Smell on cotton towels and socks still coming back again. Here are a couple of other remedies. I'm going to try a combination, and soak for a few hours in hot water with vinegar, baking soda and regular deterent, then wash and hang them up outside in the sun. Will post how it works out....

How to Remove Mildew Smell from Towels
http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Mildew-Smell-from-Towels

Good info but hard to read on desktop monitor. Huge graphics showing someone opening a washer, etc.... not necessary, and much excess and repeatitive wording.

Here is a summary of that info....

Method 1 - Washing Towels With Vinegar and Baking Soda

Put towels in washer, start hottest cycle, add 1 c. white vinegar and 1 c. baking soda only. No detergent.
Stop machine after all is well mixed and let soak for 1 hour.
Turn on and finish wash/rinse/spin cycles.
Run wash cycle again, adding 1c. vinegar and detergent.
After rinse, run extra spin cycle.
Put in dryer and run on hottest setting until completely dry.
Run dryer cycle again.

Method 2 - Soaking Towels in Detergent and Hot Water

Add 2/3 of a cup of Oxiclean to a large bucket.
Fill bucket halfway with hottest water possible. Add boiling water if needed.
Stir until dissolved.
Immerse each towel when adding.
Soak for 48 hours
Remove towels, wring out and wash in hottest cycle with detergent (fabric softener optional)
Dry on high heat until completely dry.