How to remove the smell of sweat from clothes under the arms (an ingrained smell that does not go away after washing), what to do if things smell bad?

The presence of the smell of sweat on clothes is an unpleasant and quite common problem.
To deal with it, you can use regular washing, special household chemicals and time-tested home recipes.

In this article we will tell you how to remove the ingrained smell of sweat from clothes under the arms, which does not go away after washing.

How to get rid of ingrained aroma using automatic processing?

You can remove the smell of sweat from clothes using a washing machine. The best result is achieved by pre-washing with laundry soap.

In this case, the processing is carried out as follows:

The soiled item is turned inside out.
Lather the moistened area of the fabric.
Let things sit for 20-30 minutes.
Wash as usual in a washing machine.

Detergents with enzymes and components that are aimed at removing biological contaminants have proven themselves well.

Fast and universal way

Many microorganisms die at a temperature of 80°C, which is unacceptable for most tissues. Microorganisms, and therefore an unpleasant odor, remain on clothes even after washing. The problem of how to quickly remove the smell of sweat from clothes can be solved with the help of chemicals - sprays for treating things. These substances are universal. They are suitable for all types of clothing, including coats and jackets. With their help you will be able to:

Quickly and effectively eliminate the unpleasant odor of not only sweat, but also second-hand goods, cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes, urine, and mold.
Disinfect things and bedding. The active substances in the sprays eliminate the consequences and fight the root cause of sweat odor - bacteria.
Protect items from smelling in the future.

Products of this type are applied to clothes 30-40 minutes before/after washing or instead of it.

Spray for clothing may contain organic silver, which removes the smell of sweat and has a prolonged antibacterial effect without harm to clothing due to the accumulation of metal ions deep in the fibers of the fabric. These products may contain extracts of various plants, surfactants and enzymes.

Special products: top 3

In addition to simple homemade recipes, household chemicals will come to the aid of the housewife, which can not only eliminate unpleasant odors, but also clean the item.

It is advisable to choose drugs that do not pose a threat to health , but are highly effective and easy to use. Most of these products are universal and can cope with many unpleasant odors.

DuftaFresh

Dufta is a product for eliminating unpleasant odors, including sweat. The product acts very quickly - literally in 3 minutes.

The effectiveness of the drug is due to its high-quality composition, 85% consisting of plant proteins and enzymes . They speed up decomposition by undergoing a chemical reaction.

At the same time, unpleasant odors are not masked, but completely disappear. Price - about 1,200 rubles for a small 0.5 liter bottle.

Advantages of Duft:

hypoallergenic;
absence of phosphates, flavors, dyes, phenols in the composition;
destruction of unpleasant odors, not masking;
natural ingredients in the composition;
safety for animals and children;
environmental friendliness;
completely biodegradable;
does not contain bioorganisms.

The drug can also be used to eliminate the odor of urine and feces.

OdorGone Sport

This universal product, made in the USA, is designed to remove odors from clothes and shoes. It is available in 100 ml packaging, the cost of a bottle is from 400 rubles.

Features of the drug:

the interaction of the product with the source of the unpleasant odor occurs at the molecular level;
effectiveness due to the removal, rather than masking, of substances that cause an unpleasant odor;
bacteriostatic effect;
antibacterial effect;
naturalness of the composition;
safety for health, including animals and children;
Suitable even for removing old odors from things that cannot be washed.

It is best to process fabrics as follows: add them to the iron in a special compartment for further steam processing. OdorGone Sport can also be used for washing.

The effectiveness of the drug declared by the manufacturer is at temperatures from +40ºС to +95ºС. The bottle can be used for 2 full washes (by hand or in a machine). The product can also be used to eliminate unpleasant odors in the air.

Denkmit textilerfrischer

Denkmit household chemical product is produced in Germany . Supplied to the retail chain in 0.75 liter bottles. with sprayer. Price – around 200 rubles.

The manufacturer recommends the product for treating the inside of jackets, blazers, trousers, etc. Denkmit helps combat odors from sweat, cooked food, smoke, pets, etc.

How to remove the smell of sweat from outerwear

It is better to take heavy winter items to the dry cleaner to remove stubborn stains. To avoid dry cleaning too often, you can follow these recommendations:

It is important to periodically ventilate your outerwear.
Many people know how to remove the smell of sweat from a jacket without washing using newspapers. Turn your jacket or coat inside out and wrap it in paper. Next, you need to button up your clothes and stuff them with lumps of newsprint, which will easily absorb excess odors.
The most problematic areas can be wiped with ammonia in a ratio of 1:10. You need to add a little salt to the solution and wet the rags with it. Then wipe the most problematic areas with a cloth: armpits, collar and cuffs.

By the way, to avoid “fogging” of clothes there are recommendations:

It is important to pay special attention to personal hygiene, especially during the hot season.
You should buy an antiperspirant that will prevent excess sweat and protect your clothes from its effects. When purchasing, you should focus on the color scheme that prevails in your wardrobe: there are special products for black, white and colored clothes.
If the item cannot be washed every time it gets dirty, it is better to wear a T-shirt underneath, which will absorb most of the sweat. It should be changed daily.
You should wash the smelly item of clothing immediately after the unpleasant odor appears. The longer this procedure is delayed, the more difficult it will be to get rid of it. Ultimately, the unpleasant odor of sweat can adhere to the fabric so tightly that it will not disappear even after a long wash. Most often they prefer to throw away such things.
It is better to give preference to clothes made from natural fabrics such as linen or cotton. Synthetic fabrics increase sweat production and can lead to skin irritation. Such items must be washed every time after wearing.
Avoid wearing the same clothes for several days in a row without washing them.
In case of excessive sweating, many people purchase special underarm pads that are invisible under clothing. This is a fairly convenient and useful invention that has found popularity among millions of people around the world.
Sometimes you should reconsider your diet and exclude fatty and fried foods from it. If you have any diseases, you should consult your doctor in a timely manner. Sometimes excessive sweating indicates a malfunction of the endocrine gland, hormones, sebaceous glands or gastrointestinal tract.
It is better to wear light clothing.

How to remove an unpleasant odor that doesn’t go away if you can’t wash it?

In some situations, there is a need to refresh an item and remove the smell of sweat without washing. Such methods include the following:

Place the affected item in the freezer compartment of the refrigerator for several hours.
Hang the item outside overnight in winter. This method is especially suitable for refreshing bulky items - parkas, down jackets, etc.
Rub baking soda into a dry cloth and leave for several hours. After this, shake off any remaining powder.
Blot the stained areas with the vinegar solution.

When using any means of combating the smell of sweat, you should take into account the composition and type of fabric so as not to spoil your clothes even more.

Read more about ways to get rid of sweat odor on clothes without washing here.

Effective ways

The most common means for processing things were, are and remain:

Baking soda;
Vinegar 9%;
Freezing;
Table salt;
Lemon acid;
Alcohol (ethyl and ammonia solution) and other means.

The method you choose depends on:

The fabric from which the clothing is made;
Availability of funds;
Level of unpleasant odor.

Dry

It is recommended to use dry methods when it is not possible to wash the item after treatment. Using these methods, you can remove the smell of sweat from clothes in the shortest possible time.

Ammonia+salt+water

One of these methods includes treating fabrics with an ammonia solution. Dissolve 2 teaspoons of regular table salt in 5 tablespoons of water. When the salt dissolves, add 5 tablespoons of ammonia solution to the mixture. This clothing spray is poured into a spray bottle, and then the sweat-soaked areas are treated with it. After lightly moistening the fabric, it must be dried in the sun. The sun should fall directly on the areas of clothing moistened with alcohol. After drying, the item can be worn.

Dilute salt and water

Add ammonia

Alcohol

In addition to ammonia solution, medical alcohol is also used to remove the smell of sweat. If there is no alcohol and it is impossible to get it, you can use vodka. It is advisable to apply alcohol from a spray bottle or spray bottle. The item treated with alcohol should be left until completely dry. When there is no time to wait for drying, the area moistened with alcohol must be ironed. The alcohol will evaporate, and with it the smell will disappear.

We take alcohol

Apply alcohol with a spray bottle and iron the spot

Freezing

You can eliminate the smell of sweat using cold. In fact, it is not the sweat itself that smells, but the waste products of the bacteria that lived on the skin. Combining with sweat, they leave an unpleasant odor. You can get rid of it if you kill the bacteria. They are afraid of the cold. After placing the item in the cold, the problem will disappear.

If it’s winter outside, you can hang the item on the balcony or outside. After bringing it into the room, it will defrost, and not a trace will remain of the smell. At above-zero temperatures, you can use the freezer. The item just needs to be folded several times and placed in a clean plastic bag. You can use a container (lunchbox). In this form, the item is placed in the freezer until completely frozen and left there for at least a day. After removing the clothes from the freezer, the unpleasant odor will disappear.

Iron+vinegar

It gets rid of all ironing odors well with vinegar. When stroking the item, moisten it with a small amount of vinegar solution from a spray bottle. You can iron things using a vinegar iron. The more delicate the fabric, the thicker the ironing should be. The vinegar will dissipate, and with it all odors will disappear. Moreover, this method helps to get rid of germs that might be on clothes.

We use vinegar

Pour the solution into a spray bottle and apply to clothing

Ironing the fabric

Washable

Post-wash methods are more popular and there are many more of them. Most fabrics will not be damaged by an additional wash or rinse. Soaking allows you to get rid of even the most persistent odors.

Laundry soap

One of the first ways is to try washing things with laundry soap. Do not be afraid of its smell - after subsequent washing in a machine or by hand using powder, the stench of laundry soap will disappear completely. Clothes should be processed from the wrong side. After turning the item inside out, the area where there are sweat stains and a strong odor must be soaped. This method is best suited for processing white fabrics. Laundry soap is a very strong product; it can even remove color from fading fabrics. Soaped clothes should be left for about half an hour. After this period, without pre-rinsing, the item is washed normally.

Lemon acid

If you need to get rid of odor from a woolen item, it is recommended to use citric acid. To do this, prepare a solution in which the dirty item is soaked. Use 4 full tablespoons of citric acid per liter of water. You need enough solution so that the fabric can be well soaked. Particular care should be taken to remove soaking from areas where odor is present. Things are left in the solution for 3-4 hours. After this, it should be washed in a machine or using hand washing powder.

Dilute citric acid and water

Apply the solution to the fabric

We carry out hand washing

Vinegar

To remove particularly persistent odors, use a vinegar solution. Add 250 ml of vinegar to 10 liters of water. The item is soaked in this solution for 10-12 hours. You can leave it overnight. After this treatment, the wrung out clothes should be placed in the washing machine. You need to add two tablespoons of soda to a portion of the powder. The item is washed in the usual way. When the wash is completed, the unpleasant odor will disappear.

Vinegar and water

Salt

Saline solution is used only in particularly advanced cases. It should be used when other methods of eliminating odor have not worked. To prepare the solution you need two glasses of warm water. Three tablespoons of regular table salt are added to it. Places soaked with sweat should be soaked in a saline solution and washed by hand. Washed items are left soaked for about 2 hours. Then the item should be washed again in this solution, and then rinsed twice in clean water. Salt will remove the smell of sweat.

Apply diluted water and salt to the stain

Let's wash it

Rinse well

Shampoo or dish gel

You can remove the smell of sweat from clothes using a dishwashing detergent, such as gel, or shampoo. Apply a thick layer of this product (one or the other) to the affected area of clothing. The item coated with gel or shampoo should be left for half an hour. Remaining detergent should be rinsed and clothes dried, preferably in the sun. If you choose a shampoo to remove odor, it is better to use one that is designed for oily hair types.

Soda

You can use baking soda powder. Places where sweat has ingrained into clothing should be slightly wetted with water, sprinkled with baking soda and try to rub it in a little. The washed item should be left in this state for 20 minutes. After this, the soda should be shaken off, and the remaining stains should be removed by rinsing the clothes in water. The effect of this procedure can be enhanced if you wash the item after it.

Rub the stain with baking soda. After 20 minutes, rinse the clothes.

Baking soda + hydrogen peroxide

Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide can also help solve the problem. These products are effective when the item is not badly damaged, but after normal washing it was not possible to get rid of this smell. In a basin of water, where there is about 5-7 liters of it, you should add about 1 tablespoon of soda and ¼ of a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide. The item is left in this solution for 1 hour. Then it should be rinsed in clean water.

Household chemicals

Domestos

Domestos is a concentrated chlorine solution for disinfecting household surfaces. It instantly kills bacteria and prevents the appearance of limescale on earthenware, tiles, and stainless steel.

Thanks to its antiseptic properties, this product helps get rid of ingrained sweat odor and yellow stains on things.

It’s easy to use Domestos for this:

Domestos is diluted with cold water in a ratio of 1:10;
leave the item of clothing in a bowl of water for 10-15 minutes;
Rinse the fabric thoroughly under running water.

Domestos is a volatile, intensely odorous substance. It is not diluted in hot water, because harmful fumes will quickly enter the respiratory tract.

When working, it is recommended to protect the skin of your hands with rubber gloves.

You need to understand that Domestos corrodes dyes and fabrics that require careful handling, so it is only suitable for simple white clothes.

Rodalon

Rodalon is no less effective, but more gentle concentrate than Domestos. It works like any chlorine-containing product, but does not emit the pungent odor of bleach. It copes well with bacteria and fungi and is gentle even on colored fabrics.

Rodalon is often used to soak colored bed linen before putting it in the washing machine.

How Rodalon fights sweat odor:

1 cap of the product is diluted in 5 liters of warm water;
Clothes are soaked in this solution for 20 minutes;
Send it to the wash cycle on the recommended cycle.

Rodalon does not irritate the skin of the hands and is safe for health.

Bos

BOS is an activator of washing powder and at the same time copes well with unpleasant odors on fabric. It is produced in liquid or powder form.

Apply the liquid concentrate to the fabric for 5-10 minutes, lightly rub the smelly area, and rinse thoroughly. Dry Bos is diluted to a creamy state, the paste is applied to a cloth and left for 5-10 minutes. Then they send the clothes to the wash. Before using Bos, the concentrate is tested on an inconspicuous corner of clothing.

Sarma

Sarma is an effective alkaline detergent. It is sold in the form of dry powder or bar soap. To remove smelly stains, soap the fabric and whip up thick foam. After 2-3 minutes, rinse the item in warm water.

Shampoo

Hair shampoo is recommended for washing expensive delicate fabrics, such as silk. Thick, undiluted shampoo is applied exclusively to areas with a pungent odor of sweat. Beat the foam by lightly rubbing the area of application. The item is soaked in a bowl for 1 hour, and then washed as usual.

Oxygen stain removers

They dissolve organic particles between the fibers of the fabric. Oxygen products effectively eliminate sweat odor.

Most of them are produced in powder form. The powder is diluted with water to a paste and applied to the back of dry clothing in the right place. Leave the product for the time indicated on the package, and then wash it.

The most popular oxygen products available to consumers:

Faberlic (Edelstar);
Amway PreWash Spray;
Vanish OXI Action;
ACE OXI MAGIC;
Astonish OXY PLUS.

Some of them come in gel form. There are products for colored and white fabrics.

Laundry soap

Laundry soap has a disinfecting and light bleaching effect. To remove the pungent odor of sweat, clothes are moistened and rubbed well with soap, especially under the sleeves. Leave in a bowl of warm water for 1-2 hours. Wash by hand, rinse with warm, then cold water.

Proper drying of things

When answering the question of how to remove sweat aromas, especially under the arms, let’s not forget about such a stage as drying things. Knowledgeable housewives give such necessary and useful advice.

Ultraviolet light is good at removing harmful microorganisms from things.

Therefore, the hot sun, or rather, direct sunlight, is our reliable helper in this fight.

Let's hang things out in the sun to dry, exposing problem areas to its rays, and they will help remove the smell from clothes. For greater effect, you can rehang the item several times so that all places are exposed to the rays of the sun.

Proper washing

Washing by hand is more effective, but not many housewives like this procedure. To remove odors by machine washing, you must follow a number of rules:

Special processing is required before the main process.

Be sure to soak the item before the procedure.
Pre-treat problem areas with the selected product.
Washing temperature - 90 degrees.
Be sure to use conditioner.
Dry items after washing only in the fresh air and allow them to be well ventilated.

Denatured alcohol and ammonia

This is the most common way. To prepare the mixture, you need to take the components in equal proportions. Then cover the stain with the liquid and leave in a dark and dry place for half an hour. After this, things should be washed by hand, without using a washing machine.

Products will not smell like sweat if you use a product based on egg yolk and denatured alcohol. The number of components must also be equal. You can leave clothes on which the mixture has been applied for no longer than 20 minutes. Then rinse in cold water and only then wash in warm water.

You can also combine ammonia with white spirit and salt. In this case, you will need to take two parts of the first component, part of the second and 1 tsp. salt. Pour a glass of water over everything.

Reasons for the appearance of a persistent odor

Sweating is a natural physiological function of the body, the main purposes of which are: thermoregulation, removal of waste and toxins. Sweat glands are located in a layer of skin called the dermis, and their activity is coordinated by the nervous system. This category of glands includes ¾ of all sweat ducts. They are mainly concentrated under the armpits, on the palms of the hands, and the soles of the feet. Some of the sweat glands, about a quarter, secrete pheromones. Their smell, on a physiological level, is designed to evoke sexual desire.

With normal sweating, normal hygiene procedures are sufficient to prevent the formation of a persistent odor on clothing. It is recommended to shower 2 times a day. Hyperhidrosis (increased sweating) is observed in people at high ambient temperatures. If hyperhidrosis manifests itself under normal conditions, this may be a consequence of:

pathologies;
hormonal imbalance;
genetic predisposition;
unbalanced diet.

Increased sweating is stimulated by excessive consumption of spicy and fatty foods, garlic, and certain spices.

Sweating can be caused by certain medications, in particular: drugs containing morphine; analgin; antispasmodics.

When hyperhidrosis occurs, it is necessary to determine the cause and try to eliminate it. It's better to contact specialists.

Useful tips

To make sweat odor removal as effective as possible, use these helpful tips:

Before washing the product, be sure to read the manufacturer's recommendations on the label. Study the texture of matter.
Wash heavily soiled areas by hand with laundry soap. Keep the item in the soap solution for approximately 60 minutes. After this, machine wash as usual.
Set the maximum duration and highest temperature at which the fabric can be washed. Add more washing powder.
A mixture of three tablespoons of table salt and one tablespoon of dishwashing detergent will help to effectively remove the smell of sweat from clothes. Apply the mixture to problem areas of clothing for two hours, then machine wash as usual.
Along with washing powder, be sure to use fabric softener (a special rinse aid that is poured into a separate compartment of the washing machine).
There will be no trace left of the smell of sweat if you pour 100 ml of table vinegar and three tablespoons of baking soda into the special compartment of the washing machine (intended for pre-washing). Washing clothes will be much easier.
Use chlorine bleaches for white items and oxygen bleaches for colored items.
Turn on the “Pre-wash” program. This will ensure the highest quality removal of dirt and sweat odors from clothes.
Dry items in direct sunlight, in the fresh air, inside out.
If you cannot dry things in direct sunlight, then use gauze or a cloth soaked in vinegar when ironing. Just iron your clothes through it, and all bacteria will be destroyed, the item will become fresh.

To ensure less sweat gets on your clothes, do not forget to take a shower at least once a day and use deodorant or its equivalent, choose clothes made of breathable materials and in size. Check in advance the freshness of clothes intended for an important event; if necessary, wash, dry and iron. Do not put worn items in the closet - leave them to air out, and after a couple of wears, be sure to put them in the dirty laundry basket. A little care and a few housekeeping tricks, and your favorite things will delight you for many more seasons.

Where does the smell come from?

If a person does not have any pathological processes in the body, sweat will not have any odor. Unpleasant odors appear 2-3 days after changing clothes, due to the proliferation of bacteria. But these days, no one is completely healthy, so sweat can initially smell unpleasant and contaminate clothes.

Sweat most often acquires an unpleasant odor on the following fabrics:

synthetic – cause increased sweating and provoke an unpleasant odor;
woolen ones - they tend to accumulate any aromas;
cotton and linen - only after 2-3 days of constant wearing of clothes.

Isovaleric acid may sometimes be present in human sweat. This substance has an unpleasant and persistent odor that remains even after washing. Most often, acid is produced by glands located in the armpits and navel.

Are you bothered by the smell of sweat from others?

Not really

What to do if clothes smell of sweat even after washing

Clothes smell of sweat even after washing, most often if the owner has put off the hygiene process for a long time. During this time, the annoying sweat ingrained itself into the fabric so much that even washing did not help get rid of it. Most often, this problem occurs when wearing clothes made from synthetic fabrics, which increase the process of sweating and can lead to irritation on the skin.

This problem can be prevented by regularly washing synthetic items, namely after each wear. Bacteria on the surface of synthetic clothing easily migrate and multiply, and they cannot be destroyed with ordinary powder. It is better to use special pads for armpits, fabric softeners, or use the methods for eliminating a delicate problem indicated above. Sometimes after washing you can resort to steaming clothes with vinegar and ironing them or spraying citric acid.

The presence of sweat stains on clothes is an extremely unpleasant and delicate problem that needs to be solved. It is worth paying attention to the recommendations that are aimed at eliminating an existing problem, but it is important to know methods for preventing fogging of wardrobe items. In this case, freshness and confidence will be faithful companions in the life of every person.

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