Smelly Towels Part 2: Why Your Towel Smells Like Rotten Eggs During Detox

It’s not just you. That sulfur smell has a message.

If you’ve noticed a rotten egg funk on your towels or coming from your skin after FireLight® sessions, you’re not alone. What seems like a hygiene issue is actually biochemistry in motion. The smell may be pungent, but it’s not random. It’s evidence that your body is clearing something real. And that means you’re doing it right.

What You’ll Discover in This Article

• Why we’re back with a sequel, and what sulfur funk says about real detox
• What causes the classic “rotten egg” smell during detox
• How sulfur compounds like hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan show up on towels
• How to support your detox funnel to reduce odor
• Practical tips for keeping towels and stool covers fresh during high-sulfur phases
• Why stink is a good sign, and what it means about your healing

Let’s decode the stink, demystify the sulfur, and support your system through it.

Smelly Towels II: The Sulfur Sequel

Why your stinky sauna linens are more science than shame, and what your body is really releasing.

When we published our first post on smelly towels and real detox, we figured it might strike a chord, but we didn’t expect that many of you to write in. Apparently, the topic of towel funk hit a little too close to home. Some of you just wanted to say thanks. Others shared stories of smells you couldn't explain. And then there was a whole other category: the sulfur people.

You know who you are.

These weren’t just stories of musky towels or faint metallic undertones. These were full-blown olfactory horror stories:

“It’s not BO, it’s rotten eggs.”

“Nothing gets the smell out.”

“It’s like I’m sweating out hot springs.”

So here we are, back with a sequel we never planned but clearly needed. Because if your towels smell like sulfur, it’s not random. It’s not gross. And it’s definitely not just you. It’s biochemistry, and it’s trying to tell you something.

What That Sulfur Smell Really Is

It’s not gross. It’s volatile sulfur compounds doing their job.

That strong, unmistakable rotten egg smell? It’s likely hydrogen sulfide, a byproduct of sulfur metabolism and microbial activity in the gut [1]. Other frequent culprits include methyl mercaptan (sewage-like), dimethyl sulfide (think cabbage or corn), and allyl methyl sulfide, the garlic-scented compound excreted through sweat and breath [2] after eating certain sulfur-rich foods.

Together, these make up a class of molecules known as volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), gaseous byproducts [3] of detox, digestion, and cellular metabolism. When your body is in a phase of mobilizing deeper toxins, especially after sauna sessions that activate circulation and mitochondrial function, these compounds exit through your skin.

They’re not metaphors. They’re molecules. And when they show up on your towels, they’re telling you something powerful: your body is clearing at a deeper level.

Why It Happens (and Why It’s Not Bad)

Sulfur stench is often a milestone, not a malfunction.

Sulfur smells often appear during phases of deep detox, especially if you’re clearing mold, metals, synthetic residues, or candida. They’re more likely if you’ve been supporting your system with sulfur-rich supplements (like glutathione, MSM, NAC, or ALA) or eating a high-sulfur diet (eggs, garlic, onions, cabbage).

Gut health also plays a role. Overgrowth of certain microbes (Desulfovibrio, Bilophila) can lead to more sulfur gases being produced, especially if your liver and bile pathways aren’t clearing efficiently. And some people have genetic variants (like CBS, SUOX, or MTHFR) that affect how well they metabolize and excrete sulfur compounds, meaning more gets pushed out through the skin.

In other words, if your towels are getting swampy, it’s probably not about hygiene. It’s about chemistry. And it means you’ve entered a real detox phase.

What to Do About It

Don’t panic. Support your drainage pathways.

You don’t need to stop your sauna sessions or overhaul your protocol. But when sulfur shows up strong, it’s a sign to fortify your detox funnel and to make sure the core routes of elimination (liver, bile, lymph, gut, skin) are working efficiently.

Here’s how to help your system keep pace:

• Hydrate well, with mineral-rich water and electrolytes to support bile flow and cellular clearance.
• Use binders like activated charcoal, fulvic acid, or bentonite clay to capture circulating toxins before they’re reabsorbed.
• Support the liver with taurine, dandelion root, milk thistle, or phosphatidylcholine, especially if you’re mobilizing mold or metals.
• Move your lymph through gentle movement, dry brushing, sauna, and rebounder use.
• Assess gut health if symptoms suggest dysbiosis. VSCs often originate in the gut microbiome.

Eventually, as your systems rebalance, the sulfur will subside. But the best way to get there isn’t to suppress it, it’s to move with it, wisely and consistently.

Caring for Your Towels + Covers During Sulfur Detox

Yes, the smell can be intense. No, you don’t need to replace your towels. Our PureLayer™ Mat Covers and Stool Covers are made to handle it. These premium materials are breathable, dye-free, and intentionally chosen to support detox.

Here’s how to keep them fresh:

• Wash in hot water with non-toxic detergent
• Add ½ cup white vinegar to the rinse cycle to help neutralize sulfur
• Hang in direct sunlight when possible. UV helps break down odor compounds
• Try a pre-soak with baking soda + vinegar for extra detox days
• For tough cases, add a few drops of tea tree or eucalyptus oil to the wash

Wash stool covers and towels as often as needed; after each session during intense detox phases is best. The more you clear, the less they’ll smell. That’s the beauty of it.

The Stink Means Something’s Working

What your nose is telling you: something’s moving.

It’s easy to feel alarmed when your body starts releasing things you didn’t know were there, but that’s also the moment everything starts to change. When the stink rises, it means something buried is surfacing. Something stuck is finally moving. This is not failure. This is function. And the sulfur is your proof.

Let your detox do what it was designed to do. Explore our PureLayer™ Covers and FireLight® Saunas, tools built to support the deepest kind of healing, towel smells and all.

References

[1] Kamm, M. A., Malloy, J. P., et al. (1990). Excretion of garlic-derived sulfur compounds in human breath and sweat. The Journal of Nutrition, 120(4), 447–453. Available via PMC: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6499206/ PubMedFrontiers

[2] Albarello, F., et al. (2022). Volatile sulfur compounds: a biochemical perspective on their formation, metabolism, and excretion in humans. Frontiers in Physiology, 13, 848457. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.848457/full ScienceDirect

[3] Zhang, Y., et al. (2011). Metabolism and excretion of sulfur compounds: implications for toxicology and detoxification. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 254(2), 100–107. Abstract available on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12593593/ PubMed