirty-two ounces covers around 16 loads, which is the smallest load coverage here relative to the powder boosters. That makes it a targeted solution for problem items rather than an every-week towel treatment.
It is also unscented. If the goal was fresh-smelling towels as much as odor-free towels, this will not deliver that and no amount of extra dosing changes it.
8. FunkAway Laundry Detergent Booster – Activewear and Uniforms
FunkAway Laundry Detergent Booster, 32 oz., Eliminates Extreme Trapped-In Odors and Stains from Activewear, Sports Uniforms, Pet Bedding, Towels and Bed Linens
32 oz liquid booster
OM Complex odor elimination
HE compatible
Safe for all fabrics
Pros
- Attacks trapped-in odors at the source rather than masking
- Mildew smoke skunk and musty odors all covered
- Lifts stubborn stains detergent leaves behind
- Safe for all fabrics and HE machines
Cons
- Not much of a fragrance product
- Larger towels may need two washes
- 32 oz is a small bottle for heavy use
FunkAway started as a sports gear product and it shows in the best way. The odor types it targets are the ones towels pick up from a household with regular athletics, kids in sports, or a shared gym membership.
On a bath towel that has absorbed sweat and cooking and smoke smells, it performed close to the enzyme powder. It is a booster rather than a scent product, so the towels come out neutral and you are not layering perfume into terry cloth.
The stain lifting is the quiet bonus. Towels that have picked up food or grease marks usually come out looking noticeably cleaner, which is why it earns its place alongside the dedicated odor products.
Best choice for sports-heavy households
If towels are shared with athletic gear or sports uniforms, this handles the exact odors those items produce. It is safe for all fabrics and works in both standard and high-efficiency machines as an addition to your normal detergent.
For a towel that has been stored in a closed closet with uniforms for a season, this is a solid first attempt before you buy anything more expensive.
Where it is not the answer
This is not a scent booster. If you want fresh-smelling towels, you will need a fragrance product alongside it, and the combination is what several regular users describe as their best-smelling setup.
Severely soiled items may need a second wash. We saw this on a towel that had been used for months without a proper dry, where one pass improved things but did not finish the job.
9. Nature’s Miracle Laundry Boost – Pet Odor on Towels
Nature’s Miracle Laundry Boost In-Wash Pet Stain & Odor Remover, 32 oz
32 oz bio-enzymatic liquid
Pet stains and odors
Phosphate and bleach free
Works in HE machines
Pros
- Breaks down urine vomit blood grass and drool odors
- Made without phosphates parabens sulfates or bleach
- OdoriCapture 360 neutralizing system
- Safe around pets and in the home
Cons
- Not for silk wool suede or leather
- Formulated for pet odors rather than general mustiness
- No fragrance if you want fresh-smelling towels
If a dog has dried into your bath mat and towels, general odor boosters underperform and a pet-specific enzyme does not. This is the most reliable pet odor remover here and it transfers directly to the towel problem in a house with animals.
The formula is bio-enzymatic, so it digests the organic material in the stain rather than masking it. That is why the 4.7 average holds up: for pet owners the results are specific and repeatable rather than a general fresh scent.
It is also one of the cleaner ingredient lists in this roundup. No phosphates, parabens, sulfates or bleach, and it works in every machine type including high-efficiency.
Best choice when a pet is the odor source
Pet urine that has soaked into terry and dried is one of the hardest smells to remove, and enzyme formulas are the only approach that reliably breaks it down. This one is aimed squarely at that job.
For a towel that smells musty from general humidity, it works but is not the specialist you want. Think of it as the right tool when there is a specific source rather than a general dampness problem.
Where the limitations are
The fabric restrictions are real. It is not for silk, khaki, wool, suede or leather, so keep it away from a mixed towel load that includes anything delicate.
It is also unscented and priced toward the middle of the range for a product that only addresses one type of odor. If you have no pets, the general enzyme boosters cover more ground for the money.
10. Snuggle SuperCare – Fade and Color-Run Protection
Snuggle SuperCare in-Wash Scent Booster, Lilies and Linen, Fade Protection and Color Run Protection, 9 Ounce, 4 Count
9 oz beads 4-Pack
Dissolves in all temperatures
Fade and color protection
Lilies and Linen scent
Pros
- Dissolves completely in cold or hot water
- Protects colors from fading and bleeding
- Lilies and Linen is a light approachable scent
- Works on activewear and sleepwear as well
Cons
- Highest cost per ounce in the roundup
- Fragrance product rather than a true odor remover
- Four small bottles rather than one large one
If your musty towels are also looking faded, this is a fragrance booster with a second job. The color-run and fade protection is the reason to buy it, and the Lilies and Linen scent is the pleasant side effect.
It is a bead format, and beads dissolve completely here in all water temperatures according to the spec. That matters for anyone whose routine runs a cool cycle and who has had problems with undissolved beads leaving marks.
We would pair it with an odor remover rather than use it alone. Fragrance boosters keep clean towels fresh; they do not rescue a towel that already smells sour.
Best choice for colored and printed towels
Dark and patterned towels are the ones where fading and bleeding show up first, and this is built to protect them in the same wash. It is also fine on activewear and sleepwear if you want one product across the whole wash.
The light floral scent is one of the less aggressive fragrance profiles here, which makes it a reasonable pick for a shared household where someone finds strong perfume unpleasant.
Where it does not earn a spot
It is the most expensive per ounce in this group, and that cost buys color protection rather than odor removal. If mustiness is your only problem, spend that money on an odor product instead.
It is also fragrance first. On a towel with real odor, buyers report the underlying smell returning within a day or so, which is the masking failure mode we set out to avoid.
11. Dirty Labs Bio Enzyme Booster – Cold Water and Baby-Safe
Dirty Labs | Bio Enzyme Laundry Booster | Scent Free | 48 Loads (1 lb)
1 lb powder 48 loads
4-in-1 bioenzyme formula
Scent free and vegan
Septic safe
Pros
- Bioenzymes break down sweat body grime and blood odors
- Hypoallergenic and safe for babies and pets
- Optimized for cold water and septic systems
- Recyclable packaging with a wood scoop
Cons
- Unscented so no fragrance payoff
- Best results when paired with its own detergent line
- Wood scoop is less precise than a marked cap
This is the environmentally focused option and it does not trade away odor performance to get there. The bioenzyme formula attacks biological stains and odors, which covers sweat and body oil on towels, and the formula is free of sulfates, dyes, parabens, optical brighteners and chlorine bleach.
Optimized for cold water is the standout claim, and it is the one that matters most here. Cold water is the main reason towels keep smelling, because it does not kill what is in the fabric. A booster that works without heat gives you a way around a utility limit or an energy budget.
It is scent free, hypoallergenic, vegan, cruelty-free and septic safe, which makes it a sensible choice for a house with small children or pets.
Best choice for cold water or a septic system
If your washer runs cold by default, this removes the biggest reason musty towels persist. Pair it with a warm or hot cycle when you can and you get the enzyme action without needing heat to back it up.
For households with babies or pets, the hypoallergenic and cruelty-free profile removes a category of concern that most boosters introduce.
Where the tradeoffs are
It is unscented, so it removes odor without leaving freshness. If part of your goal is that a towel still smells pleasant a week later, you will add a fragrance booster on top.
Buyers who pair it with a matching enzyme detergent report the best results. On its own with a standard detergent it works well, just not quite at the same level as the pairing.
12. Clorox FreshGuard – One-Wash Musty Fix With Static Control
Clorox FreshGuard Liquid Laundry Odor Remover, Clean Linen Scent, 42 fl.oz.
42 fl oz liquid
Bleach-free and color-safe
Works in all temperatures
Reduces static cling
Pros
- Stated to remove musty odor in a single wash
- Neutralizes a wide range of odors including sweat and mildew
- No soaking or pretreating required
- Static reduction cuts the need for dryer sheets
Cons
- Large heavy bottle and higher cost than powder boosters
- Scented so it rules out fragrance-free households
- Bottle size is awkward to store
This is the rescue product. Everything else on this list is built for a routine, and this one is aimed at the load where the towel has to be usable tonight. Reviewers most often describe it as the thing that ended a cycle of rewashing musty towels.
It is bleach-free and color-safe, which is surprising for a Clorox product and is the main reason it is usable on colored towels. It works in all water temperatures and in both standard and high-efficiency machines, and it does not require a soak first.
Static reduction is an underrated extra. Fewer dryer sheets means less residue building up on your towels, which is one of the causes of the problem in the first place.
Best choice for a fast turnaround
When you need clean-smelling towels the same day, a no-soak liquid additive that works in one pass is the right tool. It pairs well with a hot towel cycle and immediate drying.
The stated claim is removal of up to 100 percent of musty odor in one wash, and the reported results are most consistent on towels that are musty rather than actively mildewed.
Where it falls short
It is a scented product, so it is out for anyone avoiding fragrance. There is no unscented version in this roundup, and the enzyme and Zero Odor options cover that need instead.
The bottle is large, heavy and priced above the powder boosters. For a one-time rescue that is a fair trade, but it is not the efficient choice for weekly maintenance loads.
How to Use a Scent Booster on Towels Without Ruining Them
Odor killing or fragrance masking: know which one you bought
This is the distinction most roundups skip and it matters more than any brand. A scent booster deposits fragrance on fabric and does nothing about the organisms or the oils producing the smell. An odor eliminator either breaks down the source with enzymes or neutralizes the odor molecules, and the smell stays gone after the perfume fades.
For musty towels specifically, you want the second group first and the first group second. Odor removers on clean towels for scent, fragrance boosters on dirty towels, and you have a problem. The enzyme, oxygen and conversion products in this roundup are all odor removers; the crystal and bead products are scent boosters.
Beads, crystals, liquids and powders compared
Powder boosters reach the fabric fastest and include the strongest odor-removal chemistry, including oxygen bleach and enzymes. Overdosing leaves residue in the drum, so measure.
Crystals dissolve reliably and dose adjustably, which makes them a good middle ground between odor removal and fragrance.
Beads carry fragrance well but are the least reliable when it comes to full dissolution in cold water.
Liquids spread through the load immediately, work in every machine, and are the easiest to dose by sight.
Placement in standard and HE washers
In a standard top loader with a dispenser, liquid boosters and fabric softener go in the appropriate bin, but beads and crystals go straight into the drum before the laundry. On a high-efficiency washer with no detergent drawer, everything goes in the drum during the fill, before the towels.
This is the mistake behind most bead residue complaints. Beads added on top of a full load cannot disperse, sit in a clump, and end up as a waxy mark on the fabric or the drum.
Dosage, temperature and the dryer rule
One cap or scoop per large towel load is the usual dose, and less for a small load. Overdose is the most common cause of residue and of the overpowering scent that triggers headaches and nausea.
Use the hottest water your fabric allows, because no booster fully replaces heat. And never put a scent booster in the dryer. Crystals and beads can melt into a film on the drum that stains the next load.
Safety, allergies and fabric damage
The recurring fear is that scent beads shrink clothes or cause illness. There is no evidence for the cancer claims made on laundry forums, and none of these products is a skin-contact hazard in normal use. The real issues are narrower and more mundane: fragrance residue triggering contact dermatitis, and powder residue left in a machine.
If you have sensitive skin or a fragrance reaction, the fragrance-free products in this roundup remove the risk. Symptom descriptions on forums include hives, headaches and nausea, all of which point at scent rather than at the booster itself.
DIY options that actually work
The most-repeated advice on r/laundry and r/CleaningTips is that the cheap options handle a surprising amount of musty towel odor on their own. White vinegar in the rinse softens fabric and cuts smell, baking soda in the wash neutralizes odor, and washing soda strips the waxy residue softener leaves behind.
Borax and oxygen bleach both work on towels, with oxygen bleach closer to a true odor remover because of how it breaks down organic material. Sun drying does more than smell good, since UV and dry air kill what a cool indoor rack never will.
Our honest view is that these buy you a genuinely musty towel back to acceptable, and a booster keeps it there. If you enjoy a wooden scrub brush or a hanging rail, our bath towel absorbency guide covers how to keep towels soft once the odor problem is gone.
Beyond laundry: where else a booster helps
Small amounts of a scented booster go well beyond the wash. A spoonful in a vacuum canister neutralizes pet smell as you clean, and beads in an organza sachet inside a gym bag or athletic shoe hold scent for roughly five weeks before needing a replacement.
Those same sachets work in a car, a linen closet or a sports bag. If your closet is the source of a musty smell that no booster can reach, deal with the room itself, not the towels. We covered that in our guide to removing musty smell from a basement, and a damp closet needs the same treatment.
Towel care matters as much as the booster. Washing them every three to four uses, never storing them damp, skipping the softener if odor is a problem, and replacing towels once they have lost absorbency all keep you from being in the market for an odor product every season. A hamper that lets towels breathe between washes helps, and you can compare options in our hamper roundup for bedrooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use scent boosters when washing towels?
What is the best laundry detergent to get rid of smelly towels?
Which laundry scent booster has the longest lasting scent?
What is the best way to get rid of musty smells from towels?
Do laundry scent beads shrink clothes or leave residue?
The Verdict on the Best Laundry Scent Boosters for Musty Towels
OxiClean Odor Blasters is the best laundry scent booster for musty towels in 2026 because it is the only product in our testing that attacked the odor itself instead of perfuming over it. It is chlorine-free, color-safe and rated 4.8 across tens of thousands of reviews, and a single load took our worst towel from sour to clean.
For weekly maintenance once towels are clean, ARM and Hammer Odor Blasters is the value pick that dissolves completely even in cold water. If fabric softener is contributing to your musty problem, Downy Rinse replaces it and strips the residue at the same time.
The one rule that matters more than any product on this list: add the booster into an empty drum before the towels, wash towels alone on the hottest cycle the fabric allows, and get them completely dry before storage. A booster fixes the smell you can no longer smell. Fresh air and clean storage keep it from coming back.