How to Keep Clothes Smelling Fresh

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It's frustrating to wash your clothes, dry them, and find that they smell. For clothes that stay fresh smelling even days after you've washed them, make a few simple changes to your laundry routine. Start by removing odors from your clothes and dry them immediately after washing so they don't develop a mildew smell. Improve ventilation in your closet and place odor-absorbing items in your dresser drawers, suitcase, or closet.

The Best Ways to Make Your Clothes Smell Fresh

  1. Place dryer sheets or scented sachets in your dresser, suitcase, or storage bins.
  2. Spray your clothes with a linen spray or essential oils.
  3. Dry your clothes as soon as they’re done in the washer.
  4. Remove odors by washing your clothes with vinegar and baking soda.
  5. Hang your clothes to dry outside.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Scenting Your Clothes

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  1. Whether you're storing clothes for a few days or for a whole season, adding a new dryer sheet can keep them smelling fresh. Keep the dryer sheet with the clothes until you can no longer smell it and then replace it. [1]
    • If you don't want to use dryer sheets, wrap a dry bar of scented soap in tissue paper and place it in your clothes drawer or suitcase.
  2. Spritz a few large cotton balls with your favorite perfume or place about 5 drops of an essential oil on each cotton ball. Put them in a bowl and place them in your closet or scatter the cotton balls in your dresser drawers. [2]
    • You can also place these in your suitcase if you're packing your clothes.
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  3. If you're storing your clothes in a dresser drawer or packing them for a trip, place a small linen sachet filled with dried lavender or your favorite potpourri to add a light scent. To add a light fragrance to your closet, hang the sachet from a hanger. [3]
    • You could also place cedar shavings or mothballs in the sachet to protect your clothes from moth damage. Purchase scented mothballs to cover their unpleasant odor.

    Tip: If you have outlets in your closet, plug in automatic air fresheners. These occasionally release bursts of air freshener that keep your clothes smelling great.

  4. To make your own linen spray, fill a clean spray bottle with 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups (350 ml) of water, 1 ⁄ 4 cup (59 ml) of rubbing alcohol, and 3 ⁄ 4 teaspoon (3.7 ml) of an essential oil. Screw the lid on and shake the mixture before spraying it lightly over your clothes. For a fresh scent, use any of these essential oils: [4]
    • Lavender
    • Lemon
    • Geranium
    • Rose
    • Fir or cypress
  5. Take a clean cloth or rag and add about 5 drops of essential oil to it. Then, place the cloth in your dryer along with a load of clean, wet clothes and run a drying cycle. The essential oil adds a very light scent to the clothes. [5]
    • Try your favorite essential oil, such as lavender, orange, rosemary, or geranium.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Absorbing Musty Smells

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  1. Remove odors by filling a spray bottle with white vinegar or cheap vodka. Then, spritz clothes that need deodorizing. As the vinegar or vodka dries, it will remove smells and will dry odorless. [6]

    Tip: It's always a good idea to test a spot on the clothes before spraying the entire garment, since some older fabrics may be damaged by vinegar or vodka. Turn the clothes inside out and spray a small spot to ensure that the vodka or vinegar doesn't change the fabric's color.

  2. Coffee is well known for its ability to neutralize odors and strong scents. Take a batch of brewed coffee grounds and spread them on a baking sheet. Let them dry completely and then place them in a bowl. Put the bowl somewhere in your closet so it can absorb lingering smells. [7]
    • You could also place whole or freshly ground coffee beans in the closet to absorb odor.
    • If you'd like to use coffee grounds in your dresser drawers, fill a linen sachet with the dried grounds. Then, place the sachet in your dresser.
  3. Use cedar throughout the closet to absorb moisture and odors. Buy cedar hangars, cedar clothes hampers, or sachets filled with cedar shavings and place them in your closet. Cedar naturally repels moths and absorbs moisture from humid spaces. [8]
    • You could also place a bowl full of cedar chips in your closet.
  4. Baking soda is a natural odor absorber so open a fresh box of baking soda and put it on the top shelf or floor of your closet. If the carpet in your closet is smelly, sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and let it sit for up to 24 hours before vacuuming it up. [9]
    • Replace the box of baking soda every 1 to 2 months.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Destroying and Preventing Odors

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  1. [10] Run a standard washing cycle using 1 cup (240 ml) of white vinegar instead of laundry detergent. Use the hottest water that you can with your specific clothes. Then, run another cycle using laundry detergent and 1 cup (180 g) of baking soda. [11]
    • The vinegar and baking soda kill different strains of mold, which is why it's important to use both.
  2. If you leave wet clothes in your machine for even a few hours, mold could begin to grow. This makes your clothes and machine begin to smell like mildew. Instead, put the wet clothes into the dryer as soon as the machine stops. [12]
    • If you forget your clothes in the machine and they sat for more than 4 hours, wash them again with vinegar and hot water to remove the smell.

    Tip: If you remove stinky clothes from the machine, you may need to clean the machine by running vinegar and baking soda in the empty machine.

  3. One of the easiest ways to make your clothes fresh smelling is also one of the cheapest. Instead of tossing the clothes in the dryer with fabric sheets, hang the clothes outside on a clothesline. The fresh air will dry the clothes and the sunlight can even disinfect them. [13]
    • Although it may take longer for the clothes to dry, you can hang dry the clothes in winter or on cloudy days.
  4. If your closet is in a room that has high humidity, keeping the door closed can trap moisture and create an unpleasant smell. Try to keep your closet door open during the day or overnight to encourage air circulation. [14]
    • If you're packing clothes in a suitcase or have clothes stored in dresser drawers, place a few silica packets in with the clothes to absorb moisture. You can buy silica packets online.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I keep my wardrobe smelling fresh?
    Susan Stocker
    Professional Cleaner
    Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.
    Susan Stocker
    Professional Cleaner
    Expert Answer
    Plastic airtight containers are the safest option. Or, you can place cedar shavings or mothballs in a sachet to protect your clothes from moth damage. Purchase scented mothballs to cover their unpleasant odor.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    How do I stop my clothes from smelling?
    Susan Stocker
    Professional Cleaner
    Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.
    Susan Stocker
    Professional Cleaner
    Expert Answer
    The best way to stop clothes from smelling is to root out the source of the smell. It may be perspiration or another source. If the odor has already permeated the fabric, add Borax to your laundry to get the smell out. You can also use white vinegar, but you should test it first. Turn the clothes inside out and spray a small spot to ensure that the vinegar doesn't change the fabric's color.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    How do you remove odors from clothes?
    Susan Stocker
    Professional Cleaner
    Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.
    Susan Stocker
    Professional Cleaner
    Expert Answer
    Vinegar and baking soda are superior at neutralizing odors. You can also use bleach. However, it’s important to use nonchlorine bleach whenever you wash colored clothing, as it prevents your garments from fading.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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      Tips

      • Never toss wet towels or clothes on the ground in your room or closet. These can cause mildew to grow on your carpet.
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      Warnings

      • Limit or avoid using scented laundry products to protect your indoor air quality, since scented products have been linked to indoor air pollution. [15]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/_cytVpbupFk?t=309
      2. ↑ http://www.visiontimes.com/2016/06/20/8-other-ways-you-can-use-perfume.html
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/0DGf_v73CQs?t=66
      4. ↑ https://www.womansday.com/home/organizing-cleaning/how-to/a4129/make-your-own-linen-spray-85519/
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/qB1LxnN31Qg?t=97
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/5EwZMAnPIgM?t=243
      7. ↑ https://www.foodandwine.com/blogs/overpower-odors-using-coffee-grounds
      8. ↑ https://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/cedar_facts/1280/
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/fw5lqvdhtG4?t=92
      1. ↑ Susan Stocker. Cleaning Guru. Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/frIqTMq4BGM?t=59
      3. ↑ https://youtu.be/ZuzdVip0Rnc?t=24
      4. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9921089
      5. ↑ https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sc-home-0116-stink-20120118-story.html
      6. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3018511/

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