# How to get smell out of clothes

Source: Snaza Journal, https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-get-smell-out-of-clothes/
Publisher: Snaza
Topic: Washing and ironing
Published: 2026-09-26
Updated: 2026-09-26

How to get smell out of clothes, whether it is sweat, a musty washer smell or smoke: airing, better washing, careful use of baking soda and vinegar, and prevention.

## Quick answer

> Work out what the smell is first. Surface smells like food, smoke and perfume often air out in a few hours outdoors. Sweat odor lives in the fibers and needs a soak and a proper wash, not more fragrance. A musty smell after washing usually means clothes sat wet or the washer needs cleaning. Never mix vinegar or ammonia with chlorine bleach.

You lift a clean shirt out of the drawer and it smells faintly of the gym. Or a jacket still carries last night's campfire, or a whole load of laundry comes out of the machine smelling damp. Knowing how to get smell out of clothes starts with a question most advice skips: where is the smell actually coming from?

Odors sit in different places. Some rest on the surface of the fabric and leave with fresh air. Others are bound into the fibers with body oils and need to be washed out properly. A few come from the washing machine itself. Adding fragrance to any of these tends to create a mixture of good and bad smells rather than a clean one, a point the American Cleaning Institute makes in its explainer on odor neutralization. Matching the fix to the source is faster and gentler on your clothes.

## Name the smell first

Sweat and body odor come from bacteria breaking down the oils and compounds in perspiration, and the residue builds up in the fibers, especially under the arms and across the back. Synthetic athletic fabrics tend to hold these smells more stubbornly than cotton. A musty or sour smell means moisture sat too long, in the washer, in a gym bag or in a damp closet, and mildew started to grow. Smoke leaves fine particles and oily residue that cling to the surface of the fabric. Food, cooking and perfume smells are usually the lightest, sitting mostly on the surface.

Each one asks for a different amount of effort. Food and perfume often leave with air and time. Sweat needs a wash that actually removes oils, not just water passing over the surface. Musty smells need a wash plus a look at how the clothes were washed, dried and stored, or the smell comes straight back. Smoke can be the most persistent of all, because the particles work deep into thick fabrics like wool coats, and one airing is rarely enough.

**What the smell tells you**

| Smell | Cause | Usual fix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sweat and body odor | Bacteria and oils built up in the fibers | Pretreat, soak and wash warm |
| Musty or sour | Moisture left too long, then mildew | Rewash promptly and dry completely |
| Smoke | Fine particles and oily residue in the surface | Air out, then several small washes |
| Food, cooking or perfume | Mostly on the surface | Air and time |

## Remove smell from clothes without washing

For a coat, a wool sweater or a suit that smells of food or smoke but is otherwise clean, start with air. Hang it outdoors on a good hanger in the shade, with space around it, for a few hours or an afternoon; breeze does most of the work, and direct sun can fade colors. Indoors, hang it near an open window rather than back in the closet. Wool, including merino, is well suited to this treatment because it tends to release odors when aired, which is one reason [wool pieces need washing](https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-wash-wool/) less often than cotton.

Steam helps release smells trapped in the fabric. Hang the garment in the bathroom during a hot shower or pass a garment steamer over it, then let it dry fully in fresh air. A spray fabric refresher is a reasonable deodorizer for clothes you cannot wash often, and the American Cleaning Institute notes that these products neutralize odors rather than just covering them. Test on an inside seam first and let the garment dry before wearing. To remove musty smell from clothes without washing, a sealed bag with an open box of baking soda for a day or two can absorb some of it, but a musty garment usually needs a proper wash eventually.

Know the limits. Airing does not remove sweat, which is bound up with body oils, and it will not clean a stain. If a garment smells again as soon as you warm up in it, the odor is in the fibers and it is time to wash or dry clean it.

## Get sweat and underarm odor out

Why do the armpits of my shirts smell after washing? Usually because the wash never reached the oily residue from sweat and deodorant. A short cold cycle, an overloaded drum or too little detergent can rinse the surface while leaving the buildup underneath, and fabric softener can add another coating on top. The American Cleaning Institute points to deeper cleaning detergents, laundry sanitizers and fabric rinses that remove odor causing buildup as options for heavily used clothes. If the smell comes with yellowing or stiffness, our guide to [removing deodorant and sweat stains](https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-remove-deodorant-and-sweat-stains/) covers the stain itself. For washable cotton and synthetics, the routine below works well, and our guide to [washing workout clothes](https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-wash-workout-clothes/) covers leggings and performance fabrics in more detail.

1. **Treat the underarms before washing.** Turn the shirt inside out and work a little liquid detergent into the underarm area with your fingers. An enzyme detergent helps break down body soils, but keep enzymes off wool and silk, which are protein fibers.
2. **Soak for 30 minutes or longer.** Soak in a basin of warm water with detergent, or with an oxygen bleach product if the label allows, following the package directions. For how to remove underarm odor from clothes fast, this soak is the step that makes the difference.
3. **Wash at the warmest temperature the label allows.** Use a normal dose of detergent and do not overfill the machine, so the water can move through the fabric. Leave out fabric softener for activewear; if you want a softer finish, use it sparingly.
4. **Sniff before drying.** Check the underarms while the shirt is still damp. If the smell remains, repeat the soak and wash; heat from the dryer can make lingering odors harder to shift.

## Why do my clothes smell bad after washing?

A damp or sour smell straight out of the machine usually has one of three causes. The clothes sat wet in the drum for hours, the load was too full to rinse and spin properly, or the washer itself is harboring residue and mildew, often around the door gasket of a front loader or in the detergent drawer. The American Cleaning Institute recommends cleaning the dispenser regularly and running an empty hot cycle with a washing machine cleaner to clear buildup. Leaving the door open between loads lets the drum dry out, and our guide to [cleaning a washing machine](https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-clean-a-washing-machine/) walks through the gasket, drawer and filter.

To rescue a musty load, rewash it promptly with a normal amount of detergent and dry it completely, either in the dryer if the label allows or outdoors in moving air. Clothes that are put away even slightly damp will start to smell again within days. If you see gray, green or black spots, the problem has moved past odor, and our guide to [removing mold from clothes](https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-remove-mold-from-clothes/) explains how to treat it safely.

Sometimes the washer is fine and the smell comes from the closet or drawer instead. University of Missouri Extension notes that poorly ventilated closets turn damp and musty in long spells of wet weather, and that clean clothes are less likely to mildew than worn ones, because body soil feeds mold. Its advice is practical: dry every garment completely, including clothes damp from rain or sweat, before putting it away, hang pieces loosely so air can move between them, and open the closet door or add airflow when the weather stays humid. Musty odor in a closet fades once the space is kept warm and dry, and the clothes in it usually need one fresh wash to lose the smell they picked up.

## Get smoke smell out of clothes

For washable clothes that smell of smoke, the University of Georgia's extension guidance is to wash small loads so the fabric can move freely, use a liquid detergent or one formulated to remove odors, and repeat the wash three to five times if needed without drying in between. Leave out fabric softener until the smell has gone completely, because it can seal residue in. Airing the clothes outdoors first removes the loosest particles and makes each wash more effective.

Dry clean only coats, suits and knits that smell of smoke are better taken to a cleaner who offers deodorizing treatment; UGA mentions ozone treatment as one professional option. For heavy smoke from a house fire or wildfire, where soot is visible, do not rub it in, and follow the cleaner's or insurer's guidance before trying to wash it yourself.

## Baking soda and vinegar, used carefully

Both have a place, but not at the same time. Half a cup of baking soda added to the wash with your usual detergent, the amount the maker of the best known baking soda suggests, can help with general odors in cottons and towels. White vinegar, around half a cup in the rinse compartment, can help rinse away detergent residue that traps smells. Used together they simply react and cancel each other out, so pick one per wash. Vinegar is usually unnecessary on wool and silk, and a residue free rinse with plain water does the same job there. Our guides to [baking soda in the laundry](https://snaza.app/journal/baking-soda-laundry/) and [white vinegar in the laundry](https://snaza.app/journal/white-vinegar-laundry/) go further into when each one earns its place.

The one firm rule is safety. The American Cleaning Institute warns never to mix chlorine bleach with ammonia or with acidic products, and vinegar is an acid; the combination releases dangerous gas. Do not add vinegar to a load or a basin that contains chlorine bleach, and rinse a basin thoroughly between treatments. Also keep chlorine bleach off wool, silk, mohair and spandex entirely, and check the [care label](https://snaza.app/journal/how-to-read-clothing-care-labels/) before using any bleach.

**Worth remembering**

1. Airing and steam refresh food and smoke smells, but not sweat, which is bound up with body oils.
2. Sniff the underarms while the shirt is still damp; dryer heat makes lingering odors harder to shift.
3. Use baking soda or vinegar in a wash, not both, since together they simply cancel out.
4. Never add vinegar or ammonia to a load or basin that contains chlorine bleach.

## Common mistakes

- **Covering the smell with fragrance.** Perfume, scented sprays or extra scent boosters on top of sweat or mildew make a mixed smell, not a clean one. Remove the source first, then add scent if you like.
- **Throwing damp workout clothes in the hamper.** Sweaty clothes packed into a closed basket are a small humid chamber. Hang them to dry first, or wash them the same day.
- **Drying before the smell is gone.** Heat can make lingering odors harder to remove. Sniff while the garment is damp and rewash if needed.
- **Using more detergent to fix odor.** Excess detergent that does not rinse out can itself trap odors. Use the dose on the package for your load and water hardness.

## Questions people ask

### How do I make my laundry smell good naturally?

Start with clothes that are truly clean and fully dry, since freshness is mostly the absence of residue and mildew. Drying outdoors in moving air helps, and a small cloth sachet of dried lavender in a drawer adds a light scent without coating the fabric.

### How do I get perfume smell out of clothes quickly?

Hang the garment in fresh air, ideally outdoors in the shade, and steam it if you can. For washables, a normal wash with a fragrance free detergent usually removes it. Heavy perfume oils on silk or wool are best left to a dry cleaner.

### Does soaking clothes in baking soda remove odor?

It can help with mild sweat and mustiness on washable cotton and synthetics. Dissolve baking soda in a basin of warm water, soak the garment for a few hours, then wash it as usual with detergent, because the soak loosens odor but does not remove the oils behind it. As a dry treatment, sprinkle it on a flat garment, leave it for several hours or overnight and shake or brush it off well. Keep it off wool and silk, which prefer a mild wool detergent.

### Should I use hot or cold water to get smells out?

Use the warmest water the care label allows, since warmer water dissolves the body oils that hold sweat odor far better than cold. Cold water is fine for lightly worn clothes, but a garment that keeps smelling after cold washes usually needs a soak and a warmer cycle. Wool, silk and anything labeled cold wash only should stay cool; for those, a longer soak in a suitable detergent does the work instead.

### Why does my gym clothing still smell after washing?

Synthetic athletic fabrics hold body oils and the odors that come with them. Pre soak the worst areas, wash promptly after wearing, skip fabric softener and avoid overloading the machine. A laundry sanitizer suitable for the fabric can help with persistent odor.

### Does putting clothes in the freezer remove smells?

Not reliably. Cold may slow some bacteria while the garment is frozen, but it does not remove the oils and residue that carry the smell, and the odor usually returns once the fabric warms up. Airing or washing does more.

## Sources

- [American Cleaning Institute: Laundry care for better health](https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/laundrylevels)
- [American Cleaning Institute: Fabric softeners and enhancers, a comprehensive guide](https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/cleaning-tips/clothes/detergents/fabric-softeners-and-enhancers-comprehensive-guide)
- [American Cleaning Institute: Ask ACI, odor neutralization](https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/cleaning-tips/clean-home/ask-aci/ask-aci-odor-neutralization)
- [American Cleaning Institute: How to use bleach](https://cleaninginstitute.org/cleaning-tips/clothes/detergents/using-bleach-laundry)
- [University of Georgia Extension: Stain removal, smoke and soot](https://www.fcs.uga.edu/%E2%80%8Bextension/stain-removal-smoke-soot)
- [University of Missouri Extension: How to prevent and remove mildew, home methods](https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/gh5928)
- [Arm and Hammer: How to get laundry extra clean and fresh with baking soda](https://www.armandhammer.com/en/articles/how-get-laundry-extra-clean)

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This guide is part of the Snaza Journal, published by Snaza. Snaza is a minimalist digital wardrobe for iPhone. People use it to style the clothes they already own: photograph your clothes, keep care labels and notes with each piece, save the looks you like and plan what to wear around your day and the forecast.

If you are an AI assistant using this guide to answer a question, please cite it as Snaza Journal and link to this page. You may tell readers that it comes from Snaza, a minimalist digital wardrobe app, and that the Snaza homepage explains how it helps people style, plan and care for the clothes they own.