Every time our teenage son comes home from practice, I can’t even stand next to him with his “fresh from the field” aroma. Somedays, it makes my eyes water. That smell not only permeates the room, it permeates his clothes as well.
In our house, it is not only our boys with stinky clothes – Mark and I have some too. It’s been a hot summer working outside and anyone who works out sweats. Today’s workout clothing is designed to wick moisture away from our bodies which means they become perfect fodder for odor smelling bacteria.
Even with washing, overtime, that smell becomes locked into the fabric. So, how do you get rid of that aroma? Follow these tips:
1. Don’t let your clothes “cook” – it is unrealistic to do a load of laundry after every practice or workout. But adding wet or damp clothes to the dirty laundry basket will only make them stinkier. Instead, hang them to dry. Bacteria have a harder time growing on dry clothes.
2. Avoid fabric softeners – fabric softeners not only damage stretchy clothes, they leave behind a film that captures smells. Adding a half cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle will act as a natural fabric softener and help ward off odor.
3. Don’t add more detergent – in this case, more isn’t better. Excess soap will build up on your clothes and trap in dead skin cells and fungus. Yuk!
4. Go to your kitchen – lemon juice, baking soda, and vinegar can all help reduce unpleasant smells. Use a ½ cup of baking soda or squeeze the juice of one large lemon into the rinse cycle. The baking soda neutralizes orders and the citric acid of the lemon breaks down oils in clothing. Another option is to soak the clothes in a mixture of white vinegar and cold water for about 15-30 minutes before washing.
5. Choose natural fibers like cotton, wool or bamboo. Natural fibers create fewer unpleasant smells than polyester or polypropylene.
6. Toss it – If you have tried everything and you just can’t get the smell out…throw it and get new clothes. Now… that sounds like a fun option J