How to Remove Sweat Smell From Shirts

A perspiring man sitting on a bench.

Let's face it, everyone perspires. Sweating is the release of salty fluid from the sweat glands that allows the body to stay cool. As natural as the process may be, the smell can be overpowering and can linger on your favorite garments. You can remove perspiration odors from clothing by using simple household items and pre-treating your garments before washing.

Things You'll Need

• 1 tbsp. ammonia
• 1 ½ cup water
• Spray bottle
• 2 tbsp. baking soda
• 2 saucers
• 1 spoon
• Cotton balls
• 3 tbsp. white vinegar

Instructions

1. Pre-treat your shirt with diluted ammonia. Mix 1 tbsp. of ammonia and 1 cup of water in a spray bottle. Pour the ammonia and water into the bottle and shake it to mix the ingredients. Spray the diluted ammonia onto odorous areas of your shirt, and let it soak into the fabric for one hour. Wash the shirt as usual and place it in the sun to air dry.

2. 

   A spoonful of baking soda.

   Use the odor-eating powers of baking soda. Create a paste by pouring 2 tbsp. of baking soda combined with 1/ 2 cup of water into a small saucer. Stir until a lumpy, grit-like consistency forms. Soak cotton balls in the baking soda paste, and blot the perspiration scented areas on your shirt. Allow the baking soda paste to soak on the areas for 20 minutes, then launder.

3. Pour 3 tbsp. of white vinegar into a saucer, dip one to two cotton balls into the vinegar and apply to your shirt. Lightly blot the areas that smell of perspiration and let the vinegar soak for 20 minutes before laundering.

Tips & Warnings

• When laundering your garments, try washing in hot water to help dissolve the ammonia and vinegar.

• Lightly blot the areas to avoid working the odor further into the fabric.

• Avoid breathing in the ammonia vapors when pre-treating clothing. Ammonia is a powerful solution that can damage the lungs when inhaled.

References

• Getting foul Sweat Odor Out of Clothes
• Perspiration Stain Removal - Use Baking Powder
• How to Get Rid of Stains and Odors - Pet Peeve 2 - Perspiration Stains

Resources

• Sweating - Definition