How to Get Smells Out of Bed Sheets

Get smells out of bed sheets with a multi-step process.

If you notice an unpleasant odor emanating from your bed sheets, your sheets probably have trapped bacteria inside the fabric fibers that are creating the distasteful smells. Instead of living with the odors or tossing the sheets, wash them thoroughly to remove the foul bacteria. Although the cleaning process may involve several steps, you can successfully get smells out of bed sheets and restore your bedding to its former clean, sweet-smelling condition.

Things You'll Need

• Chlorine or color-safe bleach
• Heavy-duty laundry detergent
• Laundry basket
• Clothesline
• Clothespins
• Large covered bin (18-gallon)
• Baking soda

Instructions

1. Check the fabric content and washing instructions for your sheets to determine the best way to machine-wash them before you proceed with the odor-removing process.

2. Place the sheets into the washing machine. Add either chlorine bleach or color-safe bleach to the bleach dispenser in the washing machine (chlorine bleach for white sheets and color-safe bleach for colored sheets). Consult the package label for the recommended amount of bleach. Add heavy-duty laundry detergent to the washing machine also. Set the water temperature to the warmest temperature recommended by the manufacturer and wash the sheets in a regular wash cycle. If you do not have washing instructions, wash the sheets in warm water.

3. Remove the sheets from the washing machine when the cycle ends. Shake them out to remove wrinkles as you place them into the laundry basket.

4. Hang the sheets outside on a clothesline. If you do not have a clothesline, use a dryer instead; however, drying the sheets outside in the fresh air and sunshine can be effective for removing fabric odors. Allow the sheets to hang until they dry completely.

5. Take the dry sheets down from the clothesline (or from the dryer) and assess their smell. If you still smell odors in the fabric, proceed with the next step.

6. Spread the sheets out flat on the floor. Sprinkle baking soda liberally over the entire surface area of both the top sheet and the fitted sheet. Roll the sheets up to hold the baking soda in place and place the rolled sheets into the large bin. Cover the bin and allow the sheets to sit in the enclosed bin for two to three hours.

7. Remove the sheets from the bin. Shake off the excess baking soda and repeat the washing and drying steps again to finish removing the odors from the sheets.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Quick N Easy Stain Removal