How do you get rid of musty smell in clothes?

I have some clothes & toys that have been stored in a wet basement. They are now musty (no visible mold). Does anyone have a really good solution for getting this smell out? We do not want to cover it with perfumes, and bleach would most likely ruin some of the items.

Open to ideas...

Wash in the washing machine in the hottest water possible, then dry in the dryer until bone dry. You may have to do it a couple times and a tiny touch of bleach...maybe a tablespoon...wouldn't hurt.

I had towels that were left in the dryer, damp, for too long, do that years ago. Try as I might, I could never get the smell out. They'd come out of the wash smelling normal, but as soon as you used them and they got the least bit damp they'd smell again.

Good luck, and if you do find a solution that works for you, please share what it is.

I'm a big believer in sunshine. Wrong time of year but if you get a dry brilliant sunny day hours in the sun and wind can really help if they aren't too far gone. Good luck!

Sometimes washing with white vinegar can help. It really depends, some fabrics seem to hold the smell more than others.

I don't know...there are leather cowboy boots (from our wedding) :crying: and knits in there too. The toys can't all go in the wash...

I got looking online to see what is available for such a problem. Some of these things have been smelly for some time already. These are the products that I found:
http://noodor.com/p/moisture-absorbing-dehumidifier-control-remove-dry.html#.UogbuuKl7YQ
http://www.whatproducts.com/faq/
http://www.smellywasher.com/products?product_id=88

It sounds as if they might work (yes, they claim they work over all else), but they seem reasonably priced to buy once to try them out, depending on the shipping and if they actually ship here. I know that reviews can just be paid advertisements.

I've tried vinegar and also sun in the past on similar items with no good resolution. I think that I also tried baking soda, borax and washing soda, individually and apart, including a soak. One thing that I did find helped when I had a musty cheesecloth was soaking it in milk. It was not in a musty place for very long, however. We don't have that option at the moment anyway, and it would take a whole dairy to do that. Where to find a dairy who will supply an unspecified and unending supply of raw milk? whizzle I am sure that some items would not do so well in that anyway.

I am very tempted to buy a bit of each of these and compare them. What do you all think?

Tide packets...they used to sell them, and i have been unable to locate them recently....but they were the stain strong version. I used them on items that had kitty spray on them...and you know how rank that smell is, and the smell disappeared...

Orange-a-peel is my go to when things stink.
It may be a bit rough on the boots, unless watered down, rinsed well and followed by a good oiling.
Depending on the toys, you could mist them or wipe them with it.
If the smell is in the stuffing, that will be hard to get rid of, if they can't be laundered.
Lavender oil, thyme oil and oregano oil are all good essential oils for this application.
Good luck.

Gasoline and a match? Heehee.

1. Add some white vinegar to the wash. My wife swears by it. I suppose the amount might depend on the size of your machine. My wife adds 1/2-1 cup.

2. Wash again with baking soda (1/4-1/2 cup) added to the wash.

Both times in hot water.