Need to get rid of offensive odors from your clothing? Here's exactly how to remove smells like mildew, sweat and more—quickly and easily.
Smelly clothes are a friend to no one, but on the flip side, they are a sign of a life well-lived. Whether it’s perfume from date night, bonfire smoke or sweat from a night of dancing, scent leaves a trail that can be a doozy to remove. Even if you follow care instructions to a T, some stinks just refuse to go away and might require a bit more effort. Luckily, we’ve got step-by-step instructions from experts who know a thing or two about how to remove odors from clothes.
“Odors that linger on clothing can be frustrating, especially after you’ve washed an item and the smell remains,” says Mary Gagliardi, aka Dr. Laundry, a stain scientist at Clorox and expert on how to remove stains and get rid of smells in clothes. “Dealing effectively with odors on clothing—meaning the odors are removed, not just covered up—often requires more attention than just throwing it in the wash.”
Reader’s Digest talked to Gagliardi and Alicia Sokolowski of AspenClean to bring you these proven tips for fresh, clean, stink-free clothing. With the right products and techniques, your clothes will smell as easy-breezy as the process of getting them there. Here’s what you need to know about the ways to deodorize clothes.
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How to remove odors from clothes
The No. 1 laundry rule is that some detergents, water temperatures and drying options don’t play nicely together, so take the extra two minutes to read the care label and understand the laundry symbols before settling on an odor-killing strategy.
“It’s always important to check the care label before laundering an item, whether you’ve got an odor problem or not,” says Gagliardi. “Knowing fiber content is important for helping you choose the right laundry products, especially if your laundry problem requires more aggressive laundering.”
Once you’re armed with that information, remember that different fabrics require different approaches to eliminating odors from clothing. For example, never use bleach on spandex, even if it’s a plain white T-shirt. Ditto for wool, silk, mohair and leather. Cotton and polyester are more forgiving.
That’s one reason Sokolowski always reaches for natural products, such as vinegar and baking soda. They’re safe, versatile and inexpensive, and they work. Just don’t use them together—they neutralize each other. Another pro tip: Use only distilled white vinegar in your laundry, not cleaning vinegar or apple cider vinegar. And skip it entirely when cleaning synthetic fiber clothes, as it causes the fabric to break down.
Whichever product you choose, test first. That’s extra important when removing odors from sensitive or exotic fabrics.
Ready to get that gross scent out of your favorite outfit? Below, the experts walk us through how to clean and ways to deodorize even the stinkiest clothes.
| ♦ How to use chemicals safely while removing odors |
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How to get mildew and musty smells out of clothes
“Mildew is a type of fungus, which is different than bacteria or viruses,” explains Gagliardi. While viruses and bacteria are neutralized by the sanitizing agents in detergents, fungus generally requires something stronger.
Gagliardi explains that products formulated with sodium hypochlorite (bleach) are the most effective mildew-busters. But be aware that they’re not appropriate for every fabric type. Always check the label before using bleach to kill mildew on your clothes.
You’ll also want to check your washer. Does it smell musty? “The inner workings of a clothes washer harbor soil buildup, especially in HE washers,” says Gagliardi. That’s because water is never completely pumped from the machine, so a little bit of dirt and residue can stay behind, providing a moist environment for fungus to thrive.
Before tackling the clothing, run a cycle in your washer with bleach, without clothes. Add bleach to the fill line on the washing machine dispenser, then run a hot cycle with an extra rinse. Repeat if necessary. Then follow these steps to remove mildew smells and eliminate odors from your clothing.
Supplies you’ll need
- Bleach
- Water
- Outdoor clothesline or drying rack
Directions
- Do a colorfastness test. Add 2 teaspoons of bleach to 1/4 cup of water. Apply one drop to a hidden spot. Wait one minute, then rinse and blot dry. If the color does not change, you can safely bleach the item.
- Wash your bleach-safe clothes using regular detergent and 1/3 cup of bleach. Wash non-bleach-safe clothes using regular detergent and color-safe bleach. If the clothing cannot withstand chlorine bleach, laundry expert Mary Marlowe Leverette suggests using pine oil or a phenolic disinfectant (Lysol). Follow the laundry usage instructions on the product label.
- Machine wash on the hottest temperature setting to sanitize thoroughly.
- This process should remove the mildew smell from clothes, but if the clothing still doesn’t smell quite right, repeat the process.
- Let the item air-dry in the sun, if your climate allows, which will also help reduce mildew odors.
How to get sweat smells out of clothes
Some might argue (“some” meaning us) that getting rid of sweat stains and smells is just as hard as the workout that caused them, but don’t throw in the towel just yet. Sweat doesn’t really have a smell—it’s mostly water and minerals—but when sweat reacts with bacteria on your skin, you get that funky body odor. Skin cells, detergent residue and the cozy confines of your armpits add to the problem.
If you’re wondering how to remove odors from clothes when it comes to sweat smells, it’s pretty easy. For workout clothes and other sweaty items, Sokolowski likes to start with fresh air, followed by an enzyme-based detergent. Enzymes are proteins that “break down organic compounds, including sweat and bacteria,” she explains, adding that enzyme-based detergent formulations are “usually pretty powerful.” Enzymatic laundry detergents often have multiple enzymes designed to target specific odor-causing stains and eliminate odors from clothing.
Supplies you’ll need
- Outdoor clothesline or drying rack
- Enzyme-based detergent
Directions
- Hang your sweat-smelling clothing outside for a couple of hours, if possible. Sunshine is a natural disinfectant.
- Pretreat sweat stains and stinky spots with an enzyme detergent or stain stick.
- Check the labels of your clothing and set the washer to the recommended temperature and cycle.
- Add 2 tablespoons or less of enzyme detergent to the washer, based on load size. Resist adding extra. Too much detergent makes your clothes dirty, not clean.
- Hang the clothes outside to dry, or tumble dry as indicated on the label.
How to get smoke smells out of clothes
Residual smoke odor, whether it’s from a bonfire or a cigarette, is heavy and “sticks” to fabrics. Before you turn to detergents, Sokolowski is firm: “Fresh air and sunlight are the first things we would do.”
Hang your smoky clothes outside to let the breeze carry away (at least some of) those heavy, smelly smoke molecules. Don’t make the laundry mistake of putting your smoke-smelling clothes directly into the washer. Nature is the first way to eliminate odors from your clothes. Then, turn to what Sokolowski calls one of the “most perfect cleaning agents”: white vinegar.
Supplies you’ll need
- Vinegar
- Water
- Large bucket
- Detergent
Directions
- Hang or lay your clothes outside in the sunshine and fresh air.
- Leave the clothes out for a few hours, turning them occasionally.
- Make a 50-50 solution of vinegar and water in a large bowl, bucket or tub.
- Soak the clothes for a few hours or overnight.
- Wash your clothes as you normally would. Check the labels for the correct temperature and cycle.
How to get perfume smells out of clothes
In the long list of odors, perfume hardly seems like a smell that would bother you. However, it’s important to remove it, as the perfume stain can be pretty long-lasting.
According to Gagliardi, when more than a mist of perfume gets on fabric, the ethanol within the formulation evaporates quickly, leaving you with an oily, smelly stain. “That’s why it’s a harder stain to get out,” she says. “But it’s not impossible—just treat it like any other oil stain.”
When it comes to perfume smells, here’s how to remove odors from clothes: with a one-two punch of dish detergent and bleach. Cut through that stinky mess with a dish soap pretreatment, then boost the laundry with a tablespoon of bleach.
Before eliminating odors from clothing, Gagliardi suggests carrying out a colorfastness test. Add 2 teaspoons of liquid chlorine bleach to 1/4 cup of water. Apply a tiny drop to an inconspicuous spot and wait one minute. Rinse and blot dry. If the color does not change, you can safely bleach the item.
Supplies you’ll need
- Dish soap
- Water
- Bleach
Directions
- Pretreat the stain when the fabric is dry (don’t rinse the item with water first). To do so, dip a cloth in liquid dish detergent and gently dab and rub it into the stain.
- Wait five minutes. Rinse the stain with warm water to remove the dish detergent.
- Add 1 tablespoon of bleach to the bleach dispenser (for white, bleach-safe clothing only). Alternatively, add a tablespoon of color-safe bleach for bleach-safe colored clothes or white clothes made of spandex. For non-bleach-safe clothing, simply repeat steps 1 and 2 until the oil stain is removed.
- Wash the item in the hottest water recommended for the specific fabric.
How to get gasoline smells out of clothes
When it comes to gasoline, knowing how to get rid of smells in clothes isn’t enough. This is a highly flammable substance, and any clothing contaminated with it needs to be handled with extra care. If you’ve spilled gasoline on yourself, don’t toss your clothing directly into your washer or (especially) dryer. Heat and friction can ignite gasoline, turning your washer or dryer into a fire hazard.
So how can you eliminate gasoline odors from clothing without burning down the house? Following a few precautionary steps will help deodorize your clothes effectively—and safely.
Supplies you’ll need
- Dish soap
- Cornstarch (optional)
Directions
- Air out clothing stained with (or smelling like) gasoline outdoors for 24 hours.
- Optional step: Sprinkle cornstarch on the gasoline-smelly clothes, Sokolowski suggests. Allow it to sit for a few hours to absorb the odor before brushing it off.
- Spot-clean by gently rubbing liquid dish soap into any visible gasoline stains.
- Let it sit for five minutes.
- Rinse the stain with warm water, then air-dry.
- Repeat steps 1 to 4 if you still smell gas.
- Launder as usual and air-dry.
Expert tips on how to remove odors from clothes
Perfume, sweat and smoke are pretty common clothing odors, but even if you have a funky smell that’s not on this list, the pros have you covered. Here are some general tips and steps for eliminating odors from clothing that can work on many fabrics. It’s always a good idea to test an inconspicuous area first.
Try liquor
The answer to how to get rid of smells in clothes may be in your liquor cabinet. Vodka is shockingly effective at odor removal. Pour some into a spray bottle, then spritz it on smelly clothes. As this homemade cleaner evaporates, it will lift odors away.
Keep in mind that laundry likes its vodka strong. Adding water will weaken the high alcohol content, which is where the spirit gets its deodorizing power. In fact, buy the cheapest bottle of vodka you can find and watch in wonder as the stink disappears and odors are completely eliminated.
Add vinegar
Vinegar is a staple product in many cleaning schedules, so it should be no surprise that it has laundry benefits. In fact, adding a cup of vinegar to your wash cycle has stood the test of time. It can be used on both whites and colors, and your clothes will not only look brighter, but they’ll smell way fresher too. Sokolowski loves vinegar for laundry, cleaning and, yes, odor removal.
Soak smelly clothes in vinegar and water, then wash as usual to remove odors from clothes. “Although, you might get the smell of white vinegar instead,” says Sokolowski, “so you can always add a few drops of organic essential oils.”
Sprinkle some baking soda
Sweaty, smoky or just plain dirty clothes? “Baking soda is great at absorbing odors,” Sokolowski says. Even when you put baking soda in your fridge, you’ll notice the funky smells have gone.
Place smelly clothes in a large plastic bag or tub with a lid, and place an open box of baking soda inside. Close the container and let it sit overnight. You can also sprinkle the baking soda directly on the clothes if needed. “Shake the clothes well to remove the baking soda before washing,” she explains.
Another hall-of-fame laundry hack is adding 1/2 cup of baking soda to your suds. It softens hard water and makes your detergent work better, getting rid of smells from your clothing at the same time. (Washing soda, a similar but stronger compound, works even better.)
But a word to the wise: Don’t use baking soda and vinegar together—they’re an either/or situation, as they will cancel out each other and you’ll still be left with stinky clothes.
Don’t add more detergent
Although it sounds like a good idea, it’s actually one of the laundry myths that may be ruining your clothes. Too much detergent will leave a slimy residue, which traps odors and makes them even harder to remove.
Less is more when it comes to laundry detergent. If you’ve been using more detergent than needed, or lots of products like fabric softeners and dryer sheets, you may notice your towels aren’t as absorbent as they used to be, and they may feel rough against your skin—especially if you have hard water.
Activate the charcoal
Sokolowski suggests that for smoky, musty or otherwise offensive clothing odors, activated charcoal can help. This form of highly porous, processed elemental carbon removes odors through a process called adhesion. “Place activated charcoal in a shallow dish,” and put it near your stinky clothes, says Sokolowski. Allow it to work for a day or two, then launder as usual to eliminate odors from your clothing.
FAQs
What is the best odor eliminator for clothing?
There’s no one best odor eliminator for clothing. It depends on the fabric and what’s causing the odor. Your best bet: Refer to the guide above to learn the easiest way of eliminating odors from clothing, based on the source of the smell.
How do you get the BO smell out of clothes?
The “body odor” smell usually comes from sweat left in the clothes, so follow the steps for removing the sweat scent from clothing. Start by airing your clothes in the sun, then use an enzyme-based detergent to wash per the instructions on the label. Tumble-dry or air-dry as required.
Can you use essential oils to remove odors from clothes?
Yes, definitely. A few drops of essential oils added to your laundry cycle can work wonders for getting rid of smells in clothes. This is especially useful if you use it with white vinegar. Just don’t spritz the oil on your clothes directly. You can add a few drops to white vinegar when deodorizing, add it to unscented detergent or even spritz some on wool dryer balls.
How do you remove odors from clothes without washing them?
You could try air-drying your clothes in sunshine, nature’s best disinfectant and a natural way to deodorize clothes. Alternatively, spray your clothes with vodka to make the smells evaporate. Another hack is to use activated charcoal—place it near the dirty clothes for a day or two and see the results for yourself!
Just skip scent sprays like Febreze. Those don’t eliminate odors—they mask them.
What causes clothes to smell even after washing?
Mildew (a type of fungus) could be causing an odor in your clothes even after washing. It can hide in the corners of your washer, especially in the leftover dirt or residue post-cycle. But it’s easily preventable if you run a cycle with just bleach (without clothes) in order to clean your washer properly and remove mildew.
About the experts
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Why trust us
At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. For this piece, we tapped our experience writing about cleaning, laundry and home maintenance, sourcing only experts in the field. Then Mary Marlowe Leverette, a fabric-care, stain-removal and laundry expert with more than 40 years of industry experience, gave it a rigorous review to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We verified all facts and data and backed them with credible sourcing, and we will revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Mary Gagliardi, Clorox‘s in-house scientist; email interview, Sept. 20, 2021
- Alicia Sokolowski, president and co-CEO of AspenClean; email interview, Jan. 4, 2024
- Cleaning Institute: “Laundry Safety Tips”
- Cleaning Institute: “Using Bleach in Laundry”
- Cleaning Institute: “Fabric Softeners and Enhancers”
