Have you ever worn clothes that smelled of a musty odour? It's not unusual for clothes to grow an odour that isn't very good at certain times of year. This can happen if the washing machine hasn't been washed. Other times, it's due to wet clothes that haven't been properly stored. It may also be that other strong odours in the house, such as cooking or pet odours, seep through your clothing's fibres.
What Causes the Smells?
Bad odours in clothing can be caused by a variety of factors. Clothing fibres are susceptible to strong odours such as tobacco smoke and cooking. If you store your clothes incorrectly, these odours will easily penetrate the fabrics.
Mold thrives in damp, warm environments. The tiny mould spores that develop inside the fabrics of the clothing will stink up the clothing as well as the drawer in which it is stored.
Even clothes that are hung in a closet can get musty and smelly, particularly if they are damp or absorb strong odours.
Why Not Wash Them?
You might only wash your hair, but that isn't always feasible. In this day and age of environmental consciousness, it's prudent to conserve water. This not only benefits the environment, but it also saves money on household expenses.
The good news is that there are some effective methods for deodorising your clothes without washing them. If you want to save water and money, here are some alternatives to using your washing machine to keep your clothes smelling fresh.
1. Let the Air and Sun Do All the Work
Hanging your clothes out in the breeze and sun is one of the simplest ways to get rid of musty odours without cleaning them. You'll be amazed at how powerful a fresh breeze is at blowing those odours away.
2. Alcohol and Water
It might seem strange, but combining alcohol and water in a spray bottle can also work wonders. But it can't just be any booze. For example, you won't want to use red wine! The best option is to purchase a bottle of low-cost, high-strength vodka. Combine the vodka and water in a ratio of three parts vodka to one part water. To get rid of odours, spray the smelly region of your clothing.
The best thing about vodka is that it not only kills bacteria and eliminates odours, but it also leaves no odour behind until it has dried.
3. Freeze the Offensive Clothes
Again, this might seem odd if you've never tried it, but placing smelly clothes in the freezer can be just as good as any other form of eliminating odours.
Simply place the clothing in a freezer bag and place it in the freezer for a few hours to chill. The advantage is that the cold temperatures will kill many types of bacteria that cause odours, leaving your clothes smelling fresh.
4. Use Baking Soda
Baking soda has recently been promoted as a perfect and inexpensive way to perform a variety of tasks around the house, including washing. Baking soda also has the ability to absorb odours, which is an interesting property. In reality, many people use it to absorb strong food odours in their refrigerators.
5. Use Lemon Juice
What better way to refresh your clothes than with freshly squeezed lemon juice? You should soak the mustiest areas in a solution of lemon juice and water, then let it dry in the air. The lemon can destroy bacteria while also enhancing the aroma.
6. Make Use of Your Coffee Grounds
If you like coffee and have some leftover grounds, you can use them to deodorise your smelly clothes. Place the coffee grounds in a bag with your clothes, just like the baking soda. Delete it in the morning after it has been left overnight. There's no need to shake the bag because the coffee grounds can absorb any odours. Just make sure you let it air out afterward.
7. Essential Oils Are Your Friends
Essential oils are useful for more than just making a room smell sweet. They also have the ability to make your clothes smell soft and new.
To use, simply combine a few drops of oil with water in a spray bottle and liberally spray your clothes. Essential oils are so potent that they help to drown out any unpleasant odours.
This is also a perfect way to freshen up day-old clothes that may not smell awful but do have a slight body odour. It also means you won't have to do a load of laundry you don't need to.
Some essential oils, such as lavender, grapefruit, and lemon, are better than others for this reason.
DhobiLite can be your help!
At some times of the year, it's not unusual for clothes to become musty and smelly. If your clothes smell musty, you can easily save water by using one of the above methods to get rid of the odours. If your clothing keeps on getting that musty smell, DhobiLite best laundry service in India can be your help! DhobiLite in association with Faibr-x offers a complete antibacterial treatment for your musty smelling clothes. The Faibr-x technology prevents the development of biological malodours. Treatment has a dual activity in preventing the odours from a biological source and complexing the chemical malodours.
How does DhobiLite's anti-odour treatment work?
Malodorous can come from different sources : chemical and biological. The odour breakdown technology actively reduces chemical malodours (e.g. PU foam) by neutralisation.
The Faibr-x technology prevents the development of biological malodours. Treatment has a dual activity in preventing the odours from a biological source and complexing the chemical malodours.
Final Thoughts
If your clothes continue to have a musty odour, you should probably look at how you're storing them. Clothing drawers, for example, may become musty and odorous, particularly if mould is present.
Baking soda or even coffee grounds may be used to absorb odours in these situations. You can also clean out the drawer with a mixture of vinegar and baking soda to ensure that your clothes smell fresh going forwards.