How to Get Smell Out of Clothes Without Damaging the Fabric

You’ve washed your gym clothes three times and they still smell like sweat. Or maybe you wore a jacket to a bonfire and it reeks of smoke. Or your towels come out of the wash smelling musty. Regular detergent cleans dirt but doesn’t always remove odors, because odors come from bacteria, body oils, and environmental compounds that bond with fabric fibers. To get smell out of clothes, you need to target the source of the odor and use the right products. Here’s how.

Clothes odors are caused by bacteria, body oils, mold, food compounds, smoke, and environmental pollutants that bond with fabric fibers. Regular detergent cleans dirt but doesn’t always kill bacteria or break down the compounds that cause odors. Removing odors requires targeting the source with the right products.

To get smell out of clothes, identify the odor source (sweat, food, smoke, mildew), then wash with 1 cup of white vinegar and enzyme detergent in hot water, add half a cup of baking soda for extra deodorizing, and dry in the sun if possible. For stubborn odors, use a laundry sanitizer or oxygen bleach. Don’t use fabric softener, don’t use cold water for odor-causing loads, and don’t put smelly clothes in the dryer until the odor is gone.

By Odor Type

Sweat and Body Odor

Sweat odor is caused by bacteria that feed on body oils and produce odor compounds. The bacteria bond with fabric fibers and survive regular washing.

Treatment: Wash in hot water with Tide Free and Gentle and 1 cup of white vinegar. The vinegar kills bacteria and the enzymes break down body oils. Add half a cup of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda for extra deodorizing. For stubborn odors, use Lysol Laundry Sanitizer in the rinse cycle.

Musty and Mildew Odor

Musty odor is caused by mold spores that grow on damp fabric. The spores produce odor compounds that persist after regular washing.

Treatment: Wash with 1 cup of white vinegar in hot water with enzyme detergent. The vinegar kills mold spores. Dry in the sun if possible, as UV rays kill remaining spores. For stubborn smells, use oxygen bleach.

Food Odor

Food odors are caused by food compounds that bond with fabric fibers. Strong-smelling foods like garlic, onion, and fish are the most common.

Treatment: Wash in warm water with enzyme detergent and 1 cup of white vinegar. The enzymes break down food compounds and the vinegar neutralizes odors. Add baking soda for extra deodorizing.

Smoke Odor

Smoke odor is caused by particles that penetrate deep into fabric fibers. Smoke is one of the hardest odors to remove because the particles are very small and bond tightly.

Treatment: Wash in warm water with enzyme detergent, 1 cup of white vinegar, and half a cup of baking soda. If the smell persists, soak the clothes in a mixture of warm water and 1 cup of vinegar for 30 minutes before washing. Air dry in a well-ventilated area. Don’t use the dryer, as heat can set smoke odor.

Perfume or Chemical Odor

Perfume and chemical odors are caused by synthetic compounds that bond with fabric fibers.

Treatment: Wash in warm water with enzyme detergent and 1 cup of white vinegar. The vinegar helps break down synthetic compounds. If the smell persists, soak in warm water with baking soda for 30 minutes before washing.

Products That Remove Odors

Product	What It Does	Best For
White vinegar	Kills bacteria, neutralizes odors	All odor types
Baking soda	Absorbs odors, neutralizes pH	All odor types
Enzyme detergent	Breaks down body oils and food	Sweat, food odors
Lysol Laundry Sanitizer	Kills bacteria	Stubborn sweat odors
Oxygen bleach	Kills bacteria, removes odors	Stubborn mildew odors
Sunlight	Kills bacteria and mold	Mildew, sweat odors

What Not to Do

Don’t use fabric softener. Fabric softener coats fibers in a waxy film that traps odors and bacteria. Skip it for odor-causing loads. Use vinegar instead.

Don’t use cold water for odor-causing loads. Cold water doesn’t kill bacteria or dissolve body oils. Use hot water for sweat, mildew, and food odors.

Don’t put smelly clothes in the dryer. Dryer heat can set odors permanently. Always air dry and check the smell first.

Don’t use too much detergent. Excess detergent leaves residue that feeds bacteria. Use 2 tablespoons per load.

Don’t ignore the washing machine. A dirty machine transfers odors to clothes. Clean with affresh Washing Machine Cleaner monthly.

Don’t leave wet clothes in the washer. Wet clothes grow bacteria and mold within hours.

FAQ

How do you get smell out of clothes? Wash with 1 cup of white vinegar and enzyme detergent in hot water, add half a cup of baking soda, and dry in the sun if possible. For stubborn odors, use Lysol Laundry Sanitizer or oxygen bleach. Don’t use fabric softener or cold water.

Does vinegar remove odors from clothes? Yes. White vinegar kills bacteria and neutralizes odor compounds. Add 1 cup to the wash cycle and wash in hot water with enzyme detergent.

Why do my clothes smell after washing? Clothes smell after washing because bacteria, body oils, or mold have bonded with the fabric and regular detergent doesn’t remove them. Wash with vinegar in hot water. Also, check if your washing machine needs cleaning.

Does baking soda remove odors from clothes? Yes. Baking soda absorbs odors and helps neutralize the pH. Add half a cup to the wash cycle along with vinegar and detergent.

How do you get sweat smell out of gym clothes? Wash in hot water with enzyme detergent and 1 cup of white vinegar. Add half a cup of baking soda. For stubborn odors, use Lysol Laundry Sanitizer in the rinse cycle. Don’t use fabric softener, as it coats fibers and traps odors.

Can you put smelly clothes in the dryer? Don’t put smelly clothes in the dryer until the odor is gone. Dryer heat can set odors permanently. Always air dry and check the smell first.

References

1. Tide. “How to Remove Odors from Clothes.” tide.com.
2. The Spruce. “How to Get Smell Out of Clothes.” thespruce.com.
3. Good Housekeeping. “How to Remove Laundry Odors.” goodhousekeeping.com.
4. Lysol. “Laundry Sanitizer Guide.” lysol.com.