Life can be fast-paced for the hustle and bustle residents of Northridge and Sherman Oaks. Amidst meetings in the Valley and dinner engagements across Los Angeles, there isn’t always time for a whole load of laundry. We’ve all been there, you pull a beloved blouse or favorite blazer from the closet and catch the faint scent of yesterday’s lunch, a lingering mustiness or that mild but persistent, worn odor. Your knee-jerk is to throw it in the washing machine, but what if it’s delicate (dry-cleaning-only), or you just need it in an hour? So long as you use the proper methods, you can easily remove smell from clothes without washing.
This essential guide will teach you professional-level ways to deodorize clothes without washing, address particular smells such as cooking smells or mildew, and make sure your garments always feels smelling clean. We’re going to turn those smelly clothes into fresh-to-death duds in no time.
Decoding the Stench of Smelly Clothes
Before we get to solutions, we need to discuss what causes clothing to hold on to smells in the first place. There are three factors that produce odours:
- Bacteria & Microbes: Sweat is actually odorless, but when it’s absorbed by clothing, the bacteria on your skin break down and feast upon certain compounds in your sweat, resulting in unpleasant ones. This is what causes that “sour” or “musty smell.
- Odor Molecules: The pungent odors associated with food, fire, and pollution are made up VOCs. These small particles embed themselves into the fabric of your areas of your clothing.
- Master Moisture & Maintain Freshness: The best way to prevent more mildew is with a shower curtain that fights back, our 2-in-1 curtains are designed to resist mildew and mold build-up so you can enjoy a cleaner bathroom.
The goal of any method to get odor out of clothes without washing is to either neutralize these odor molecules, kill the bacteria creating them or physically pull them out of anything porous.
The Zeppelin Cleaner Approved Methods: A Tiered Approach
Consider these methods your arsenal against smells. The best method works for the situation depends on fabric, strength of odor and time at your disposal.
Method 1: Air and Light
For light smells and overall refreshing, don’t underestimate nature.
- Fresh Air Revival: Drape the garment on a balcony, patio or over a chair near an open window. Circulating fresh air gets the blood flowing and helps evaporate moisture so odor molecules don’t form. And in the low-humidity days of our Sherman Oaks and Northridge environs, it really works well. For best results, turn garment inside out to access the layer where the sweat is and be faced with golden paradise!
- UV Deodorization Powered by The Sun: UV rays from the sun are a safe and natural disinfectant. Hang drying clothing in direct sunlight for a few hours can kill odor-causing bacteria and whiten whites. A word of caution, too much direct sun can fade dark or bright colors, so deploy this method sparingly and briefly.
Method 2: The Steam Treatment
A garment steamer is a useful device that can do much more than simply remove wrinkles. The heat and the moisture together will loosen up fibers to release embedded odors.
- How To Do It: If the piece is wrinkled but doesn’t look dirty, steam it rather than washing . Steam well by slowly running the head of a steamer over fabric, pay close attention to smelly areas like underarms and collars. The heat can kill some bacteria and the steam that “opens up” fibers, releasing bad smells. Hang the piece after steaming in an air dry, ventilated place for it to completely dry before wearing or putting away.
Method 3: The Freezer Trick
It’s a great tip for delicates that shouldn’t be washed. Colder temperatures might not remove odors, but they can paralyze and kill many of the bacteria that generate them.
- How To Do It: Stick the folded or hung smelly clothes in a large, sealable plastic bag. Get as much air out of it as you can, and seal the bag. Put the bag in your freezer for at least 12 hours, over night. In the morning, pull out the bag and let it thaw to room temperature before donning. You will be smelling a fraction of what it had been!
Method 4: The Baking Soda Absorption Method
Baking soda is a weak, natural alkali that is used in solution to neutralize both acids and bases. It’s great, for absorbing smells instead of just masking them.
- For Entire Garment: If someone is wearing the item, have them stand in a large plastic tub or bag with a zipper seal. Sprinkle a liberal amount of baking soda on, around and in loose containers, close the lid and shake gently to spread. Leave it for a few hours or overnight. Then, take the garment off and shake or brush all of it away outdoors, or over a garbage can.
- For Targeted Areas: For underarm odors on a jacket or blouse, create a paste by mixing equal parts baking soda and water. Rub gently into smelly areas, let dry completely and then brush the residue off.
Method 5: The White Vinegar Neutralizer
White vinegar is acidic, and that helps to neutralize the alkaline compounds in sweat, plus it’s a bacteria killer. It’s especially great for getting that sour smell out of clothes.
- The Mist & Air Dry: Combine in a spray bottle one part white vinegar to three parts water. Lightly mist the fabric concentrating on problem areas. Suspend it to dry in the open air. The vinegar scent will evaporate as it dries, and the bad odor should go away with it.
- The Bathroom Steam: If you’re in a rush, inside the bathroom, with hanger step into a hot shower, don’t wet it, while hanging the piece. The steam will also help break up odors. Spritzing it first with the vinegar solution will make it even more effective.
Method 6: The Vodka or Rubbing Alcohol Spray
It’s a theater and costume shop classic. High-proof alcohol destroys bacteria on contact and evaporates almost immediately, without leaving a residue.
- How to Do It: Use plain vodka or isopropyl rubbing alcohol (diluted with equal parts water). Mist the piece of clothing from about 10 inches away. The bacteria will not survive the alcohol as well and, in about five minutes, your garment should emerge smelling fresh. Just be sure to always test on an inconspicuous seam first to ensure it doesn’t cause any discoloration.
Method 7: The Activated Charcoal Purification
Activated charcoal is a porous material that adsorbs (attracts and holds) odorous molecules from the air and adjacent surfaces. It’s not so much for direct garment application, as to prevent recurrence.
- How To use It: You can put small bags or containers of activated charcoal on the shelves in your closet or in drawers. You can hang a charcoal air purifying bag up near clothes that tend to capture odors, too. It passively does work a little to keep your clothes smelling fresh between wears.
Method 8: Freshening with Essential Oil
Essential oils may not eliminate odors at the source, but they’re great for infusing a clean scent into your space after you’ve neutralized the smell.
- How To Do It: Never apply undiluted essential oils directly to fabric, and always dilute them first, as they tend to stain. Instead, put a few drops in a spray bottle of water, or in a wool dryer sheet that you can store inside the pockets of the garment or hang with it somewhere in your closet. Other body odor smelling clean options or those that tend to be more popular include lavender, lemon, tea tree (also antibacterial), eucalyptus.
Dealing With Specific Odors: Your Plan of Attack
- How to remove food smell from clothes without washing: When it comes to smoke or greasy food smells, the baking soda trick is king. Seal the garment with a baking soda overnight and it will soak up the oily molecules that have caused this stench. Follow with a fresh air hang.
- How to get musty smell out of clothes without washing: A musty smell usually means mildew. Sunshine and UV rays are your body’s frontline defenders. And then use the white vinegar spray, because vinegar is great for killing mildew spores. Ensure the garment is drying clothing thoroughly.
- How to get sour smell out of clothes without rewashing: This is a bacterial signature, so we need something anti-bacterial. The vodka/rubbing alcohol spray or White Vinegar Mist These are the very best solutions to kill odor causing bacteria.
- How to make clothes smell good without washing: After deodorizing, give a light spritz with an essential oil spray (diluted) or store the garment in a drawer with a sachet or an activated charcoal bag that has had a single drop of essential oil applied.
Your Northridge & Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Fabric Care Specialist
We know how active our communities are At Zeppelin Cleaner. No matter if you’re a worker in Northridge who needs to refresh on a suit between meetings or just a parent in Sherman Oaks trying to deal with the aftermath of family dinner, we have your back.
We want this guide to make you feel prepared to handle common odors. And remember, these tricks are ideal for keeping your clothes fresh in between trips to the cleaners. For the ultimate clean and care that protects your clothes investment, trust the San Francisco area dry cleaning experts.
Contact Zeppelin Cleaner today. We’ll take care of the stubborn odors and difficult stains, leaving you free to stride out in confidence. Your outfit is always impeccably fresh!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Does putting clothes in the freezer really kill odor?
A: Yes, the freezer method works primarily by killing a lot of the bacteria responsible for causing odors. It can be very successful, especially with thin fabrics. For optimal result, put the cloth in a plastic bag which does not breathe and leave it for at least 12 hours.
Q2: Will vinegar or vodka spray damage my clothes?
A: If used correctly, spritzed lightly and allowed to air dry completely, most can be safe for use on most fabrics. Always conduct a spot test in an inconspicuous place before applying to larger areas. White vinegar is acidic, however, so don’t use it on very delicate silks or acetates without testing first.
Q3: What’s the quickest way to get a smell out of clothes if I am in a hurry?
A: The quickest effective method is the vodka or rubbing alcohol spray. It annihilates bacteria on contact and disappears within minutes. Then use a garment steamer for 1 minute to further reduce any lingering smell and wrinkles.
Q4: How can I prevent my clothes from smelling between wears?
A: Prevention is key. Never put a freshly worn garment back in the closet to hang directly next to another clothing item before it is aired out. Place activated charcoal bags in your drawers and closet, and maintain good ventilation in storage areas. With activewear, a post-workout spritz of diluted vinegar can retard the bacteria.
Q5: When should I stop trying home methods and bring clothes to Zeppelin Cleaner?
A: Having tried two effective methods and the odor remaining, it’s time for professional intervention. Heavy smoke, mold, or long term body odors are deeply embedded and will sometimes require our industrial-grade ozone treatment and may need additional dry-cleaning solvents to remove odors while keeping the fabric’s integrity.
