How to Fix a Knitted Item That Smells After Washing

A knitted item that smells after washing is more common than you'd think — and usually completely fixable. The smell tells you what's happening inside the fibre: wet wool smell, mildew from incomplete drying, smoke or storage odour, or just a product residue. Each cause has a specific fix. Let's go through them.

Wet Wool Smell (Wet Dog / Barn Smell)

This is the most common complaint, and the most benign. Natural, non-superwash wool contains lanolin and natural animal proteins. When wet, these can release a smell often described as "wet dog," "barn," or "sheep." It's completely normal and not a sign that anything is wrong.

The smell will fade completely as the item dries. If it's bothering you during the wash, add a wool wash product with a pleasant scent — Eucalan, Soak, and similar products are designed specifically for this and require no rinsing. Alternatively, after your final rinse water runs clear, add a few drops of lavender essential oil to a bowl of cool water, submerge the knitting for a few minutes, gently press out the water, and block as normal. The lavender will persist faintly through drying.

If the smell is particularly strong even after drying, the fibre may be lower-grade wool with more lanolin than high-end merino. This isn't a defect — it's a characteristic of some breeds (Jacob, Shetland, and Icelandic wools can all have this quality). The smell fades with wear and washing over time.

Superwash-treated wool has had its scales chemically or mechanically modified to prevent felting. As a side effect, much of the natural lanolin is removed, so superwash wool rarely has the wet dog smell at all.

Mildew Smell (Damp or Musty)

A mildew smell means the knitting didn't dry fully before it was put away, used, or folded. Mildew is a fungal growth that develops on damp fibre kept in low-airflow conditions — even slightly damp for long enough is enough.

This requires more active treatment than just re-washing.

Fill a basin with cool water and add white vinegar in a 4:1 ratio (4 parts water, 1 part vinegar). The vinegar is mildly acidic and effective against mildew.

Submerge the item and soak for 30 minutes.

Drain and rinse thoroughly with cool clean water until no vinegar smell remains. A gentle wool wash product in the final rinse helps neutralise the vinegar scent.

Gently press — do not wring — to remove excess water. Roll in a clean dry towel and press to absorb more moisture.

Block flat on a dry surface with maximum airflow around the item. A drying rack or mesh drying mat is ideal. Do not block on a surface that traps moisture underneath (like a solid table with the item lying directly on it).

Allow at least 48 hours to dry — longer for thick or dense items. Check that the thickest parts (neck, seams, cuffs) are fully dry before storing.

If the mildew smell persists after this treatment, repeat with a slightly higher vinegar concentration. Severe mildew can permanently weaken wool fibre — if the item feels noticeably weaker or deteriorated after treatment, the damage is structural and may not be reversible.

Smoke or Strong Storage Smell

Cigarette smoke, campfire smell, charity-shop mustiness, or the chemical smell from long storage in plastic can all penetrate wool fibre deeply. Protein fibres are particularly good at absorbing and holding odours, which is why a vintage wool sweater from a charity shop can smell strongly of its previous owner even after washing.

Fill a basin with cool water and dissolve 2 tablespoons of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) in it. Baking soda is alkaline and neutralises acidic odours like smoke.

Soak the item for 1–2 hours.

Drain, rinse thoroughly with cool water, and add a wool wash product in the final rinse to restore the fabric's natural slight acidity.

Block and dry fully as above.

For very stubborn smoke smell, repeat the process. You can also try adding a small amount of activated charcoal (available from pharmacies or aquarium suppliers) to a bag with the dry item — activated charcoal absorbs odours passively. Seal the bag and leave for several days.

Important: Avoid washing wool in hot water or with detergents not designed for wool — this applies especially when dealing with problem smells when you might be tempted to "really clean" the item. Hot water and agitation cause wool to felt and shrink. Cool water, gentle handling, and appropriate products are always the method, regardless of how bad the smell is.

Smell from Wool Wash Product Build-Up

Occasionally, using too much wool wash product or not rinsing thoroughly enough leaves a residue that smells slightly synthetic or perfumed after drying. The fix is straightforward: re-soak in plain cool water for 20 minutes with no products added, then rinse and dry fully.

For future washes, use a smaller amount of wool wash — a few drops is genuinely enough for a basin-sized soak. Many wool wash products (Eucalan in particular) are designed to be used without rinsing at all, but they still require thoroughly pressing the water out so residue doesn't build up in the fibres.

Preventing Smell Problems

Always dry completely before storing. The single most important rule. If in doubt, give it another 12 hours on the blocking mat.

Don't block in a basement or bathroom. Humid spaces slow drying significantly and encourage mildew. Block in a dry room with good air circulation.

Use a fan if needed. Pointing a fan at the drying item speeds up drying dramatically, especially for bulky items or those blocking in winter when ambient air is cool.

Separate wet items from dry storage. Never put a damp knitted item in a drawer with dry clothes or other knitting.

Store natural fibre items loosely. Tightly packed storage restricts airflow and can trap any residual moisture.

Not sure if your item can be saved? Describe the problem to Emma and she'll tell you →