Washing clothes is one thing, folding them another and keeping them fresh, yet another!
Sometimes, clothes end up still having odor even after you have washed them, especially if you sweat a lot, and at times, those odors do not completely come off. In addition, if there is mold in the closet or if the clothes have been in a smelly environment, they will smell even after washing them. Well, lucky for us, we can always turn to natural methods for nearly everything – including getting rid of odors and stains from our clothes. That being said, here are natural ingredients that help neutralize odor from clothes without necessarily affecting their quality.
1. White vinegar.
White vinegar is great for washing your clothes because the acids help eliminate dirt and food stains as well as remove bad smells. White vinegar also has a softening effect and makes the fabrics have a nice soft feel. Simply add half a cup of vinegar into your washing water and wash your clothes like your normally do. If the odor is very strong, mix vinegar with water and soak your clothes for 20 minutes before washing them.
2. Refrigerating clothes.
The cold temperatures of the fridge are a good solution to remove moldy smells that linger on some clothes and this is because the cold temperatures kill the bacteria that could be causing those odors. Wash your clothes like you normally would and once dry, put them, (the ones that still smell) in a zip lock bag then refrigerate them overnight. Afterwards, hang outside for a few hours.
3. Baking soda.
Baking soda is so effective as a cleaning agent. Not only does it help remove substances that cause unpleasant odors but also gets out stains. Soak your clothes in water and sprinkle baking soda on the stains, let sit for 20 minutes and remove the stain using a brush. To avoid mold, put a small quantity of baking soda in your closet. It could be on a piece of tissue or even in an open can, just ensure it’s well placed so that it doesn’t pour.
4. Lemon juice.
Fresh lemon juice is frequently used to eliminate sweat stains and smells since its citric acid can easily penetrate the fabrics. Squeeze several lemons and mix the lemon juice with two liters of warm water, let it cool for a while and then soak the clothes in it for 30-40 minutes. When they have finished soaking, wash as usual, rinse and hang outside to dry.
5. Orange peel.
Orange peels smell is pleasant and help neutralize bad odors. Peel several oranges and boil the peels in two liters of water, let it cool for a while then soak your clothes in it. After they have been soaking for three hours, rinse the clothes and hang them outside to dry.