Don’t throw that wet towel in the hamper!

It might seem harmless, but tossing wet laundry into your hamper can ruin it—and anything it touches. We’re careful to keep clean clothes dry in the drawer, yet often forget this logic for dirty laundry. Letting “wet dirty clothes” sit still for days is one of the most common (and costly) laundry mistakes we see.

The stink.

If you know you’ll do laundry within 24 hours, a wet towel might be fine. But left longer, trapped moisture breeds mildew and bacteria—and they spread fast. Within 24–48 hours your laundry will reek, and rescuing it requires an intense wash (like our 44-minute deep clean with extra OxiClean). The longer it sits, the worse its chances of survival.

The damage.

After about 48 hours in warm, still air, mildew spores can actually start eating the fabric. We’ve seen this ruin towels, workout gear, and more. If opening the bag makes you hesitate, that’s probably when it’s too late—discard it and save yourself the heartbreak.

Other reasons to keep laundry dry:

Color bleeding – Dyes hold during a normal wash, but can bleed when items sit wet together for days.

Extra weight – Wet laundry can weigh twice as much. Save your back—only carry dry weight.

So, how do you keep your laundry dry?

Here are three easy ways to stop damp clothes from turning into a disaster:

1. Hang-dry at home

Set up a simple system for air-drying damp items before they hit the hamper. Have one spot for “clean but drying” (fresh laundry that isn’t fully dry yet) and one for “dirty but drying” (used items that just happen to be wet).

This separation makes it clear what needs to be washed and what’s just finishing drying. A foldable drying rack or a retractable clothesline works great—and takes up almost no space. (At Big Waves, we use both for certain customer items.)

2. Wash right away if it’s dirty and wet

If an item is both dirty and damp—like a sweaty gym shirt or a kid’s outfit covered in spilled juice—wash it immediately. If it’s just one or two items, do a quick hand wash and hang them to dry. Acting fast keeps mildew from getting a head start.

3. Dry items that are clean-but-wet first

Never put dirty wet clothes straight into the dryer (it’s bad for your dryer and your clothes). But if you’ve got clean-but-wet things—like towels from a pool day—give them a quick dry cycle before tossing them into the hamper.

Bottom line: A few small habits—dry first, wash fast, and separate damp items—can save your clothes (and your nose) from mildew trouble.