Sweat smells are a lot of trouble. Though sweat itself doesn’t smell, the reaction between bacteria and the secretion from your apocrine glands does. The smell is usually putrid and never comes out of your clothes, regardless of the number of times you wash them.
This is probably frustrating as your favorite gym clothes, or work shirts have a bad odor that won’t get out, so you can’t wear them anymore.
You should note that sweat clings to clothes easily, especially if you don’t wash the clothes immediately. This means leaving those gym clothes in your gym bag is the major cause of the awful smell present on them.
Well, today is the day for you to stop sulking and wear your favorites out again. In this article, you’ll find very effective ways to get that sweat smell from your clothes. Most of the ingredients required are available at home, so you might not even have to spend a single penny!
Table of Contents
How to Remove Sweat Smells from your Clothes
The next option for people when their clothes start to smell like sweat is to wash them in hot water.
And while this works sometimes, people who have gym wear know this is not an option because of the material. Apart from gym wear, clothes made with synthetic materials cannot always be washed in hot water.
However, these techniques are completely certified to work on other fabrics. Just pick your favorite.
1. Baking Soda
At this point, everyone knows the answer to everything is baking soda. It’s funny to think about, but it works like magic!
When it comes to cleaning, this is a very effective tool, no doubt. In the case of sweat smells, it again comes to the rescue with its ability to neutralize odor molecules. Its deodorizing feature is also good for sweat stains.
Materials Needed:
- Baking soda
- Warm water
- Bowl
Step-by-step guide:
- Mix your baking soda with warm water in a bowl till you get a paste. To achieve this, you should have morebaking soda than water.
- You can use an object like a toothbrush to scoop some of the paste and rub it on the sweaty areas of your clothes.
- The minimum time to leave it on is fifteen minutes, and the maximum is overnight. Whichever you choose, wash your clothes as usual. Simple and effective!
2. Distilled White Vinegar
This is another handy but effective ingredient that works wonders for cleaning. Distilled white vinegar has corrosive agents, making it ideal for deodorizing sweat smells.
Materials Needed:
- Distilled White Vinegar
- Cold water
- Lemon oil
Steps to take:
- Pour one cup of your Vinegar intohalf a gallon of cold water.
- Mix in a few drops of lemon oil.This is added in because the vinegar smell is not the most pleasant. However, you can skip this step and ensure you wash the vinegar’s smell out properly.
- Put in the smelly clothes and allow themto soak for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Wash as usual.
3. Potassium Bitartrate (Cream of Tartar) and Aspirin
These are the most powerful combination for removing sweat smells. Potassium Bitartrate is an acidic ingredient mixed with the salicylic acid in Aspirin. It’s very effective for neutralizing and removing sweat stains and odors.
Materials needed:
- Cream of Tartar
- Aspirin
- Toothbrush
- Warm water
Steps to take:
- Get a cup of warm water. Put in three white aspirin pills and mix.
- To the mix put a tablespoon of Potassium Bitartrate
- Take your toothbrush and scoop some of the mixtures. Then, gently scrub it into the affected area.
- Allow it to air dry for 20 to 25 minutes.Wash as usual
- Repeat until the odor is completely eliminated.
4. Salt Solution
Salt is not only good for making delicacies at home. It is common knowledge that it is perfect for killing germs and bacteria. Seeing as the causative agent of sweat smells is bacteria, salt is sure to come in handy.
This is one of the most available household ingredients, so you don’t have the problem of availability.
Materials Needed:
- Salt
- Water
- Bowl
Steps to take:
- Fill half of a large bowl with water.
- Then, add half a cup of salt tothe water. Stir with a spoon until the salt is properly dissolved. This wouldn’t take up much time.
- Soak your clothes in the solution. Then, simply perform a regular wash cycle.
5. Washing Soda or Sodium Bicarbonate
This is another good tool for getting rid of sweat Smells. However, it is advised that protective devices should be used when using this material, such as gloves. This is because washing soda irritates the skin when it makes contact.
Gotten from baking soda, it has the same neutralizing effects as sweat smells. The two ingredients are interchangeable, depending on which is available at home. All you need for this method is some water and washing soda.
Steps to take:
- Pour and shake as you do so, very little quantity of washing soda onto the sweaty areas of your clothes.
- Add water to the mix, then use your protected hands to rub it into the smelly area. You will notice the mix will be pasty. Rub it in for a couple of minutes
- When you’re done, leave it for 30 minutes. Then wash it off.
6. Lemon juice
Lemon, like all citrus fruits, has a lot of acidities. As you’ve discovered from this list, that is effective in neutralizing smelly odors.
Lemons are a common sight in our homes. Many people even use them for cooking. So today, grab some lemons and follow these instructions for odor–free fabrics! All you need are your lemons and some water, and you’re ready to go.
Steps to take:
- Juice your lemons. This can be done with your hands, naturally, or with a juicer. Either way, the end goal is the juice.
- Add your juice to twoliters of warm water and leave it be for a while.
- Soak your smelly clothes inthis mixture. Leave it there for at least 30 to 35 minutes.
- Rinse well and spread to dry.
7. Mouthwash
Don’t fret; this makes sense! The role of mouthwash is to kill the bacteria in the mouth and remove the odor, and it does the same for clothes.
It has been tested and tried and is known to work. It is recommended that you try it out first in a hidden part of your fabric before you go all out, just to be certain that it won’t stain it. The only material you need is mouthwash.
Using mouthwash to remove sweat smells from clothes involves the following steps:
- Using the cap, pour some mouthwash into the affected part of your clothes. Do it a few more times.
- Leave that for 30 to 35 minutes and wash normally.
8. Baking Soda and Vinegar
So, we’ve shown you how to eliminate sweat smells with baking soda and vinegar individually. Now, this is a method to remove the awful smell wiry the combination of the two household staples!
Since we know the power of these two on their own, imagine what happens when they get together. Baking soda has alkaline properties, and white vinegar is a natural deodorizer, so this is a magical combo bound to give you odor–free clothes in no time.
Materials Needed:
- Baking Soda
- Vinegar
- Gallon-sizedcontainer
Steps to take:
- Fill up your gallon-sizedcontainer with cold water. A sink is good, too, if you don’t have a container.
- Pour in a cup of baking soda and a cup of white vinegar.
- Soak those sweaty clothes for about 30 minutes
- Wash as you normally would.
Ways to Prevent Sweat Smells
What’s better than getting rid of sweat smells? Not having them in the first place! You won’t have to go through all this fuss again if you can prevent your clothes from having that sweaty smell in the first place. Here are some good tips to follow to ensure all your clothes are odor free at all times
● Use Deodorants and Antiperspirants:
If you want to prevent sweat smells, start from the source: your armpits. Ensure that you use deodorants or antiperspirants in the morning before you leave. This controls the amount of sweat you’ll deposit on your clothes.
● Take Off Those Sweaty Clothes Immediately:
Many people finish gyming, then wear those smelly clothes to go eat or hang out with friends. Or they come back from work and sleep off in their clothes. This is very bad as you leave the bacteria more time to operate.
When you wake up from your nap or return home from your hangout, the smell is pungent and harder to get off.
● Wash, Sundry, or Freeze Your Clothes Immediately After Use:
The best thing is to pull off your clothes and throw them straight in the wash immediately after the gym or after that outing.
Or spread them outside for the sun to do its work if you’re not feeling up to it. Or, better still, shove them in a freezer. Freezing will not kill the bacteria, but it will stop breeding. You must tackle the clothes before bacteria can settle in full and have their way.
● Wash Your Clothes from the Inside Out:
You should ensure you put in the wash the part that touched your body, i.e, inside out. This allows your detergent a direct tackle at the sweat and bacteria.
● Use Baking Soda:
Baking soda to wash guarantees your clothes come out sparkling clean. Only half a cup of baking soda will do the trick. Especially if the clothes are very dirty, like gym clothes.
● Use Natural Detergents:
The usual laundry detergents are not as effective as their fragrance just masks the sweat odor; it does not remove it. On the other hand, natural laundry detergents have potent ingredients like baking soda to remove strong odors easily.
● Do Not Use Fabric Softeners:
Everybody loves fabric softeners. Not only do they have a great scent, but they also leave your clothes feeling so soft.
However, it is not recommended because it contains synthetic fragrances, just like regular laundry detergents. This will not remove the bad odor but only mask it.
● Wash Your Clothes With an Adequate Amount of Detergent:
You need enough detergent if you want to get that sweat out. This goes for washing machines and manual laundry (with your hands). But don’t put on too much, so that it won’t be too thick and won’t clean your clothes effectively.
● Get a Steamer:
Garment steamers act as an artificial sun. They kill the bacteria, which removes the odor in the clothes. Garment steamers can be bought easily online or in stores. However, if you can’t get it, that’s okay; try any of the other ways here. They all produce excellent results.
● Maintain a Clean Washing Machine:
This is a necessary house chore that most people skip over. You cannot use a dirty washing machine to clean up clothes. Doesn’t that sound ironic? If your washing machine does not have self–cleaning options, ensure it is cleaned once a month.
Pour two cups of distilled white vinegar into the dispenser of your machine to clean it. On your regular cycle, wash at the hottest temperature. Then, pour in two cups of baking soda and run it again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Remove Underarm Odor from My Clothes Without Washing Them?
Spread those clothes in the sun and let the gift of nature do its work in killing those bacteria. However, a Garment Steamer is the next best thing if you’re not in a climate that allows you to sun dry your clothes.
Will the Baking soda Spoil My Washing Machine?
The baking soda will only affect your machine if it’s used in high amounts. It can clog your machine. Otherwise, your washing machine is safe with baking soda.
Are Synthetic Fabrics More Likely to Retain Bad Odor?
Yes, between natural fabrics like cotton and synthetic fabrics like polyester, the synthetics will have more microbial growth and odor after a long day.
Final Words
Sweat smells on clothes are a serious issue. It could be very embarrassing as it would seem as if you have a body odor. Bring out all those clothes you have with lingering sweat smells and try any of the methods mentioned above on them. Soon, you will be wearing these clothes with confidence again! Kindly leave your inquiries in the comment section below if any.
