How to Get the Formaldehyde Smell Out of Clothes

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The best ways to wash chemical odor out of jeans and other garments
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If your clothing tag says wrinkle-free, stain-free, static-free, or the fabric has a strong chemical smell, it has most likely been saturated with formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a chemical that is often used to preserve clothes and keep them wrinkle-free before you buy them. To neutralize the residual chemicals, all you need is baking soda or vinegar. We also interviewed green cleaning expert Susan Stocker to find the best ways to deodorize your clothing. Let’s dive in!

Getting the Formaldehyde Smell Out of Clothes

Fill a bucket or sink with hot water and add 1 to 2 cups (230 to 460 g) of baking soda. Mix the water gently, then insert the clothes you’d like to deodorize. Let them sit for at least 8 hours or overnight. Rinse them in cold water and allow them to air dry in a ventilated area.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Soaking Clothes in a Baking Soda Solution

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  1. Choose a bucket, sink, or bathtub that is large enough to hold the clothes you’d like to remove the formaldehyde from. Fill it up about ¾ of the way full with hot water. [1]
  2. Green cleaning expert Susan Stocker says that baking soda removes odors and brightens colors in clothing. Pour the baking soda into the warm water and swirl it around gently to mix the ingredients together. [2]

    Tip: If you don’t have baking soda, you can use 1 cup (230 g) of Borax instead.

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  3. Submerge your clothes fully into the water and baking soda mixture. Let the clothes sit overnight or for at least 8 hours to fully remove the formaldehyde smell. [3]
    • If your clothes are especially saturated in formaldehyde, you can soak them for up to 2 days.
  4. Take your clothes out of the baking soda mixture and rinse them out with cold water. Wring out the excess water and hang them up outside or in a ventilated area to air dry. Fresh air can help get rid of any formaldehyde smell left over in your clothes. [4]
    • Alternatively, throw your clothes in the washing machine on a normal cycle, then put them outside to air dry. [5]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Washing with Vinegar

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  1. White vinegar is a natural deodorizer and can even help to brighten your clothes. Stocker says that, for strong odors, add 1 cup (240 mL) vinegar in place of the detergent in the wash cycle and add another 1 cup (240 mL) directly into the washing machine for the rinse cycle.
    • Alternatively (or additionally), add 1 ⁄ 4 cup (59 mL) lemon juice to help break down the scent molecules trapped in the fabric. [6]
    • To combat any residual vinegar odor, Stocker recommends adding “several drops of essential oil such as lavender or tea tree. Tea tree is a natural anti-germicide and antifungal, and lavender has a beautiful scent!”
  2. Cold water can prevent clothes from shrinking or wrinkling while they’re in the washer. [7] Use a cold wash cycle to wash and spin your clothing.
    • Stocker says that you cannot mix detergent and vinegar together—“If you are using detergent, only use the vinegar in the rinse cycle after the detergent is out. You’ll get oily clothes otherwise.”
    • Avoid using chlorine bleach with the vinegar—when the two mix together, they create toxic chlorine gas. [8]

    Tip: If you are worried about the vinegar not rinsing out all the way, put your clothes through a second rinse cycle without any added vinegar.

  3. Hang up your clothes on a clothesline outside or in a ventilated area. Let the clothes dry completely before you wear them. [9]
    • If you need your clothes dried quickly, put them in the dryer on a low temperature to avoid any leftover formaldehyde from bonding with the fibers.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Airing out Your Clothing

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  1. A clothesline outside is the best option to hang your clothes up. If you don’t have one, open up your doors and windows to give your room some ventilation as the formaldehyde leaves your clothing. Set up a fan to blow the chemicals from the clothing outdoors. [10]
    • If it’s a clear sunny day, hang your clothes outside just out of direct sunlight. The sun’s UV rays can help get rid of the chemical smell. [11]
  2. Drape your clothes over a clothesline and attach clothespins to secure them. Or, drape your clothes over a clothing rack and make sure they are centered so that they don’t fall off. [12]
  3. Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound, or VOC, that will evaporate when it is exposed to air for long enough. Let your clothes sit for at least 12 hours to remove the formaldehyde and any other chemicals that may be in your clothes. [13]
    • Leave your clothing to air out longer if you still smell formaldehyde.

    Tip: If there are any pesticides or fumigates in your clothes that were sprayed on them during shipment, off-gassing will remove those as well.

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      Tips

      • Before wearing clothes that smell like formaldehyde, wash them to protect yourself from contact dermatitis, which can irritate your eyes, nose, throat, or skin. [14]
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      • If you come into direct contact with formaldehyde, remove and bag the contaminated clothing. Wash your skin and hair thoroughly with water for 3 to 5 minutes. [15]
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      • You can air out your clothes, soak them in baking soda, and wash them in vinegar as many times as you’d like to until the formaldehyde smell goes away.
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        Expert Interview

        Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about cleaning techniques, check out our in-depth interview with Susan Stocker .

        References

        1. ↑ https://dermnetnz.org/topics/formaldehyde-allergy/
        2. ↑ https://www.lovetoknow.com/home/cleaning/chemical-smell-jeans-118178
        3. ↑ https://www.lovetoknow.com/home/cleaning/chemical-smell-jeans-118178
        4. ↑ https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/ToxFAQs/ToxFAQsDetails.aspx?faqid=219&toxid=39
        5. ↑ https://www.lovetoknow.com/home/cleaning/chemical-smell-jeans-118178
        6. ↑ https://www.deseretindustries.org/blog/care-for-thrifted-clothes-removing-smells
        7. ↑ https://www.bhg.com/homekeeping/laundry-linens/tips-checklists/cold-water-laundry/
        8. ↑ https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/MMG/MMGDetails.aspx?mmgid=198&toxid=36
        9. ↑ https://www.deseretindustries.org/blog/care-for-thrifted-clothes-removing-smells
        1. ↑ https://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/indoor/indoor-air-pollutants/formaldehyde.html
        2. ↑ https://www.deseretindustries.org/blog/care-for-thrifted-clothes-removing-smells
        3. ↑ https://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/indoor/indoor-air-pollutants/formaldehyde.html
        4. ↑ http://www.healthyhouseinstitute.com/a-1092-Removing-Odors-from-New-Clothing
        5. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/flooring/breathe-easier-about-your-flooring/
        6. ↑ https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/MMG/MMGDetails.aspx?mmgid=216&toxid=39

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