We’ve all been there. Maybe it’s a hot day and you’re a little sweaty, or you pull clothes out of the closet and notice a musty smell. You may not have time to stop and run a load of laundry at a moment’s notice. That’s totally fine! There are lots of little tricks you can try to get your clothes smelling fresh in an instant. Try some of the suggestions below to get your clothes smelling great so you can get on with your day.
Turn sweaty clothes inside out and make a diluted vinegar spray. Just fill a clean bottle with equal parts white vinegar and water. Then, spritz it over the smelly fabric. Let the fabric dry completely—the vinegar smell and the odor should disappear!
- Don’t use apple cider vinegar since the distinctive smell might not fade completely.
Mix 1 US tbsp (15 ml) of lemon juice with 3⁄4 c (180 ml) of water. Pour your homemade deodorizer into a clean spray bottle and spritz it all over your smelly clothes. Then, hang them up to dry.
- This spray works best for white clothes since the lemon juice could bleach your colorful clothes.
Seal the bag and shake it so the fabric’s coated with the scent. Then, leave the clothes in the sealed bag for about 10 minutes so the fresh smell is strong. When you take them out, you’ll have clothes that smell brand new!
- If you’re deodorizing black clothing, check it when you take it out of the bag. If you see white residue from the dryer sheet, just brush it off.
Fold your items and put them in a sealable bag. Then, pop it in the freezer overnight. When you check on your clothes in the morning, the stinky smell should be gone!
- It’s thought that cold temperatures can kill odor-causing bacteria.
Stir a few spoonfuls of water into the baking soda to make a thick paste. Turn your clothes inside out and rub the paste onto the stinky areas. This works really well for armpit odors, for instance. Once the paste dries, brush it off and turn your clothes right side out.
- You can probably brush off the dried paste by hand, but if it’s not coming off easily wipe it with a dry brush.
