How to Get Odor Out of Clothes Without Damaging the Fabric

You’ve washed your gym clothes three times and they still smell like sweat. Your jacket reeks of smoke from a bonfire. 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. Some treatments help. Others just mask the smell temporarily. Here’s how to get odor out of clothes without damaging the fabric.

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 killing the bacteria and breaking down the compounds.

To get odor out of clothes, 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. For stubborn odors, use a laundry sanitizer. Don’t use fabric softener, don’t use cold water for odor-causing loads, and don’t put smelly clothes in the dryer.

Step-by-Step: Removing Odors from Clothes

Step 1: Sort

Sort smelly clothes into a separate load. Don’t wash smelly clothes with lightly soiled items, as the odor can transfer.

Step 2: Pre-Soak for Stubborn Odors

For strong odors (smoke, mildew, heavy sweat), soak clothes in warm water with 1 cup of white vinegar for 30 minutes before washing.

Step 3: Add Detergent and Baking Soda

Add 2 tablespoons of Tide Free and Gentle and half a cup of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda to the wash. The enzymes break down body oils and the baking soda absorbs odors.

Step 4: Add Vinegar to the Wash

Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the drum. The vinegar kills bacteria and neutralizes odor compounds. The vinegar smell dissipates during the wash.

Step 5: Wash in Hot Water

Use the hottest water safe for the fabric. Hot water kills bacteria and dissolves body oils. For delicates, use warm water.

Step 6: Add Vinegar to the Rinse

Add half a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle to remove detergent residue and deodorize.

Step 7: Dry in the Sun

Dry in direct sunlight if possible. UV rays kill bacteria and mold and act as a natural deodorizer.

Step 8: Check Before Drying in the Dryer

If you can’t sun dry, check the odor before putting clothes in the dryer. If the odor remains, wash again. Don’t put smelly clothes in the dryer, as heat can set odors.

For Specific Odors

Sweat and Body Odor

Wash in hot water with enzyme detergent, 1 cup of vinegar, and half a cup of baking soda. The enzymes break down body oils, the vinegar kills bacteria, and the baking soda absorbs odors.

Smoke

Soak in warm water with 1 cup of vinegar for 30 minutes. Wash with enzyme detergent and baking soda in warm water. Add vinegar to the rinse. Dry in the sun.

Mildew and Musty Smells

Brush off loose spores outside. Soak in 1 cup of vinegar and cold water for 30 minutes. Wash in hot water with enzyme detergent, vinegar, and baking soda. Dry in the sun. For stubborn mildew, use OxiClean Max Force Spray.

Food Odors

Wash in hot water with enzyme detergent and half a cup of baking soda. The enzymes break down food compounds and the baking soda absorbs odors.

Gasoline or Chemical Odors

Hand wash in warm water with Dawn Ultra Dish Soap. Rinse thoroughly. Wash again with enzyme detergent and baking soda. Don’t put in the dryer, as gasoline is flammable. Air dry outside.

Pet Odors

Wash in hot water with enzyme detergent, 1 cup of vinegar, and half a cup of baking soda. For stubborn pet odors, use Lysol Laundry Sanitizer in the rinse cycle.

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. Cold water doesn’t kill bacteria or dissolve body oils. Use hot water for odor-causing loads.

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

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

Don’t leave wet clothes in the washer. Wet clothes grow bacteria and mold within hours. Transfer within 2 hours.

Don’t use perfume beads or scent boosters. These mask the odor temporarily but don’t remove the cause. They also leave additional residue.

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

FAQ

How do you get odor 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. For stubborn odors, use Lysol Laundry Sanitizer. 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.

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

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 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.