How to get sour smell out of clothes with vinegar

Ashley traded the quiet life of a small town in a big house for the hustle and bustle of the Windy City. On any given day you might find her working on a freelance photo or blogging gig, wrangling her little darling, or walking Chuck the boxer.

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2. Wash again with baking soda.
3. Air-dry your clothes (in the sun, if possible).
What is the difference between mildew and mold?
Can you prevent mildew smell on clothes?
Raise the Temperature
Check Your Washer
Try an Additive
Practice Prevention
How do you get the sour smell out of your clothes?
How does soaking clothes in vinegar get rid of smell?
Why are my clothes smelling sour?
Why do clothes smell sour after washing?

updated Sep 21, 2022

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2. Wash again with baking soda.

Once the vinegar load has finished, spread the laundry out around inside the washing machine and sprinkle in 1 cup of baking soda. Wash once more on the hottest setting. Baking soda is alkaline, which will help neutralize any remaining odors, leaving your laundry smelling like absolutely nothing at all!

3. Air-dry your clothes (in the sun, if possible).

Remove the laundry and line dry outdoors in the sun if you can. If this isn’t a possibility, put the laundry in the dryer on the appropriate setting for the fabric type.

Drying outside is preferable because ultraviolet rays from the sun have disinfecting properties that can help kill any remaining bacteria in the laundry and the sun acts as a natural bleaching agent. Added perks: not running your dryer will save energy and clothing that has been dried outdoors just smells so. good.

If, after the laundry is completely dry, you catch a whiff of mildew, repeat the steps, this time adding a 1⁄2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle, then dry.

What is the difference between mildew and mold?

Mildew looks grey or yellow and has a light powdery texture, and is usually found growing in flat, spotty patterns. In most cases, your laundry won’t have visible mildew spots but will smell stinky.

Mold looks fuzzy (sometimes slimy) and is black or brown. It’s a bit more complicated to remove mold because the green and black growth leave behind stains that are tougher to treat.

Before you can treat the stain and odor, you need to get rid of the mold: Grab a stiff-bristled brush and scrape the mold away, then let the clothing soak in a solution of 1 part bleach to 3 parts hot water for 30 minutes. Rinse, then launder as usual. If the stain is gone, but the smell persists, launder with a vinegar wash followed up by a baking soda wash as instructed in the steps above.

Can you prevent mildew smell on clothes?

If you find your clothing is prone to mildew smells, take preventative measures by using scented vinegar instead of fabric softener, and be careful not to add too much laundry detergent to your loads as it can cause buildup.

Treating your bath towels to a vinegar wash and a baking soda wash once a month during humid summer months is also a great idea to prevent smells on your clothes.

The proximate cause of the sour smell that clean laundry sometimes acquires is uncontrolled bacterial growth. The bacteria release waste products that cause the sour smell; these bacteria are not quite the same germs that cause body odor, but the principle is the same. If your laundry is sour, you'll need to re-wash it to remove the smell. But don't just go through your usual routine -- make some adjustments to prevent a second round of stink.

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Raise the Temperature

The hotter the water, the more odor-causing bacteria you kill. Start by rewashing your laundry in the hottest water temperature your clothes can stand. Use your regular detergent for this round. Your rinse cycle temperature can be set at hot, warm or cold as you prefer -- it's the wash temperature that is most critical.

Check Your Washer

Sometimes it's your washer that's the problem. Mildew, a fungus, can form in the moisture left behind in a washing machine and can impart a sour or musty odor to your clothes. Front-loading machines in particular are prone to this problem because suds stick to the front gasket and allow mildew fungus to breed. To rid your laundry basin of its mildew smell, run an empty washer cycle using the hottest water and some bleach. Afterward, leave the door open and let your washing machine air-dry.

Try an Additive

Add a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle to help deodorize your laundry. Vinegar is a versatile cleanser that can help kill the bacteria in your clothing. Alternatively, use a cup of baking soda along with your regular detergent to neutralize the sour odor. You can also add borax to your laundry to neutralize odors; follow package directions. A powdered sodium borate, borax dissolves in water and acts as a disinfecting agent.

Practice Prevention

To prevent sour-smelling laundry in the future, do not leave wet laundry sitting in the machine for more than an hour or so, as this provides an ideal environment for odor-causing bacteria to grow. Do not overload or overstuff the basin, either -- overcrowding prevents thorough washing and rinsing. You may want to run a second rinse cycle as an additional preventive measure.

How do you get the sour smell out of your clothes?

To help get the sour smell out of your garments:.

Rewash whites and white undergarments in chlorine bleach using the hottest water that's safe for the fabric..

For color clothes or towels, add a small box of baking soda to the load..

Fresh air and direct sunlight eliminate mildew, so hang items outside to dry..

How does soaking clothes in vinegar get rid of smell?

Pretreat Odors Using vinegar starts with presoaking fabrics. Presoak with pesky odors that just won't come out in the wash. Add 1/4 cup of Scented Vinegar to a washbasin or sink filled with warm water. Soak up to 30 minutes, then launder as normal.

Why are my clothes smelling sour?

Over time, components in your washer can become clogged with built-up detergent or fabric softener residue, which can become a playground for bacteria that can cause a sour smell. Regular cleaning of your washing machine can eliminate this issue and set you on the path to better-scented clothes.

Why do clothes smell sour after washing?

Mildew is the most common reason why clothes smell sour even after washing. Mildew is a fungus that develops on laundry when left in a warm, moist environment, like the bottom of the laundry bin or inside the washing machine or being hung in a dark area for an extended period.