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This article was co-authored by Susan Stocker and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.
There are 15 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 36,178 times.
It's frustrating to wash your clothes, dry them, and find that they smell. For clothes that stay fresh smelling even days after you've washed them, make a few simple changes to your laundry routine. Start by removing odors from your clothes and dry them immediately after washing so they don't develop a mildew smell. Improve ventilation in your closet and place odor-absorbing items in your dresser drawers, suitcase, or closet.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:
Scenting Your Clothes
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1Tuck scented dryer sheets in your suitcase or dresser draws. Whether you're storing clothes for a few days or for a whole season, adding a new dryer sheet can keep them smelling fresh. Keep the dryer sheet with the clothes until you can no longer smell it and then replace it.[1]
- If you don't want to use dryer sheets, wrap a dry bar of scented soap in tissue paper and place it in your clothes drawer or suitcase.
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2Spray cotton balls with perfume and place them in your closet or drawer. Spritz a few large cotton balls with your favorite perfume or place about 5 drops of an essential oil on each cotton ball. Put them in a bowl and place them in your closet or scatter the cotton balls in your dresser drawers.[2]
- You can also place these in your suitcase if you're packing your clothes.
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3Tuck a potpourri or lavender sachet in your drawers or suitcase. If you're storing your clothes in a dresser drawer or packing them for a trip, place a small linen sachet filled with dried lavender or your favorite potpourri to add a light scent. To add a light fragrance to your closet, hang the sachet from a hanger.[3]
- You could also place cedar shavings or mothballs in the sachet to protect your clothes from moth damage. Purchase scented mothballs to cover their unpleasant odor.
Tip: If you have outlets in your closet, plug in automatic air fresheners. These occasionally release bursts of air freshener that keep your clothes smelling great.
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4Spritz linen spray over clothes to refresh them. To make your own linen spray, fill a clean spray bottle with 1 1⁄2 cups (350 ml) of water, 1⁄4 cup (59 ml) of rubbing alcohol, and 3⁄4 teaspoon (3.7 ml) of an essential oil. Screw the lid on and shake the mixture before spraying it lightly over your clothes. For a fresh scent, use any of these essential oils:[4]
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Geranium
- Rose
- Fir or cypress
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5Place 5 drops of essential oil on a cloth and add it to your dryer. Take a clean cloth or rag and add about 5 drops of essential oil to it. Then, place the cloth in your dryer along with a load of clean, wet clothes and run a drying cycle. The essential oil adds a very light scent to the clothes.[5]
- Try your favorite essential oil, such as lavender, orange, rosemary, or geranium.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:
Absorbing Musty Smells
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1Spray vinegar or vodka on your clothes to neutralize odors. Remove odors by filling a spray bottle with white vinegar or cheap vodka. Then, spritz clothes that need deodorizing. As the vinegar or vodka dries, it will remove smells and will dry odorless.[6]
Tip: It's always a good idea to test a spot on the clothes before spraying the entire garment, since some older fabrics may be damaged by vinegar or vodka. Turn the clothes inside out and spray a small spot to ensure that the vodka or vinegar doesn't change the fabric's color.
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2Place a bowl of dried coffee grounds in your closet to absorb smells. Coffee is well known for its ability to neutralize odors and strong scents. Take a batch of brewed coffee grounds and spread them on a baking sheet. Let them dry completely and then place them in a bowl. Put the bowl somewhere in your closet so it can absorb lingering smells.[7]
- You could also place whole or freshly ground coffee beans in the closet to absorb odor.
- If you'd like to use coffee grounds in your dresser drawers, fill a linen sachet with the dried grounds. Then, place the sachet in your dresser.
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3Use cedar throughout the closet to absorb moisture and odors. Buy cedar hangars, cedar clothes hampers, or sachets filled with cedar shavings and place them in your closet. Cedar naturally repels moths and absorbs moisture from humid spaces.[8]
- You could also place a bowl full of cedar chips in your closet.
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4Place an open box of baking soda in the closet to absorb smells. Baking soda is a natural odor absorber so open a fresh box of baking soda and put it on the top shelf or floor of your closet. If the carpet in your closet is smelly, sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and let it sit for up to 24 hours before vacuuming it up.[9]
- Replace the box of baking soda every 1 to 2 months.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:
Destroying and Preventing Odors
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1Wash musty or mildewy clothes with vinegar to remove odors.[10] Run a standard washing cycle using 1 cup (240 ml) of white vinegar instead of laundry detergent. Use the hottest water that you can with your specific clothes. Then, run another cycle using laundry detergent and 1 cup (180 g) of baking soda.[11]
- The vinegar and baking soda kill different strains of mold, which is why it's important to use both.
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2Transfer wet clothes to the dryer immediately to prevent mildew smell. If you leave wet clothes in your machine for even a few hours, mold could begin to grow. This makes your clothes and machine begin to smell like mildew. Instead, put the wet clothes into the dryer as soon as the machine stops.[12]
- If you forget your clothes in the machine and they sat for more than 4 hours, wash them again with vinegar and hot water to remove the smell.
Tip: If you remove stinky clothes from the machine, you may need to clean the machine by running vinegar and baking soda in the empty machine.
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3Hang dry your clothes for a natural fresh scent. One of the easiest ways to make your clothes fresh smelling is also one of the cheapest. Instead of tossing the clothes in the dryer with fabric sheets, hang the clothes outside on a clothesline. The fresh air will dry the clothes and the sunlight can even disinfect them.[13]
- Although it may take longer for the clothes to dry, you can hang dry the clothes in winter or on cloudy days.
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4Open your closet door to get air circulating between your clothes. If your closet is in a room that has high humidity, keeping the door closed can trap moisture and create an unpleasant smell. Try to keep your closet door open during the day or overnight to encourage air circulation.[14]
- If you're packing clothes in a suitcase or have clothes stored in dresser drawers, place a few silica packets in with the clothes to absorb moisture. You can buy silica packets online.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do I keep my wardrobe smelling fresh?
Susan StockerSusan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.
Green Cleaning ExpertPlastic airtight containers are the safest option. Or, you can place cedar shavings or mothballs in a sachet to protect your clothes from moth damage. Purchase scented mothballs to cover their unpleasant odor.
Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
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QuestionHow do I stop my clothes from smelling?Susan StockerSusan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.
Green Cleaning ExpertThe best way to stop clothes from smelling is to root out the source of the smell. It may be perspiration or another source. If the odor has already permeated the fabric, add Borax to your laundry to get the smell out. You can also use white vinegar, but you should test it first. Turn the clothes inside out and spray a small spot to ensure that the vinegar doesn't change the fabric's color.Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
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QuestionHow do you remove odors from clothes?Susan StockerSusan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.
Green Cleaning ExpertVinegar and baking soda are superior at neutralizing odors. You can also use bleach. However, it’s important to use nonchlorine bleach whenever you wash colored clothing, as it prevents your garments from fading.Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
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Warnings
- Limit or avoid using scented laundry products to protect your indoor air quality, since scented products have been linked to indoor air pollution.[15]⧼thumbs_response⧽
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References
- ↑ https://youtu.be/_cytVpbupFk?t=309
- ↑ http://www.visiontimes.com/2016/06/20/8-other-ways-you-can-use-perfume.html
- ↑ https://youtu.be/0DGf_v73CQs?t=66
- ↑ https://www.womansday.com/home/organizing-cleaning/how-to/a4129/make-your-own-linen-spray-85519/
- ↑ https://youtu.be/qB1LxnN31Qg?t=97
- ↑ https://youtu.be/5EwZMAnPIgM?t=243
- ↑ https://www.foodandwine.com/blogs/overpower-odors-using-coffee-grounds
- ↑ http://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/cedar_facts/1280/
- ↑ https://youtu.be/fw5lqvdhtG4?t=92
- ↑ Susan Stocker. Cleaning Guru. Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.
- ↑ https://youtu.be/frIqTMq4BGM?t=59
- ↑ https://youtu.be/ZuzdVip0Rnc?t=24
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9921089
- ↑ https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sc-home-0116-stink-20120118-story.html
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3018511/
About This Article
Susan Stocker
Green Cleaning Expert
This article was co-authored by Susan Stocker and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices. This article has been viewed 36,178 times.
Co-authors: 7
Updated: May 15, 2022
Views: 36,178
Categories: Featured Articles | Laundry
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