Odor on clothes, its possible sources and methods of elimination

Smells of the environment quickly permeate clothes. It is easy to get rid of them, just air out and wash the clothes. But what to do if the smell on clothes has eaten deep into the fabric? There are several effective ways to quickly solve this problem.

Content

Sources of unpleasant odor
Methods of elimination and washing modes
Cigarette smoke
Sweat
Dampness
Fish
Second hand
Gasoline and diesel fuel
Folk methods
Video

Sources of unpleasant odor

The environment is saturated with many smells. The most persistent of them eat into things so much that it becomes difficult to get rid of them. For example, the clothes of smokers are saturated with cigarette smoke, things that have been stored in a closet for a long time may smell unpleasantly of dampness. The most persistent smells include: the smell of sweat or unwashed body, second-hand clothes, fish, chlorine, the heavy smell of gasoline or diesel fuel.

The choice of how to remove an unpleasant odor from clothes depends on the source of the problem.

Methods of elimination and washing modes

You can quickly eliminate unpleasant odors using special sprays, powders, and improvised means. Washed items must be thoroughly dried, ironed, and only then stored.

Cigarette smoke

Tips on how to remove the smell of cigarettes from clothes will be useful not only for smokers, but also for those who do not smoke. It is enough to spend some time in a place where the air is saturated with tobacco vapors and things will be saturated with this pungent odor.

You can get rid of the cigarette smell on your clothes using either machine washing or regular hand washing, the main thing is to remember a few secrets:

Before washing, items must be vacuumed;
After washing, rinse the laundry with fabric softener;
Place washed, well-rinsed items in a closet, on the shelves of which you should first place coffee beans or dry citrus peels.

Getting rid of the smell of cigarette smoke — The smell of cigarette smoke is very persistent.

Sweat

There is a clear algorithm of actions on how to remove the smell of urine and sweat from clothes, following which you can achieve the desired result the first time:

Before the main wash, soak the soiled items in a soap solution. To prepare it, dissolve shavings of laundry soap in hot water. If there is no soap, you can use salt and detergent (ratio 3:1);
if there are also old stains, using oxygen bleach will help solve the problem;
the soaking time should not exceed one hour;
when choosing a machine wash cycle, check the prewash and extra rinse option;
select the temperature regime in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions;
when washing items with a strong smell of sweat, use more powder than usual;
It is good to add conditioner or rinse aid for rinsing.

Soap solution — Before washing, items should be soaked in a soap solution.

Dampness

The basis of the method for getting rid of the smell of dampness on clothes is sodium borate powder (borax), vinegar, rubbing alcohol and soda:

pour soda into the washing machine's washing compartment at a rate of 70 g of powder per 1 kg of laundry. When choosing a washing cycle, mark the additional rinse and pre-wash;
Prepare a special solution for soaking with vinegar (for three liters of water you will need 150 ml of vinegar);
Spray alcohol on the clothes, adding water first (ratio 1:1). If you don’t have alcohol, you can use vodka (no need to dilute it);
Borax powder will remove mustiness from the first time. For two liters of water you will need 50 g of powder, after which the items are soaked for several hours.

Preventing the appearance of a musty smell is easy:

Dry washed items completely;
periodically air out things from the closet;
At least twice a year, carry out sanitary cleaning of the washing machine drum.

Vinegar will help to deal with the smell of dampness

Fish

Removing the unpleasant smell of fish from clothes is not a problem if you use several proven methods:

Before washing, soak the items thoroughly in a solution of laundry soap. To achieve the maximum effect, do not skimp on the soap shavings for the solution;
Vinegar removes fishy odors well. Before washing, clothes can be soaked in water with vinegar added (no more than 2 tablespoons of acetic acid per 10 liters);
Wash the soiled item in a washing machine with the addition of citric acid.

After washing, items must be thoroughly dried in a well-ventilated area.

There is another "grandmother's" method - using newspaper. The soiled item is wrapped in newspaper and left in a dark place for several days. After this procedure, the items are washed in the usual way.

How to get rid of fish smell — Fish has a persistent unpleasant smell, to get rid of it, you need to pre-soak things in a soap solution

Second hand

Many people are ashamed to buy second-hand clothes because of the persistent unpleasant smell that permeates used items.A characteristic pungent odor appears on clothing after sanitization with products containing metal bromide and formaldehyde.

Ventilation will not solve the problem. There are several other ways to remove the smell of second-hand clothes:

ammonia - before washing, items must be soaked in water with the addition of ammonia. For light knitted T-shirts, T-shirts, jumpers, it is enough to dissolve 20 ml of ammonia in five liters of water. For outerwear, it is necessary to prepare a more concentrated solution (100 ml of ammonia per ten liters of water). Items are soaked for two to three hours, after which you can start washing;
conditioner - used items require washing - this is a mandatory rule. Conditioner will help to quickly remove unpleasant odors. It must be added to the washing machine, the volume of which is slightly larger than recommended by the manufacturer. The washing mode involves additional rinsing.

Second hand shop — Second-hand items are treated with special products

Gasoline and diesel fuel

Before you start removing the smell of gasoline from clothes, you need to remember that you can't wash such things in the washing machine. The caustic vapors eat into the rubber and plastic parts of the washing machine, after which it is simply impossible to remove them.

Another rule to remember is never use chlorine bleach to remove gasoline and diesel fuel stains.If things smell of gasoline, they need to be thoroughly aired out first.

You can also remove the smell of gasoline by soaking the item in a soap solution of a good detergent. It is necessary to soak for at least a day, after which you can start washing. In a specialized store, you can buy a product that can neutralize the unpleasant smell of diesel fuel.

How to remove the smell of gasoline from clothes — Items with a gasoline smell should be thoroughly aired before washing.

Folk methods

Along with the use of household chemicals, folk methods will help to quickly remove unpleasant odors from clothes:

use of essential oils and other aromatic substances (removes the smell of cigarettes and dampness);
rinsing in a saline solution with the addition of vinegar (a good way to remove the smell of chlorine);
coffee beans, aromatic products placed on the shelves of the closet (help keep the linen clean and fresh).

When none of the above methods help to achieve the desired result, the item must be dry cleaned.