Laundry Odor Removal

Using the right ingredients will eliminate any nasty odors in your laundry.

Laundry detergent by itself does not always remove strong odors from clothing and other items. Cloth diapers and dishrags, for example, can have a sour odor that remains after laundering. Fortunately, there are a few tips and tricks that can be followed in order to rid your laundry of any foul odors. Best of all, you probably already have the necessary odor eliminating ingredients in your home.

Things You'll Need

• Bucket
• Water
• Dish soap
• Laundry detergent
• Baking soda
• Vinegar

Instructions

1. Place 2 tbsp. of dish soap in a bucket and fill with water.

2. Soak your odorous laundry items in the bucket for half an hour. Think of it as pre-treating your laundry, but for odors not stains.

3. Start your washing cycle with your normal laundry detergent, and add 1/2 cup of baking soda. Baking soda is a type of laundry booster that increases the effectiveness of the laundry detergent. It also has odor-eliminating capabilities.

4. Wring out your smelly clothing from the bucket and add the items to your washing machine. Wait for the rinse cycle and then add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar. Vinegar is a powerful odor remover.

5. Hang your clothes out to dry after you have finished washing them. The clothes should be completely odor free, but the fresh air can add a pleasant and all-natural scent to the laundry items.

Tips & Warnings

• Some laundry detergents come with baking soda already in them.

• You can make your own homemade laundry detergent with baking soda, Borax and liquid Castile soap.

References

• Natural Healthy Home Cleaning Tips: Vinegar and Baking Soda Cleaning Recipes
• Vinegar Tips: 1001 Uses for White Distilled Vinegar
• Cleaning Tips: Remove Sour Smells and Odors from Your Laundry

Resources

• Stain Removal 101: Uses for Baking Soda for Cleaning, Stain Removal and More