Proven ways to remove musty smell from clothes

Violation of the rules of washing, drying or storing in a closet leads to the fact that washed clean clothes acquire a very unpleasant musty smell.

It will not be possible to mask the “aroma” with perfume (perfume only enhances the “aroma” of mustiness). Fixing the problem and returning freshness to your favorite things can only be done with proven, properly selected methods and means.

We will tell you in this article how to remove musty smell from clothes after lying for a long time using improvised means and household chemicals.

Re-washing items

Repeated washing using scent-absorbing products will help remove musty smells from clothes.

Secrets to proper re-washing:

1. Before washing again, items are soaked for three to four hours in a borax solution (40 grams of powder is enough for 1.5 liters of water).
2. Machine washable with added baking soda (pour together with the main detergent into the powder receptacle of the washing machine), as well as fabric softener. A prerequisite for re-washing is the selection of the re-rinse mode.
3. Hand washing is done by adding vinegar (1 tbsp). Rinse things in water with added conditioner.

After washing, clothes are hung out to dry in a well-ventilated place.

Removing musty aroma using folk remedies

Neutralizing musty odors can be done with improvised means that can be found in any home. TOP 5 most effective folk methods:

1. Table vinegar (9%). An unpleasant-smelling fabric is generously moistened with a mowing solution (the acid is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3).Ten minutes later, the treated items are sent for re-washing.
2. Baking soda. Clothes are soaked in water with baking soda (5 teaspoons of soda are dissolved in a liter of water). After thirty minutes, things are washed as usual. If the unpleasant “odors” were not removed the first time, the procedure can be repeated by doubling the amount of baking soda.
3. Ammonia. Foul-smelling clothing is treated with a solution of ammonia through a spray bottle (1 tablespoon of ammonia is dissolved in ten liters) and left alone for six hours. Afterwards the items are washed a second time.
4. Hydrogen peroxide - An excellent product for removing musty odors from cotton items. It is enough to dilute 100 ml of hydrogen peroxide in a liter of water and treat clothes with the resulting composition. In addition to the musty “aroma,” hydrogen peroxide does an excellent job of removing old stains from sweat, blood, mold and mildew.
5. Table salt. Unpleasantly smelling clothes are rubbed with salt and left for half an hour. Afterwards the items are left to be washed again.

Special preparations

When you need to remove the musty smell as quickly and efficiently as possible, you can use professional special products (sold in the hardware department of any supermarket). TOP 3 most effective compositions:

Dr. Beckmann

Removes persistent musty odors from deep within fabric fibers. A special patented formula keeps things fresh for the longest possible period of time. Does not cause allergic reactions. Suitable for all types of fabric.With regular use, it prevents the appearance of unpleasant odors on clothes.

Directions for use: 35 ml of product is added along with the main detergent with each wash. Average price - 350 rubles. (500 ml bottle).

Deox

Product of European quality (producing country Italy). At the same time removes stubborn “odors”:

• mustiness,
• smoke,
• food,
• sweat and creates reliable protection for fabric fibers from further penetration of unpleasant “odors”.

Suitable for processing clothing, home textiles and upholstery fabrics.

Directions for use: spray the composition onto dry clothes, after which the items are left alone for thirty minutes. The average cost is 250 rubles. (500 ml bottle).

SmellOFF

A universal product for removing odors from all surfaces (clothing, textiles, furniture, household appliances).

How to use: just spray the product onto the fabric and leave the items to dry completely. It is not recommended to re-wash the treated item. The average cost is 650 rubles. (500 ml bottle).

Before purchasing, you need to make sure that the odor remover is suitable for treating fabrics. If necessary, the composition is tested on an inconspicuous small area of ​​​​fabric.

Adviсe

Secrets of experienced housewives will help you solve the problem as quickly as possible unpleasant musty smell on clothes:

1. Keeping coffee beans in an open container on the bottom shelf of your closet will help prevent musty odors from appearing on your clothes. Alternatively, instead of coffee, you can use a bar of aromatic toilet soap.
2. Airing (at least six hours) outside at sub-zero air temperatures will help get rid of the musty smell of mold and mildew.
3. Ironing at maximum temperatures quickly removes unpleasant odors from linen clothes.
4. Rinsing with bleach will help remove particularly persistent, ingrained musty odors from fabrics. It is enough to dilute 100 ml of bleach in five liters of water and soak the clothes for eight hours. Afterwards the items are washed again as usual.
5. To wash clothes with a musty smell, instead of regular washing powder, you can use hair shampoo (the method is most suitable for woolen, knitted and fur items).

You will find a lot of useful and important information about removing various unpleasant odors from objects and surfaces in this section.

Conclusion

The musty smell on clothes can cause many unpleasant moments. This problem can only be avoided by following the rules for washing, drying and storing clothes, and proven folk and special remedies will help correct the situation when the smell has already appeared.