Say Goodbye to Bad-smelling Clothes with These 6 Natural Tricks

Whether it’s from sweat or from being left in storage for too long, clothes tend to acquire unpleasant smells that can be hard to get rid of by just washing them normally.

Mold in your closet, exposure to strong-smelling environments, or just regular bodily odors make you wrinkle your nose and keep your clothes from looking their best.

As you may know, the quickest way to fight them is to use scented sprays and other chemical products that penetrate into the layers.

However, these options can be harmful, not only for the environment but also because they can have undesired effects on your health.

The good news is that there are different homemade methods made with natural ingredients that help neutralize odors without harming the fabric.

Today, we’d like to take the opportunity to share  6 easy, environmentally-friendly tricks to help you out without compromising your health.

1. White vinegar

White vinegar has a multitude of uses when it comes to home care and is even a great option for laundry.

First of all, it has acidic compounds that help deodorize bad smells and eliminate dirt and food stains. Some people actually consider it a good alternative to fabric softeners, too, since it leaves fabrics feeling nice and soft.

How do I use it?

• Pour half a cup of white vinegar in the washing machine, just as you would do with fabric softener.
• For very strong odors, put the vinegar in a bucket with water and let the clothes soak for 20 minutes.

Want to learn more? Read: Use Vinegar to Clean Your House

2. Cold air

Cold air, like in the refrigerator, is a good way to fight the smell of mold that can get into clothes.

How do I use it?

• First, get an airtight bag, put the clothes inside, and put them in the refrigerator for a few hours.
• After this time, remove, rinse, and let air dry.

Believe it or not, they’ll come out without that musty smell!

3. Baking soda

Baking soda is one of the most widely used natural ingredients for green cleaning.

Because it’s so absorbent, it helps eliminate the substances that are causing the unpleasant odors and stains.

If applied directly to clothes, it removes sweat stains and has a whitening effect, leaving clothes looking impeccable.

In addition, it also brightens colored clothes and is good for delicate fabrics.

How do I use it?

• Sprinkle on the items of clothing that you want to clean, let sit for 20 minutes, and remove with a brush.
• Optionally, put a bit of baking soda in your drawers or closet to absorb the smell of mold.

4. Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil is highly valued for its antibacterial and anti-fungal powers that, along with improving your health, help you clean all your house all over.

As for taking care of your clothes, tea tree oil is used as an odor neutralizer, since its light fragrance gets rid of smells caused by dampness.

How do I use it?

• First, put a little bit of tea tree oil in a spray bottle with water and apply to your clothes.
• Then, wait an hour for the oil to do its job.
• Finally, check that the bad odor is gone. If not, leave it for a little longer.

5. Lemon juice

In addition, freshly-squeezed lemon juice is a natural ingredient that can work to eliminate sweat smells and, along the way, sweat stains.

Its citric acid easily penetrates fabric and removes the substances at the root of these bothersome smells.

How do I use it?

• First, dilute the lemon juice in two liters of water and soak your clothes for 30 to 40 minutes.
• After this time, rinse as usual and air dry.

Check out this article: How to Use Lemon and Other Natural Cleaning Products

6. Orange peel

Orange peel gives off a citrus smell that can help neutralize unpleasant smells caused by sweat, mold, and spilled food.

It is easy on your clothes, leaves them feeling soft, and helps get rid of dirt and stains.

How do I use it?

• First, put a few orange peels in a pot with two liters of water.
• Once it reaches full boil, let it sit for a few minutes.
• Then, put your clothes in to soak.
• After two or three hours, rinse and let your clothes dry in the sun.

As you can see, there’s no need to waste money on chemical products to rid your clothes of bad smells.

Pick one of these tricks and say goodbye to bad odors!