We all know that unpleasant musty smell from clothes. Sometimes even conventional laundry isn’t enough and the mildew odour lingers. Not every laundry detergent is able to make clothes smell perfectly. Fortunately, there are other detergents that are up to the task. We’ll show you how to do just that, so that your clothes smell great again and you don’t feel like you’re wearing clothes that are a hundred years old.
Mold odour from clothes
A sweater that’s been sitting in the bottom drawer of your closet for too long, a towel that gives off an unpleasant musty odor once it gets wet. This is something you may encounter once or twice, even if you wash your laundry regularly and use quality products. This smell is usually caused by mold and mildew, but don’t worry, you can give your clothes a fresh scent and a second life with simple steps.
What shouldn’t we do?
Before you get into the actual procedure of how to remove odor from clothes, you need to know what you should not do at any cost to prevent a musty smell. Don’t use a heavily perfumed cleaner, as this will cover up the smell for a while, but it will return all the more quickly. Forget the fabric softener, too, as the residue can create and grow a new form of mould. Think about the cleanliness of the appliance too. After all, a washing machine can be a source of mould, which is no surprise given that the appliance combines dirty laundry and high humidity.
Removing odor in three steps
Two simple things you can find in your kitchen are all you need to solve the problem of stale laundry.
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
These ingredients are an easy solution to remove mildew from clothing. First, wash your clothes using vinegar, set your washing machine on the highest temperature and pour a large glass of white vinegar into the drum directly on the clothes. The acetic acids help fight bacteria. When you’re done, move on to the next step. Leave the clothes in the washing machine and sprinkle a cup of baking soda over them. Run again on the highest programme. Baking soda has a neutralizing effect, so any remaining odors will disappear. If you have the option of letting your clothes dry in direct sunlight, do so. The sun’s rays have a disinfectant effect that will kill even more bacteria. Alternatively, put your clothes in the dryer on the appropriate programme. If the smell still persists, repeat the steps but use smaller amounts – half a cup of vinegar and half a cup of baking soda.