How to Get Smells Out of Clothing

Our clothes smell for a variety of reasons that leave you asking, “Why do my clothes smell sour?” The cause could be leaving sweaty clothes inside a tightly packed bag or laundry hamper, using too much detergent, or exposure to chemical smells or sour odors.

Our bodies produce odors, which get caught in the fibers of clothing and create unfortunate smells, like smelly socks and sweaty underarm areas. Strong chemicals like perfumes can also be the cause of stubborn smells.

Clothing fibers are absorbent and can trap odors. And trying to remove smells by using detergent can actually make your clothes smell worse. Using excessive detergent creates residue, which also keeps smells trapped inside the fabric of your clothes.

Now that you understand why clothes smell, you’re probably wondering, how do I remove odor from clothes? There are a few key steps to removing sour odors.

Prevent smells from getting stronger. Make sure you unpack your luggage or gym bag as soon as you get home. If your laundry hamper is always tightly packed, invest in a bigger basket to give your dirty clothes more room to breathe.

Use Clorox FreshGuard™ Laundry Odor Remover, a 3-in-1 solution that delivers fresh clothes, a fresh scent and a fresh machine. It wipes out up to 100% of musty odors the first time, no soak or pretreat required.

1. Add detergent and clothing.
2. Add measured amount of Clorox FreshGuard™ to fabric softener compartment or directly to rinse cycle wash. 1 capful for HE machines and 2 capfuls for standard machines.

For best results, do not mix with laundry detergents in the main wash compartment. This product works in the rinse cycle exclusively. Safe to use on most washable fabrics. Not intended for use on silk or wool. Not for use on materials that cannot be washed in washing machines.