A few tricks on how to remove odor from second-hand items at home, with or without washing

Clothes sold in second-hand stores are cheap, but have a significant drawback in the form of an unpleasant, persistent odor. Everything without exception is saturated with it.

It is for this reason that many people refuse to shop in such stores. The article will talk about how to completely remove the smell from second-hand items and not spoil them.

How to wash it properly?

The first thing that comes to mind is to wash unpleasant-smelling things. However, regular washing does not always help get rid of persistent odor.

It is these chemicals that leave behind an unpleasant trail that cannot be removed with washing powder alone.

Features of washing clothes from a second-hand store:

1. The water temperature should be the maximum allowable for the fabric. This will improve the quality of washing and remove maximum harmful substances from things.
2. It is recommended to increase the dose of powder by 1.5-2 times.
3. After washing, items should be rinsed thoroughly. If the treatment was carried out in a washing machine, then at least 3 rinse cycles should be run.
4. It is recommended to dry washed clothes in the fresh air.
5. You should not put your regular clothes, much less children’s items, in a drum with second-hand items.

If the item is made of natural fabric, then it will be easier to remove the unpleasant odor from it than from synthetic fibers. It should be taken into account that the denser and thicker the material, the more effort you will have to put in.

Procedure:

• 5 liters of water are taken into the basin;
• add 20 ml of 10% ammonia solution and stir;
• soak things in the prepared solution;
• after 10 minutes they are removed, wrung out and hung out to dry;
• When the clothes are dry, they are washed as usual, dried and ironed on both sides.

It is important not to disrupt the sequence of actions and first hang the product out to dry, and only then proceed with the main wash. While you are in the fresh air, formaldehyde will evaporate along with ammonia, and the smell will go away with it.

A solution of salt and table vinegar works well with an unpleasant plume. Use it as follows:

• dilute 100 ml of vinegar and 2 tablespoons of table salt in 5 liters of water and stir until completely dissolved;
• soak things for an hour, if the smell is intense, then this time is doubled;
• Wring out and dry clothes in the fresh air;
• After drying, wash the items as usual.

In addition to table salt, you can use sea bath salts. It itself has a bright aroma, for example, lemon or pine.

How to remove an unpleasant odor without washing clothes?

Not all things can be washed and soaked; for example, something bought at a second-hand store will not withstand such treatment. fur coat or leather skirt. And sometimes there is simply no time for this long process.In this case, you can try to get rid of the smell without washing. The most effective ways:

Steam generator

Before treating the item with a jet of steam, you need to add 3-5 drops of rosemary oil and 8 drops of lemon to the water compartment.

Aromatic herbs

To neutralize an unpleasant odor, you will need a mixture based on:

• mint,
• linden trees,
• sage,
• daisies,
• yarrow.

Exposure to cold

This is the least expensive way to combat foreign odors. In winter, you can hang things outside for a few days. During the warm season, it is recommended to use the freezer. They are wrapped in plastic and put in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. After this treatment, things need to be dried.

Coffee beans

Freshly ground grains help cope with the smell. They are ground into powder, which is poured into a cotton bag.

All items from the second-hand store are placed in a plastic bag, and ground coffee is also placed in it. The bag is tied and left for 3 days.. During this time, the coffee will absorb the unpleasant smell, and the clothes will be saturated with the coffee aroma.

You can use ground store-bought coffee, but the effect will be less noticeable. You need to be prepared in advance for the fact that after removing the clothes from the bag, a distinct coffee smell will remain on them.

Natural soap

It is used in a similar way to coffee beans. The bar is grated, placed in sachet bags and stored. After 3 days, the fabric will be saturated with the pleasant aroma of your favorite soap.

Helpful information

Tips to help remove unpleasant odors from things:

1. Until processing, items from second-hand stores should not be stored in the same closet as your clothes. Otherwise, she will also be saturated with their smell.
2. If you are unable to get rid of the unpleasant odor the first time, the washing procedure must be repeated.
3. You need to air your clothes in the fresh air for several days. It's good if it's frosty outside. Cold air allows you to completely get rid of even the most persistent odors.
4. Using fabric softener helps enhance the effect of washing.

Video on the topic of the article

5 ways to get rid of the second-hand smell on things - in the video:

Conclusion

You can get rid of the unpleasant smell from second-hand stores without washing. To do this, use various aromatic agents:

• coffee beans,
• herbs,
• soap.

However, they should be used only if it is impossible to perform a full wash with soaking, since only with its help will it be possible to completely wash out all harmful substances from the fabric fibers.