Laundry Odors – With a bunch of smelly boys in the house, my laundry has had its fair share of odors. From smelly body odor to mold and mildew, as a mom I’ve seen and smelled all of the laundry odors you can think of!!! However, there are some simple tricks to getting those nasty laundry odor smells out of your clothes and I’d like to share them with you because, hey, laundry happens;
- Vinegar: Vinegar is kind of my go-to laundry odor magic. It works wonders on mildew, clothes that were forgotten in the washer overnight, and smelly body odors. I simply add 1 cup of vinegar to my wash along with detergent, and my clothes come out smelling like new.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda is another great odor illuminator. It is, also, safe and natural to use. If you have some really smelly clothes, adding vinegar and baking soda to the same wash can work miracles. Add a cup of baking soda to any smelly wash for a freshness that lasts.
- Heavy Detergent: I have found that when anyone works on cars, machines, or in a factory, it is extremely difficult to get that greasy smell out. Even fast food restaurants can leave that greasy smell (like if your teen works at a McDonalds or Burger Kind Restaurant). If you want to get the smell out, you are going to need a heavy detergent specifically designed for mechanics, hunters, or construction workers. Some heavy detergent cleaners that work well are Uline Powder Detergent, HTD Heavy Duty Detergent, and Charlie’s Soap powder laundry detergent.
- Borax: Borax is a natural mold killer and has worked wonders on my clothes that have been wet for a long period of time before washing. Because it is one of the stronger cleaning agents, I only use Borax on my clothes if the odor is really extreme. Mix ½ a cup of powdered Borax with a cup of boiling water. Once the Borax is dissolved, dump the mixture into your wash and wash like normal.
Whether its car grease, sweaty gym clothes, or mildew, these simple household items are sure to get your laundry smelling just as fresh as when you first bought them. Always keep a little vinegar and baking soda on hand for the simple day to day odors.
All these are staples in my house as well as Hydrogen Peroxide. I make my own oxy clean with !/2 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup peroxide and ! cup warm water to dissolve the baking soda then put it in the wash like you would. It still amazes me what it is able to get out.
Yes I swear by homemade oxy clean too, however I was dealing with some pretty foul manly odors and the only thing that worked was the commercial odor guard OxyClean. I love my home made detergent and my essential oils but nothing else touched it.
Laundry definitely happens ugh I really dislike doing it. Folding/hanging is the worse.
I want to start using essential oils in our wash at some point. The issue for us is the stinky washer. I leave it open as much as possible to air out.