How to remove musty smell from clothes: effective methods and detergents

• June 16, 2019
• Country house
• Kristina Degtyareva

Clean, fresh and smelling good - this is how people want their bed linen, clothes and towels to look. Sometimes there are too many things, they lie in closets for a long time, and when the time comes to use a certain item of clothing, it is difficult not to notice its unpleasant musty smell. Surely you have encountered this problem: fresh bed linen, which has been well dried and ironed, does not smell fragrant, but exudes a disgusting aroma. When such a specific aroma appears, housewives try to remove it in a variety of ways - using aggressive household chemicals or gentle folk remedies. However, this is not so easy to do: sometimes the unpleasant aroma gets absorbed into the fabric. What to do in this case? How to remove musty smell from clothes? What means should be used? We'll tell you about all this right now!

Why does there be an unpleasant odor?

Experienced housewives know: when a large amount of clothing accumulates in the house, it is necessary from time to time to take it out of chests of drawers and closets and ventilate it, leaving it in direct sunlight for the whole day or in the fresh air at night. If your items have acquired an unpleasant odor, this may be the result of a variety of problems. The main one is mold spores, which multiply well in closed, stuffy rooms. This not only leads to a disgusting odor, but can even cause allergies, respiratory infections of the nose and throat, and asthma.

Often the cause of an unpleasant odor is insufficient drying. You should know that any washed items can only be put in the closet after they are completely dry. Even a small amount of moisture can provoke the development of dampness and, as a result, mold. Those things that you folded after ironing and immediately placed in the closet also smell unpleasant. Remember: after this procedure, the clothes must be left to cool down, and only then put back in their places.

A nasty odor can appear if you store clean things together with dirty ones. This is especially true if there is sportswear in the same chest of drawers with clean laundry. Sometimes housewives are faced with the fact that they follow absolutely all the instructions for washing, drying and storing things, but a specific smell is still present. Why is this happening? Most likely, experts say, the reason lies in the furniture where you store things. In this case, it is necessary to eliminate the musty smell from the closet with clothes.

Proper storage and aromatization of things

The best way to deal with odors is to prevent them from occurring. To do this you need to follow the rules:

1. Observe the washing mode and drying conditions.
2. Store jackets and other seasonal items well dried.
3. Ventilate and dry things periodically.
4. Immediately remove stains from strong smelling substances.
5. Do not store smelly items in the same closet with clean clothes.
6. Soak smelly clothes separately from other wardrobe items.
7. Keep fragrances and odor absorbers in your closet.

Eliminating odor at home: table vinegar

Thinking about how to remove musty smell from clothes? Experts say: it is absolutely not necessary to spend money on expensive cleaners and fresheners or purchase special laundry products. Sometimes you can get rid of an unpleasant odor using the simplest means that you can find in the kitchen. For example, table vinegar is such a remedy.

How to get rid of musty smell from clothes using this product? It is necessary to combine 9% vinegar with water: 3 parts water will require 1 part vinegar. Then the composition must be poured into a spray bottle and carefully applied to clothing. The item of clothing should be left for 10-20 minutes, then washed thoroughly using baby laundry detergent or laundry soap. You will see - you will forget about unpleasant odors.

Using professional products

If the smell of vinegar is very persistent and cannot be eliminated with improvised means, then you should pay attention to professional household chemicals. Below is information about the most effective and popular odor neutralizers

All of them are simply applied, and the effect after their use occurs immediately.

Christal

These are special salt crystals from various manufacturers, which are designed to eliminate unpleasant odors in refrigerators and rooms. The product is simple to use - it is placed in places with the strongest aroma of vinegar. The crystal should remain in the chosen place until the smell completely goes away.

Multi

Urine Off Multi-Purpose is an organic odor remover. Available in spray form and can be used to treat furniture, carpets, shoes, clothing, wood, tiles and other types of coatings.

Allergy Free

PIP Allergy Free is a room microflora stabilizer that is recommended for use by allergy sufferers. The product can be used to process any materials; it completely eliminates unpleasant odors of organic origin.

Magos Dream JSC

A liquid product designed to eliminate unpleasant odors in any type of premises. You can use either a concentrated product or prepare a solution in a ratio of 1:5 to 1:20 by mixing with water. After this, the drug is poured into a container with a sprayer and rooms with an unpleasant odor are treated.

OdorGone Animal Gold

This product is designed to eliminate pet odors, but can be used successfully to combat vinegar odors. The product is sprayed onto the foul-smelling surface and allowed to absorb.

Despite the fact that the products described above are made on the basis of safe and highly effective ingredients, when using them you must strictly follow the instructions and avoid contact with the skin and mucous membranes.

Baking soda

Another fairly inexpensive but effective home remedy to get rid of the problem is baking soda. It can be used both for washing and as a dry cleaner. In the first case, one glass of soda must be added when washing - as a result, you will get clean laundry without any foreign odors.

If you do not want to wash your clothes or the clothes can only be processed using dry cleaning, place them on a clean hard surface, sprinkle everything thoroughly with soda, after a few minutes turn the product over and sprinkle it on the other side. It is recommended to keep baking soda on clothes for at least 12 hours. After this, you just have to take the item outside and shake it out thoroughly. In order to completely remove any remaining baking soda, you can use a brush with soft bristles. Do not rush to put the item in the closet; let it dry thoroughly throughout the day.

What should you do if your clothes stink after washing them in the machine?

Under no circumstances should you store items in the washing machine drum; purchase a special basket.

What to do if clothes stink after washing in the machine:

• If you come from the street in the summer with wet clothes, immediately put them in the drum and wash them. If this is not possible, let it dry. Only then can you throw the clothes into the basket and wait for the next wash cycle. Under no circumstances should you put a wet item in the trash, because after 2-3 days it will acquire an unpleasant odor.
• About once a month, clean the filter to remove dirt, mold and debris that has accumulated there. Be sure to leave the drum slightly open to prevent moisture from accumulating.
• Use gel detergents for washing clothes on a delicate cycle and for wool. Remember that bulk detergents on short cycles may not dissolve and accumulate on the walls of the washing machine.
• After washing, wipe the seals with a weak solution of vinegar or hydrogen peroxide.

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Hydrogen peroxide

How to remove musty smell from clothes? Experts recommend using a product such as hydrogen peroxide. It will remove any odors of organic origin: the smell of dampness, sweat and fungus. Peroxide also helps to deal with old stains left on clothes from juice, blood and grass. To prepare a detergent for washing clothes, you will need a liter of water and 100 milliliters of hydrogen peroxide. If you need to clean cotton products, the peroxide does not need to be diluted. It should be noted that you can soak the fabric in this composition for no more than 15 minutes.

Ammonia

Let us warn you right away: this product can only be used in well-ventilated areas or outdoors. The thing is that ammonia has a toxic odor, which is quite dangerous for the lungs. You can wash items with ammonia in a washing machine or by hand (although you will need strong gloves for this). The second time the products will need to be washed with washing powder or washing gel. Please note: it is strictly forbidden to use this component together with any bleaching products. If you feel dizzy while working with it, immediately stop the washing process and call an ambulance!

Boiling

If you smell old clothes or mold, don't rush to throw away your wardrobe items, try boiling them. True, this method is only suitable for durable fabrics; clothes made of delicate materials will not tolerate such a procedure. To boil things, you will need a large pot to boil water in. It will need to be poured into a basin, all the wardrobe items or textiles that need to be processed should be placed in it and left for 5 minutes. After this, things must be washed and dried thoroughly.

How to remove second hand smell from clothes

Often people refuse to buy and wear second-hand clothes. The reason for this is the unpleasant odor that, for some reason, is inherent in used items. Experts explain: this pungent aroma is a kind of sign of quality; it appears after fabrics are treated with potent substances, such as formaldehyde or metal bromide. This is necessary for sanitary treatment, which can be used to eliminate fungi, various bacteria and insects that cause diseases.

True, this also has a negative side: the chemical smell is quite unpleasant. If you purchased such an item, treat it with two simple ingredients - ammonia and fresh air. The amount of alcohol is determined by the size of the item. So, to treat a T-shirt, skirt and other small items of clothing, you will need five liters of water and 20 milliliters of ammonia, but if these are large items, you will need 10 liters of water and 100 milliliters of ammonia. It is necessary to soak things from half an hour to 4 hours - this depends on the size of the product and the density of the material from which it is made. After treatment, the clothes should be thoroughly wrung out and kept in the fresh air for a couple of days, and then the items should be washed in a washing machine using powder and conditioner.

If none of the above methods help you get rid of disgusting odors, take your clothes to a dry cleaner - where specialists will use quite powerful chemicals that can effectively get rid of the musty smell. If you don't want your clothes to be treated with harsh chemicals, look for dry cleaners that offer to clean clothes with liquid carbon dioxide.

Traditional methods

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

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

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

Eliminate smell from closet

We should also talk about how to eliminate the musty smell from a dresser or closet. First, the furniture must be washed with detergent and dried thoroughly. After this, the following items can be placed on the shelves:

1. A bar of soap. It should be wrapped in a thin cloth and then placed on a shelf or in a drawer. There will be no trace of unpleasant odors left, and your items will acquire a delicate aroma.
2. Herbs in bags. Natural fabric bags filled with aromatic herbs will also help eliminate unpleasant odors from your closet. Instead of herbs, you can use citrus zest or baking soda with a few drops of essential oil.
3. Natural coffe. To make this closet air freshener, take a small jar, fill it with coffee beans and place it on the lowest shelf.

Causes

Bacteria and microorganisms are considered the main culprits of stink. Abundantly secreted sweat is an excellent environment for their reproduction. The higher the degree of sweating, the faster the shoes become unusable.

It is bacteria that should be thanked for the recognizable aroma in the locker rooms of cheap gyms and fashionable fitness clubs. In addition to physical activity, the following factors can cause odor:

• poor quality shoes,
• regular wear of products made from artificial materials,
• increased sweating,
• foot fungus,
• neglect of personal hygiene rules,
• infrequent shoe washing.

Regardless of the origins of the problem, it can be solved.
In cases where fungus or other foot diseases have become the decisive factor, it is necessary to first cure the disease. For the rest, hygiene and several effective methods for cleaning shoes can help. One of the most effective remedies is considered to be ordinary baking soda.

Rubber or fabric

It would seem that rubber flip flops can simply be washed with soap and water and the problem will disappear. But bacteria that have settled in the seams will contribute to the return of discomfort over and over again.

With fabric the situation is even worse, where microorganisms penetrate tightly into the fibers. You can achieve the maximum disinfecting effect by covering the entire inner surface of the product with a thick layer of soda and leaving it overnight. In the morning, the powder is shaken out and the residue is washed off with water.

House slippers

You can refresh textile slippers by soaking them in a soap solution with the addition of soda. To do this, add laundry soap, previously rubbed into shavings, and sodium bicarbonate to a container of warm water.

The water temperature must be above fifty degrees, otherwise the soap will not dissolve completely. Three tablespoons of active ingredients are enough for two liters of water. The slippers are immersed in the solution for two hours, then the surface is treated with a soft brush or sponge.

Residues of detergents and dirt are thoroughly rinsed. After such a procedure, house shoes look like new, and not a trace remains of the smell.

To treat sports models, you will need four tablespoons of soda, the same amount of water and a couple of drops of dishwashing detergent. The resulting paste can be applied to the inner surface using a toothbrush. After fifteen minutes, the stains must be wiped off.

After removing dirt and foam, the sneakers are washed by hand or in a machine. The insoles are cleaned separately with the same active composition.

The resulting paste not only disinfects the surface well, but also removes stubborn stains. It can also be used to give sparkling whiteness to the sole.

Leather shoes

Models made of genuine leather or suede require a more delicate attitude. Soaking or washing is not applicable for them, as are aggressive means and methods. You can eliminate the smell by regularly wiping the inside surface with a soda solution.

When preparing, follow the proportion: a tablespoon per glass of water. If the odor is strong and persistent, pour soda inside overnight and wipe the product with ammonia in the morning.

Natural fur

Fur shoes need regular and high-quality cleaning no less than leather or textile ones. But at the same time, it cannot be wetted, since the pile will easily stick together and lose its thermal insulation function.

It is possible to tidy up your favorite UGG boots only using the dry method. The best assistant in fighting odor without using water is absorbent agents. Sodium bicarbonate has the ability to absorb excess moisture.

By pouring the substance into the product for several hours, you can count on a long-lasting effect of freshness. Residues of soda can be easily removed with a vacuum cleaner.

Baking soda gives an almost one hundred percent guarantee of eliminating stench and its causes. The substance cleans all types of materials well and efficiently, including the most delicate ones.

It is impossible not to note the low price of the product and its availability.

Preventive measures

In order to prevent mold from appearing in the closet, experts recommend taking a jar with a narrow neck, pouring a small amount of iodine into it and placing a ball of cotton wool on top. Another good tip is to listen carefully to your clean laundry. Better than all other means, fresh wind and sun rays fight dampness and mustiness. In addition, it is recommended to regularly ventilate all closets and chests of drawers, and at least once a season it is worth carrying out general cleaning and sorting out the laundry.

Separately, it is worth mentioning how often you need to wash clothes. So, underwear needs to be washed daily, casual clothes can be washed once every two days, holiday clothes - after each wear. Home clothes can be changed daily, every other day or once every 4-5 days: the time depends on how much a person sweats during the day. Those things that you wear outside need to be washed at least once a week.