What do you do if you have to go somewhere and your entire wardrobe is dirty? “What are easy ways to take the smell out of clothes without washing them?” is a question you might have. Here are some that you can try with materials you already have around the house.
Fresh Air and Sunlight
Nothing beats fresh air and sunlight when it comes to getting rid of odors from your clothes. Fabrics tend to collect odors. Crumpling them in a pile on the floor allows them to hold the stink for longer.
When you don’t have time to wash a shirt, turn it inside out and hang it up. Air it out on a sunny day. You’d be surprised how effective simply hanging your clothes can be at removing odors.
Sunlight is an effective method to combat musty scents and other mildew-related odors. Allowing your clothes to blow in a light breeze also enhances natural airflow through the public.
Harness the power of the sun by pinning your clothes to a clothesline in a sunny place outside. Pick a location with a nice breeze to help air them out as well.
Allow them to hang for a day or two, and the musty odor will vanish as if by magic. The faint smell usually fades away within a day, while harsher scents may take a few days to disappear.
The UV rays will eliminate microorganisms that cause odors. The air will make things smell good and fresh. Avoid hanging your colorful clothing in direct sunlight for too long. It helps to protect your clothes from fading.
If you don’t have access to a backyard clothesline, you can hang your item for an hour or so in front of an open window. Otherwise, hanging the clothing over a railing outside in the sun. It’s an excellent technique to allow it to absorb enough sunshine to eliminate the odor.
If it’s raining outside, this isn’t always possible. Instead, you may hang the clothes in front of a pedestal fan or another fan if you have one. It isn’t quite as effective as the combination of sunlight and fresh air. But it can help much in the removal of many odors.
Leaving your garments to air out before hanging them in your closet after wearing them is also wise to practice. It can help keep them from smelling musty due to odor-causing germs.
Using Home Appliances
Dryer
If you can’t wash an item before wearing it and it doesn’t smell fresh, a dryer sheet can help. It will always smell better than the unwashed items you want to wear. It works regardless of the brand or fragrance of the dryer sheet.
If you have a dryer, toss the garment you wish to wear in with three or four dryer sheets and let it tumble. To destroy odors, they only need to be in the dryer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Another way to freshen the scent of clothes is to use wool balls in the dryer. These are natural, reusable fabric softeners. They do a fantastic job of restoring clothing’s fresh smell.
They can last up to 1,000 loads, resulting in less waste than traditional dryer sheets. There’s no need to wash these before using them. Just drop them in with your clothes in the dryer and run in a non-heat setting for around 10 minutes. [How To Keep Clothes Smelling Fresh In The Closet?]
Steamer
You already knew a steamer could remove wrinkles and make your clothes appear new. But it turns out it can also make them smell fresh!
The high heat from the steamed water kills bacteria that cause odors.
Certain delicates, such as suede, cannot be steamed. Turn clothes with delicate embellishments be turned inside out before placing them in a steamer.
No steamer? It’s no problem. Hanging wrinkly clothes in the bathroom while taking a hot shower is an accepted technique — though it doesn’t always work as well as a steamer.
Freezer
The chilly temperature kills bacteria that create stinky garments. This method is ideal for jeans that you shouldn’t after each use.
Fill a big freezer bag halfway with your clothes and seal it shut. Place the bag in the freezer for a few hours to allow the cold temperature to deodorize your garments.
Then take the bag out. When you take your garments out of the freezer for the first time, they may be stiff. Allow them to warm up for a few minutes before putting them on to make them feel more comfortable.
Using Kitchen Materials
White Vinegar
Vinegar has a low (acidic) pH, which helps to eliminate odors from garments. Use light vinegar instead of dark vinegar to avoid staining your clothes.
Turn the garment inside out to begin. In a spray bottle, combine equal parts vinegar and water. Test the vinegar solution on an inconspicuous location before spraying the entire item.
After that, hang the clothes to dry and air them out, preferably outside. As your garment dries, the vinegar scent will fade.
Lemon juice
The procedure for using it is almost similar to that of vinegar, as discussed above. Like vinegar, it can stain some materials. So, test it on a small section of the garment first before applying it all over.
Baking Soda
The baking soda method is simple. Make a paste with baking soda and water. Apply the mixture to the smelliest portions of the garment. Allow it to air dry entirely after that.
Another option is to skip the paste and put the clothes in a plastic waste bag instead.
Unused Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds are another example of a typical kitchen item that eliminates scents in just a few hours. They’re not as cheap as baking soda, but they’ll get the job done in a pinch.
Fill a bowl halfway with unused coffee grounds. Fold your shirt on top, and set it aside to dry overnight. Ensure that the fresh coffee grains don’t come into contact with the shirt, as this could result in a stain. Allow them to absorb the scents overnight.
Charcoal
Charcoal absorbs odors as coffee grounds do. But they don’t add any sweet scents to the clothing item.
Fold the washing item over top of a few briquettes in a paper bag. Leave it overnight. In the morning, enjoy its crisp, clean freshness.
Vodka
Fill a spray bottle halfway with unflavored vodka. Use unflavored vodka to avoid adding a second unpleasant odor. It also helps to keep your clothes from becoming sticky.
Spray your clothing, then hang them up to air dry. Let the vodka smell fade away, and you’re ready to go!
Using Other Household Items
Upholstery Brush
Clean your garments with an upholstery brush. It will remove anything clinging to the surface. You can buy upholstery brushes from your local department store. You can also order them online from the comfort of your home.
Fabric Spray
Fabric sprays are available in a range of scents. Just spritz your musty-smelling clothing with a spritz of water and hang them to dry. The offensive odor will be gone, and your clothes will smell fantastic!
Because the scent of the spray will linger on your clothes, make sure you like it before using it.
Air Freshener
This procedure is simple. Just spray a tiny amount of your favorite scent on both the front and back of your clothes. Allow at least 10 minutes for the garment to air out before wearing it.
An air freshener will come in helpful if you need a quick, temporary repair for smelly garments. You can quickly freshen up when you need to attend an outdoor event.
Newspaper
Using newspapers to re-scent garments is an unusual but effective method. The material absorbs moisture trapped in the most odorous sections of the garment. Sweat or oils cause this.
Overnight, strew balled-up pieces of newspaper in these spots. It helps absorb the moisture as well as the scents. If you can’t leave it overnight, let it sit for at least a few hours.
You can use the same procedure to dry damp shoes. Doing this absorbs musty odors caused by excess moisture.
Essential oils
Essential oils are a natural alternative to air fresheners. Fill a spray bottle halfway with water. Remember to dilute a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Spray on your clothes to give them a new lease on life.
Keep in mind that essential oils mask scents rather than eliminate them. So, this approach is appropriate for clothes that aren’t very filthy.
You can use whatever essential oil you like. Scents like lavender, grapefruit, and lemon are particularly excellent at removing musty odors. But, if you use too many essential oils, they might become difficult to remove.
Summary
Are there easy ways to take the smell out of your clothes without washing them? There are four options. You can air them out in the sun or use what you readily have, such as appliances, kitchen materials, and other household objects. These will allow you to wash less frequently.
Jessica Oliver is a fashion enthusiast with more than ten years of experience in the industry. She previously managed her own clothing store in New York before becoming a mother of three. With a passion for sustainability and a desire to share clothing care and recycling tips.