How to get rid of the smell of sweat on clothes at home when washing

08/30/201609/27/2020 Maria Ivanova 21 comments

Sweating is a problem for many people. And there is nothing wrong with that - absolutely all people sweat. This process is quite complex and due to the fact that sweat appears, the person’s normal temperature is restored, and in this way all unnecessary harmful substances are removed from the body.

Unfortunately, the smell of sweat on clothes is becoming a whole problem for us, and we are trying to find the most effective ways to remove the smell of sweat from clothes.

The characteristics of each person’s body influence how intense the sweat will be and how strong the smell will be.

It happens that it is not possible to remove the smell of sweat, despite the fact that a person follows all the rules of hygiene and uses a variety of deodorants and perfumes.

As a result, you have to say goodbye to your favorite clothes, which have tightly absorbed these hated odors.

Why get rid of your favorite things and thereby cause yourself financial harm, if you can carefully study the problem and choose the most effective remedy, of which there are a huge number today.

Take into account the recommendations of professionals who will help you permanently remove stains and eliminate the unpleasant odor that haunts you through life.

If you do not have the time or opportunity to read the entire article, watch the video on this topic:

How to remove the smell of sweat from clothes

The severity and intensity of sweating depend on the individual characteristics of the body, physical activity, and air temperature. To smell good under any conditions, we recommend:

Change clothes more often, do not wear the same thing over and over again.
Under a jacket, sweatshirt, sweater, wear a T-shirt made of thin fabric. This “lining” is much easier to replace and wash.
Use deodorants and perfumes, this will save you from awkward situations when you suddenly have to worry or your body temperature rises.
Try to remove sweat odors as soon as you smell them. Do not wear clothes even if there is a subtle smell.
Remember that natural fabrics absorb odors much more slowly than synthetics. The yellow stains characteristic of sweat are washed off better. Therefore, in the hot summer, as well as during training, it is wiser to wear cotton or linen clothes.

Important Tips

To get rid of the smell of sweat on clothes, without harming the fabric and your own health, you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

When using any compositions, protect your hands with gloves. Most solutions dry out the skin greatly.
When using odorous substances, such as ammonia, you need to wear a respirator. The treatment is carried out in a room with sufficient ventilation, or with open windows.
Many products not only remove the smell of sweat, but also help get rid of yellow spots. For this purpose, you can use: citric acid, soda, aspirin, ammonia, boric acid, vinegar. However, when processing black and dark products, they must be used carefully so as not to provoke the appearance of faded areas.

In clothes made from natural fabrics, the body sweats less, so preference should be given to products with a high content of linen or cotton. Synthetics, on the contrary, enhance the unpleasant odor.

You will find maximum useful information about washing clothes and various fabric products here.

How to remove the smell of sweat from clothes: traditional methods

For decades, housewives have been saving and using recipes to get rid of unpleasant odors on clothes.

A tablespoon of table salt is diluted in a glass of clean water. Properly soak the problem area and leave for 20–30 minutes. Next, wash the item in the usual way with a scented product, rinse, and dry.

Advice! The denser the matter, the more saturated the solution should be. Do not skimp on salt; it removes the smell of sweat from clothes well.

The next method is similar to the previous one. Add a few drops of ammonia to the salt. Moisten a clean cloth with the solution, wring it lightly and wipe the item, paying special attention to the area of greatest sweating (armpits). After this, wash the clothes as usual.
Spray the product with plain water from a spray bottle or simply wet it and squeeze it out. Sprinkle a damp cloth generously with soda and leave for 20 minutes. Food sorbent perfectly absorbs odors and disinfects things.
Dishwashing liquid perfectly removes stains and removes the smell of sweat. Apply it to the area of contamination, rub lightly, and after 20 minutes, wash off with water and rinse thoroughly. Hair shampoo is also used.
Treat stains on clothing with the juice of one lemon. This option is suitable if the task is to remove the smell of sweat locally, for example, in the armpit area. But when you need to eliminate the stench from bed linen, citrus liquid will clearly not be enough. An alternative option is a concentrated solution of citric acid or table vinegar. After treatment, leave the item for 20 minutes, then wash with powder and conditioner.
The product is treated with hydrogen peroxide, which perfectly eliminates unpleasant odors and sweat stains. Rinse thoroughly.
Wash the product with the addition of bleach appropriate for the type of fabric.
Add a few crystals of potassium permanganate to the water until it turns light pink. Pour in detergent and mix. The items immersed in the resulting solution are left for several minutes. Then they wash, rinse and dry.
When the smell is fresh, rub the clothes with laundry soap and wash them by hand after about a quarter of an hour. If in a machine, add aromatic conditioner.
For 2 liters of water, take half a glass of boric acid and mix. Place a sweat-smelling item into the solution. After two hours, rinse, wash and rinse again.

Attention! Before removing the smell of sweat from clothes with aggressive substances, take care to protect the skin of your hands - wear gloves.

How to wash things correctly so that they don’t smell like sweat after washing?

To ensure that clothes have a pleasant smell after washing and are washed free of sweat, you need to pay attention to the following recommendations:

Do not wash excessively soiled clothing in the same wash as less soiled clothing, as the aroma of unpleasant sweat will spread throughout all items.
Sweaty items should be soaked in a bowl of warm soapy water before washing. It is preferable to add 9% vinegar, salt and soda to the water in a ratio of 1 tablespoon per 1 liter. In addition, all problem areas (usually the armpit area) should be rubbed well with laundry soap and left like that for up to 2 hours.
After soaking, the clothes must be rinsed thoroughly, wrung out a little and washed by hand or in a washing machine, taking into account that you need to set the desired temperature and type of fabric.
It is also possible to pour regular salt directly into the drum of the washing machine. In the powder section you need to pour 100 ml of white table vinegar (do not confuse it with essence, namely vinegar).
For better washing and rinsing of things, you need to choose liquid gels or capsules with gel.
The washing machine drum should be 1/3 free. You can put a few tennis balls along with your things. This will make rinsing better.
Using conditioners and rinses is only beneficial.
Set the temperature to an extremely high temperature, but this is determined by the fabric's permission. Information about choosing a washing mode can be found on the clothing labels.
The number of rinses should also be made as maximum as possible.
It is better not to use “drying”.
It is better to dry clean clothes, depending on the structure and color of the fabric, outside in the sun. Ultraviolet rays kill all microorganisms that were not killed during washing. If the fabrics do not allow drying outside, then they should be hung in a well-ventilated and ventilated area. In addition, after drying, clothes can be ironed with a steam iron.

Professional products

Some people find it easier to go to a dry cleaner and not have to worry about how to remove the smell of sweat from clothes. However, professional services are not cheap. It’s better to buy a special product in the store to remove unpleasant odors from fabric and do it yourself.

Important! Be sure to read the label information. Choose detergents based on the type of fabric. Determine whether you are dealing with synthetic or natural material. Products for white clothes can be not only ineffective, but even harmful for colored items. Proceed according to the instructions.

Proper drying

After treating things at home with various products, it is necessary to dry them in the air or in a draft until certain aromas of the products used in washing completely disappear.

Outerwear should be shaken regularly after washing so that the filler does not get clogged in one place. Down jackets need to be fluffed to make it possible to check faster. Clothes are dried outside under ultraviolet rays, after first turning them inside out. If drying clothes in the sun or in frost is not possible, then you can iron them from the wrong side with an iron through fabric or gauze.

Leather items should be dried in a dark place. After drying, you need to lubricate the item with glycerin and leave it to soak for 3 days. Thanks to proper drying, you can preserve the item and completely eliminate the unpleasant odor.

Is it possible to do without washing?

It is known that frequent washing of fabric is not beneficial, as it gradually destroys the fibers. In addition, there are times when you need to get rid of the smell urgently. Then choose one of the following tips.

Wrap the item in a clean plastic bag and place it in the freezer for an hour, or take the item out onto the balcony if the outside temperature is below zero.
Add a small amount of vinegar to boiling water and hold the product over the steam. Wait until the item is completely dry and put it on.
Sprinkle the problem area with baking soda, leave for several hours, then brush off the powder with a brush.

To wash or not

Excessive sweating leaves marks in the armpits, chest, and back. Local cleansing is powerless here. In this situation, washing will help. It is easier to get rid of the repulsive odor and sweat from fresh dirt.

Use one of the versions:

When placing dirty things in the drum, add 3 tbsp. l. soda and salt and half a glass of vinegar;
increase the dosage of washing powder;
pour 2 tablespoons of table salt into the detergent compartment;

Useful tips

When a person sweats, it is natural. But the characteristic amber in this case speaks of its uncleanliness. If your clothes smell unpleasant, but the smell has not yet become deeply ingrained into the material, hurry up and wash it. To make the procedure as effective as possible, use the tips below.

Pour a little more washing powder into the tray than the manufacturer indicates.
Use a high-quality, fragrant fabric softener.
Also add 2 tablespoons of salt to the powder reservoir.
Before washing, pre-soak smelly wardrobe items in a warm soapy solution, rubbing the fabric with soap. This will prevent the smell from spreading to other things.
If possible, dry your laundry in the sun, turning it inside out. Clothes will acquire the aroma of freshness.
Be sure to first test household chemicals or a traditional method on an inconspicuous area of the product, for example, on the seam on the wrong side. Aggressive substances can damage the fabric.

No matter how beautiful and expensive the suit is, the impression of a person will be completely spoiled by the scent emanating from the clothes. Therefore, it is important to clean smelly things on time.

Don’t rush to take your personal linen and bed linen to the dry cleaner or buy expensive products, because the choice of how to remove the smell of sweat from clothes is quite wide. Start with simple and cheap methods, perhaps regular baking soda will be enough.

Why is it better to wash than to mask?

To 100% get rid of the smell of sweat on clothes, it is better to wash them. The fact is that disguise does not last long . Contaminants remaining in the fabric fibers will again begin to emit an unpleasant odor after short contact with the skin.

The longer the secretions are on the fabric, the deeper they are absorbed into its structure. It will be difficult to get rid of such a smell, even after a full wash.

In addition, sweat is not only an odor, but also stains. A T-shirt with streaks under the arms does not look very aesthetically pleasing. Therefore, it is necessary to resort to methods of masking unpleasant odors only in case of emergency , when washing things is really impossible.

If you are interested in how to remove yellow sweat stains from white clothes, read this post. Read about removing traces of sweat from a T-shirt here, and from a shirt here.

How to prevent it from happening in the future

To prevent the odor situation from recurring after washing:

It is necessary to wash things more often. It is advisable to wash clothes made from cotton fabrics after 2-3 episodes of use. Items made from synthetic fabrics require washing after wearing once.
Shower more often to avoid the development of microorganisms in sweat. In summer you should rinse as often as possible.
Maintain armpit hygiene to get rid of unwanted hair. It is in the hairy part that good conditions are created for bacteria. Warmth and humidity help them develop.
Detection of diseases and their timely treatment will relieve excessive sweating.
Don't forget about proper nutrition.
When wearing shoes, you should keep them dry and dry them overnight using ultraviolet dryers to prevent the growth of bacteria.

We recommend reading: Removing the smell of sweat from clothes without washing

Reasons for the appearance of a persistent odor

Sweating is a natural physiological function of the body, the main purposes of which are: thermoregulation, removal of waste and toxins. Sweat glands are located in a layer of skin called the dermis, and their activity is coordinated by the nervous system. This category of glands includes ¾ of all sweat ducts. They are mainly concentrated under the armpits, on the palms of the hands, and the soles of the feet. Some of the sweat glands, about a quarter, secrete pheromones. Their smell, on a physiological level, is designed to evoke sexual desire.

With normal sweating, normal hygiene procedures are sufficient to prevent the formation of a persistent odor on clothing. It is recommended to shower 2 times a day. Hyperhidrosis (increased sweating) is observed in people at high ambient temperatures. If hyperhidrosis manifests itself under normal conditions, this may be a consequence of:

pathologies;
hormonal imbalance;
genetic predisposition;
unbalanced diet.

Increased sweating is stimulated by excessive consumption of spicy and fatty foods, garlic, and certain spices.

Sweating can be caused by certain medications, in particular: drugs containing morphine; analgin; antispasmodics.

When hyperhidrosis occurs, it is necessary to determine the cause and try to eliminate it. It's better to contact specialists.

Removing odor and then washing clothes

Sweating is a normal process of a healthy human body. However, traces of sweat that appear on clothing and have a specific aroma can cause inconvenience, attracting unnecessary attention from others. Even if you adhere to generally accepted hygiene rules, you cannot always protect yourself from their occurrence, especially when playing sports and on hot summer days. Taking a shower, shaving your armpits, using deodorants and antiperspirants, and wearing clothes made from natural fabrics can only reduce the scale of the problem.

The smell of sweat can ruin your mood at the most inopportune moment

If trouble has already happened to you, use a few simple tips to eliminate it in a short time.

Table salt and detergent

An effective remedy is a combination of any dishwashing detergent and table salt:

Combine one tablespoon of dish soap and three tablespoons of salt.
Apply the resulting mixture to the dirty item, carefully treating the problem areas.
Leave for 2-3 hours.
Wash the product.

Kitchen salt can also help remove the smell of fresh sweat. To achieve the desired effect it is enough:

Sprinkle it on problem areas, turning the product inside out in advance.
Leave things in this state for 2 hours.
Wash them as usual.

However, this method is best used for items made of linen, silk and wool, as it may not be effective for synthetic clothing.

If after washing the aroma of sweat still does not disappear, it makes sense to re-wash the items in a saline solution:

Dissolve two tablespoons of salt in one glass of water.
Soak the product in salt water for two hours.
Rinse twice.

Salt-based products are the most effective in combating unwanted odors.

Salt and ammonia

A solution of salt and ammonia will return freshness to light colored items:

Dissolve a tablespoon of salt in 200 ml of water.
Add a teaspoon of ammonia.
Soak a cotton pad in the solution and apply it to the stain.
Wash the product.

Ammonia, as a rather caustic liquid, is used with caution, avoiding prolonged exposure to fabric, and before using it for its intended purpose, it is tested on an inconspicuous area of clothing.

Vinegar and citric acid

Vinegar and citric acid will help get rid of old and persistent odors:

Dissolve two teaspoons of citric acid in a glass of water.
Treat stained areas of clothing with this solution and leave it for an hour.
Meanwhile, dilute vinegar in water in a ratio of 1:10.
Immerse items in the solution for at least an hour.
Wash your clothes.

Vinegar and citric acid are universal substitutes for household chemicals

Woolen items do not require the use of vinegar:

Dilute a tablespoon of citric acid in one glass of water.
Treat problem areas of clothing with this solution 2 hours before washing.

In addition to citric acid, acetylsalicylic acid can be very effectively used to eliminate old odors.

Crushed aspirin will also remove traces of antiperspirant from fabric, where unpleasant odors often linger.

Instructions:

Crush 2-3 aspirin tablets.
Dissolve the powder in a glass of warm water.
Treat sweat-soaked fabric with the resulting mixture 1–2 hours before washing.

Baking soda

Baking soda will help you cope with the smell of sweat on light-colored clothes:

Apply baking soda to the contaminated area in an even layer. You can lightly rub baking soda powder into the stain.
Leave the item in this state for 15–20 minutes.
Clean off the baking soda and rinse the area to be treated with water.

Baking soda is a natural deodorant

Sportswear

Exercising always involves heavy sweating. And the longer you practice, the more the form is saturated. It is no more difficult to clean sportswear from sweaty discharge than regular clothes. However, it would not be the best idea to carry out general sweat removal regularly. This is not an easy task and can gradually damage the clothing, causing it to wear out faster. Therefore, the cleaning process should begin at the end of the workout:

Timely distribution of clothes. You need to throw it in the wash right away or at least hang it out in the fresh air so it can dry. Otherwise, harmful bacteria will begin to grow in it, from which a persistent “aroma” emanates.
Pre-soaking. It will be easier to wash a sweaty tracksuit if you first soak it in water and vinegar. He should lie in it for about half an hour. The solution is prepared by mixing water and vinegar (4 to 1).
Maximum temperature. Hot water is much more effective at removing sweat odor. You should see what maximum temperature the manufacturer allows you to turn on, and then set it for washing.
Street drying. It is better to dry your tracksuit outside. Fresh air and light wind will help consolidate the result. The sun's rays will show their bactericidal properties and destroy the remaining bacteria.

Sportswear requires special attention and careful care. Removing the smell of sweat from it is not so difficult. However, it would be much more correct to always keep it clean and fresh.

Special detergents for washing sportswear - video: