Dear Heloise: My daughter and I both have the same problem. After laundering and drying the bathroom towels and using them one or two times, they smell sour. Is there something we can add to the detergent to eliminate this?—Pat Mader of Ohio

This is a common problem, and one that we get asked over and over. Sour-smelling towels and washcloths can be caused by a few things. Overloading the washing machine is usually the culprit. Hint: Wash fewer towels at a time, and use a high water-level setting and even a second rinse.

To try to remove the sour smell, wash in hot wat...

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