Have you ever pulled your favorite outfit out of the closet to discover that it smells musty, and no amount of airing or freshening sprays are helping? Don’t be tempted to just pop it in the washing machine before first taking a few preventative measures.
There are several ways you can take smell out of clothes without having to resort to laundering them – if successful, this will save time, energy and money (not forgetting those pesky water bills!).
From hanging items outdoors in fresh air, spritzing with vinegar solutions and using essential oils as an odor eliminator; read on for our guide on how to make your garments smell sweet again…
Place your clothes in the freezer overnight to remove odours.
Freezing garments overnight can kill off bacteria and remove odors, leaving you with clean-smelling clothes. Make sure to place items in an airtight plastic bag before putting them into the freezer; this will help stop any smells from seeping out and potentially contaminating other food items. The next morning, simply let your clothing thaw at room temperature before giving ita good shake and airing out.
Hang them outside in the sun for a few hours to eliminate smells.
The sun’s UV rays can help kill off smell-causing bacteria, so if you have the time and nice weather, why not hang out your clothing outside to get some fresh air? Just make sure to check on them from time to time as too much sun exposure may cause colors to fade.
Sprinkle baking soda on the fabric and let it sit for 30 minutes before vacuuming up the powder.
Baking soda is an amazing odor absorber and can help to take smell out of clothes without washing them. Simply sprinkle it over your garment, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies, then let it sit for around 30 minutes before vacuuming up the powder. For extra smelly items, you may need to repeat this process acouple of times.
Place a bowl of white vinegar in the room with your clothes to absorb bad odours
White vinegar is a great odor absorber and can be used as an alternative to baking soda for removing bad smells from your garments without having to resort to washing them.
Simply place a bowl in the room with your clothing and leave it overnight; the vinegar will absorb any lingering odors, leaving you with fresh-smelling clothes.
Put your garment into a plastic bag filled with coffee grounds, and let it sit overnight.
Coffee grounds can also be used to remove bad smells from clothes without having to wash them. Simply fill a plastic bag with coffee grounds and place your item inside before closing it up and leaving it overnight.
The smell of the coffee will help neutralize any unpleasant odours, leaving you with clothing that smells as good as new.
Sprinkle essential oils onto fabric
Before putting clothes in the washing machine, why not try sprinkling some essential oils on your garment? Essential oils can help to eliminate odors without damaging fabrics and are a natural way of removing smells from clothes. Simply add a few drops to the item and then give it a good shake before leaving it in an airy space to dry.
Spray With Vodka To Remove Bad Smells From Clothes
Vodka can be used to help remove bad smells from clothes without having to resort to washing them. Simply dilute a cup of vodka with one cup of water in a spray bottle and spritz onto fabric before letting it air dry. As the alcohol evaporates, it will take withit any unpleasant odors that may have been lingering on your clothing.
Steam Your Garments
If you want to take smell out of clothes without washing them, then steaming is another great option. Simply hang your garment up and then steam it for five minutes using a handheld steamer – this will not only help remove odors but also de-wrinkle any fabrics that may have become creased in storage.
Rub lemon juice onto any particularly smelly spots on your clothing, then hang them outside in fresh air until dry
If you’re dealing with a particularly smelly item of clothing, then lemon juice can be used to help remove bad odors. Simply squeeze some onto any areas where the odor is strongest and then hang your garment outside in fresh air until it has dried completely. The citrus smell will help neutralize any unpleasant odors that may still remain on the fabric.
Final words
Taking smell out of clothes without washing them can be a great way to save time and energy, as well as money on your water bills. Make sure to follow the steps outlined in this guide, and you’ll soon have garments that smell sweet again! For extra smelly items, it may be necessary to repeat some of the methods here several times before any noticeable difference is seen.
The next time you pull a musty garment out of the closet, try one or more of these handy techniques and see if they help to neutralize unpleasant odors on your clothes without having to resort to washing them! Good luck!