In an ideal world, everyone would have access to a good washer and dryer and be able to keep their clothes clean regularly. Unfortunately, washers and dryers aren’t guaranteed for anyone. But everyone deserves the dignity of fresh-smelling clothes, and there are so many ways to take the funky smell out of clothes without washing them. So pull out your roulette wheels and give one a try.
Spritz Them With Distilled White Vinegar
If there’s one thing you should always keep in your house, it’s distilled white vinegar. This natural product is a lifesaver for all sorts of cleaning and laundry needs. Pour some in a spritz bottle and spray those funky-smelling clothes. Let them air dry and the vinegar smell will dissipate along with that noticeable funk.
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Spritz Them With Vodka
Vodka is another powerful deodorizer you might have lying around your house. When you spray your smelly clothes with it, the alcohol molecules trap the odorous ones and pull them off of your clothes by evaporating. Since vodka is the most distilled liquor, it won’t leave any trace of smells.
Lay Them Out in the Sun
While UV rays are horrible for your skin, they’re great at eliminating musty smells. Bacteria is the leading cause of most funky-smelling clothes, and UV rays can kill it. Why not harness the powerful and free deodorizing tool at your fingertips?
This won’t work immediately, though. You’ll need to leave your clothes out for a few hours at best to maximize the deodorizing effect.
You’ve probably opened a box of baking soda and put it in your fridge when something started to smell off. Well, you can basically do the same thing for your clothes. Some people like to pour baking soda into a bag, toss their clothes inside, and shake them up. But that can leave a whole lot of baking soda left over to dust off.
Instead, we prefer getting a body powder puff and dusting the baking soda on ourselves. Not only is it more controlled, but it also means there’s less mess to clean up.
Related: 14 Ways to Make Your Closet Smell Good Right Now
Freeze Your Clothes
There’s a lot of debate in the scientific community about whether freezing is effective at killing the odor-causing bacteria on your clothes. Yet, some people swear by the tactic. So, if you’ve got some freezer space and a day or two to wait around, you might as well give it a try.
Layer Musty Clothes With Dryer Sheets
Slipping dryer sheets in between layers of musty clothes is a great low-energy way to leech out the bad smells. If you leave clothes in storage for too long, they start to get this stale scent. So, when you rotate your seasonal wardrobes, pack the clothes that are going into storage with dryer sheets between every item. Future you will thank present you for putting in the extra work.
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Spray Them With a Commercial Deodorizer
From Febreze to Clorox, there are all sorts of commercial deodorizing sprays. Generally, these work pretty well. However, they do often come pre-scented, which can be annoying. Not everyone wants to replace one bad smell with an equally powerful one.
Related: Clothes Smell After Washing Them? 9 Ways to Get the Stink Out
Leave Them in an Ozone Generator System
Now, ozone generators are what many dry cleaners use to really pull out baked-in bad smells from clothes. But these machines are rather cost-prohibitive at $150-$200 at the minimum. Yet, they are an option, and they’re good at their job if dry cleaners have anything to say about it.
Skip Wash Day Without Any Regrets
If you’re like us, then laundry is one of the last chores you get around to doing. We’ll toss on those too-small pants if it means we can skip out on doing laundry for another day. That’s where these deodorizing methods to freshen up clothes without washing them come to our rescue. Now you can skip wash day without having any regrets.
Place some silica gel packets, activated charcoal bags, or bowls of baking soda in with your stored clothing. These naturally absorb excess moisture and odors in the air to keep your clothes smelling fresh. Replace or recharge these products every few months to ensure maximum effectiveness.
Place some silica gel packets, activated charcoal bags, or bowls of baking soda in with your stored clothing. These naturally absorb excess moisture and odors in the air to keep your clothes smelling fresh. Replace or recharge these products every few months to ensure maximum effectiveness.
Many items in your wardrobe don't need to be washed after each wear, so this limbo state is perfectly normal. In fact, over-laundering may compromise the lifespan of many pieces like denim, wool, and cashmere. ...
Lavender, lemon, orange, lemongrass, and eucalyptus are excellent options for a homemade laundry scent. Combine a quart of white vinegar with 30 – 40 drops of the essential oil you've selected. This mixture will be your natural laundry freshener.
Baking soda is an all-purpose deodorizer that can eliminate plenty of bad smells. Sprinkle ½ cup (115.2 g) into your washer during the rinse cycle of your next laundry—this will clear away all kinds of general odors.
Using vinegar in the wash shouldn't be an everyday thing for every load. Using it daily can damage the washing machine, especially the rubber parts, and repeated use could damage delicate fabrics. Limit use to an as-needed basis, after clothes have dulled or as residue begins to build up.
The washing machine isn't the only option for keeping clothes smelling good. Use the dryer to add fragrance. Scented dryer balls will add a fresh scent to laundry. Customize the fragrance by adding a few drops of essential oils to the dryer balls to keep laundry smelling cleaner longer.
Combine distilled water, white vinegar or witch hazel, and 20-30 drops of essential oil in a spray bottle. You can use it to refresh your clothes, linens, or even upholstery whenever you want!
Mix equal parts lemon juice and water in a spray bottle and mist your clothes. Lemon's refreshing scent will neutralize smells, leaving your clothes feeling and smelling revitalized.
Adding Vinegar to Your Machine as a Fabric Softener:
Vinegar, particularly distilled white vinegar, is an excellent natural fabric softener and deodorizer. Add a cup of vinegar to your machine during the rinse cycle instead of fabric softener to remove odors and leave your laundry smelling fresh.
Our pick for the best overall laundry odor remover is the Lysol Laundry Sanitizer Additive for its ability to eliminate 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria, including Covid-19, without the use of bleach. We also like that it works in cold water and is compatible with both standard and high efficiency washing machines.
Sunlight and fresh air can work wonders to naturally refresh your garments, so try hanging them outside on a sunny day. Another trick is to place the clothes in a breathable bag with a sachet of dried lavender and bicarbonate of soda. Lavender's fragrance masks musty odours, while bicarb soda absorbs them.
Musty odours can result from various factors, including insufficient drying, overloading the washing machine, or using too little detergent. Ensuring proper washing and drying techniques and regular machine maintenance can help achieve a fresh scent.
Using Low-Quality Laundry Detergents or Incorrect Amounts
Excess or poorly-made detergent can leave a residue on clothes, trapping odors. Conversely, using too little detergent won't effectively remove the dirt and bacteria, leading to lingering smells.
Hot water is also helpful at killing the bacteria in your clothing that may be causing the bad smells. If you think bacteria is the culprit, make sure the water is hot and not warm. Bacteria can thrive in warm water. You may also want to run your clothing through an extra rinse cycle.
Introduction: My name is Melvina Ondricka, I am a helpful, fancy, friendly, innocent, outstanding, courageous, thoughtful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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