How to Get Rid of Pilates Towel Smell (and Stop It Coming Back)

You finish class, stuff your towel in your bag and, two days later, open it to that musty smell that won't shift even after a wash. It's one of the most common questions from people who practise Pilates Reformer with their own towel, and there's good news: it can almost always be fixed by changing two or three habits, with no harsh products and without sacrificing your towel's grip.

In this guide we explain why Pilates towel smell appears, how to remove it step by step from a non-slip towel, and the routine that stops it coming back.

Why does a Pilates towel smell?

The smell doesn't come from sweat itself, but from what happens afterwards. Sweat brings moisture, salts and traces of skin oils; if the towel stays damp and unventilated, the bacteria that live naturally on skin find the perfect environment to multiply. Their by-products are what cause that sour, stale odour.

The usual culprits are always the same:

• A closed bag after class. The number one mistake: hours of moisture in an airless space.
• Slow or incomplete drying. A towel that takes a whole day to dry, or gets put away "almost dry", builds up odour wash after wash.
• Detergent and fabric softener residue. Too much detergent leaves a film on the fibres that traps oils and bacteria. Fabric softener is especially bad for towels with grip.
• A smelly washing machine. If the door seal or detergent drawer has mould, laundry comes out smelling damp even on the right cycle.

How to remove the smell without ruining the grip

Not every trick works on a non-slip towel: very hot water, bleach or abrasive products can damage the grip layer and make it slip. This is the safe method:

1. Bicarbonate of soda soak. Dissolve two or three tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda in cold or lukewarm water and soak the towel for 30 to 60 minutes. It helps neutralise odour without attacking the material.
2. Cold or low-temperature wash. Use a delicate cycle with a small amount of neutral liquid detergent. Less detergent means less residue for odour to cling to.
3. No fabric softener, ever. It coats the fibres and the rubber, reduces grip and holds on to smells.
4. Extra rinse. If your machine allows it, add an extra rinse to remove any leftover soap.
5. Air-dry fully, somewhere ventilated. Laid flat, unfolded, away from strong direct sunlight and heat sources. No tumble dryer.

For the detail on temperatures and programmes, see our guide on how to wash a rubber towel without losing grip. And if the smell lingers after a couple of washes, check the washing machine too: an empty cleaning cycle is often the missing piece.

Drying: where the battle is won or lost

Most persistent smells start at the drying stage, not the washing stage. A well-washed towel that dries slowly will smell again within days. To get it right:

• Hang it out across its whole surface, never folded over on itself.
• Look for airflow: near an open window or on a drying rack with space around it.
• Turn it over halfway through so both sides air equally.
• Don't put it away until it's completely dry to the touch, edges included.

You'll find all the tips in our article on how to air-dry a Pilates towel.

A routine to keep the smell away

Once it's gone, keeping your towel fresh depends on what you do in the 30 minutes after class:

• Straight after class: take it out of your bag as soon as you get home (or carry it in a breathable compartment) and spread it out, even if you're not washing it that day.
• How often to wash: ideally after every session, especially if you sweat a lot or train in warm rooms like hot Reformer Pilates classes.
• Rotation: if you practise several days in a row, having two towels means you always use one that's fully dry.
• Storage: keep it somewhere dry and ventilated, not at the bottom of your gym bag or in the car boot.

Smell, hygiene and bringing your own towel

A smelly towel is a sign that something isn't drying properly, and that matters beyond comfort. On the Reformer carriage you share a surface with many other people; bringing your own clean towel is a simple way to look after your hygiene and everyone else's, as we explain in why every student should bring their own towel.

Material matters too. Good-quality rubber is hydrophobic: it doesn't soak sweat into its core, rinses easily and dries quickly, which greatly reduces the risk of odour. Towels that hold moisture in thick layers are the ones that cause the most trouble.

When it's time to replace your towel

If the smell is still there after several proper washes, dark marks won't come out, or the grip layer has cracked or peeled, the towel has reached the end of its life. Carrying on isn't worth it: it won't smell fresh and it won't hold you as it should.

A towel designed to wash and dry well

The Bellman Pilates Non-Slip Reformer Pilates Towel is made for real weekly use: 85% grip on both sides so neither you nor the towel moves on the carriage, a material that rinses easily and air-dries without fuss, and three colours to choose from: blue, pink and grey. Wash it cold, skip the fabric softener, dry it flat… and say goodbye to that musty smell.

Discover the Bellman Pilates non-slip towel →