Removing laundry odour

Laundry is one of the most important parts of cleaning. There are various things that can go wrong, like stains, smells and odours in your clothes. You might have wondered if there's a way to get rid of laundry odour while washing your clothes without having to spend money on new clothes. Well, it's possible!

Here are some ways to do so!

Continue reading to find out more!

1. Air your clothes before washing

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So what are the best ways to avoid laundry odours? The answer is simple — airing your clothes before washing them. It's a known fact that dark, moist and humid conditions can encourage the growth of bacteria in the laundry bag, which can lead to odours such as mouldy balls. A common misconception about putting your clothes in the washing machine is that this is sufficient for removing any residual odour. 

However, that is not true. If there is any moisture left under your laundry, you will still end up with unpleasant smells coming from your laundry after they have gone through its cycle in the washing machine.

Therefore, you need to air your laundry before washing them. Some of us may live in apartments with a lack of natural sunlight, airflow etc, so what can you do? Well, you can air your clothes near the windows with the most sunlight or even use a fan to air your clothes before putting them in the washing machine. This way, the germs inside your clothing can't multiply and cause odours. 

2. Soak clothes in solutions before washing

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If airing your clothes is not enough to get rid of the odours, you can try soaking your clothes in solutions. Soaking your clothes in solutions before washing them is one of the most effective ways to get rid of odours. Not only does it get rid of existing smells, but it also prevents them from forming in the first place if done regularly. You can use several DIY solutions or antibacterial laundry detergent to get rid of laundry odours, but here are two DIY solutions specifically made to help get rid of laundry odours:

DIY solutions

1. Using a 1:4 ratio of vinegar and water   After adding the solution to the pail, presoak your clothes in the solution for up to 30 mins. Then place them into the washer to wash as per the clothing label instructions. Adding vinegar also helps to whiten, brighten, reduce odour and soften your laundry. Using distilled white vinegar will give you the best results.

2. Use ½ a cup of baking soda in a sink full of water After adding the solution to the sink, presoak your clothes in the solution. Ensure that the clothes are fully submerged for the baking soda to absorb the odour. Once the odour disappears, place them into the washer. Adding baking soda will help to balance out the pH levels of your laundry by keeping it neutral so that it is not too acidic or alkali. Hence, reducing bacteria in your laundry to get rid of the odour.

Antibacterial cleanser

3. Drying clothes as soon as possible 

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While you may be tempted to leave your clothes in the washer or laundry basket after washing, don't! As damp and warm environment in the washing machine will lead to odours and your hard work from airing to soaking your clothes will go to waste. To prevent odours, hang your clothes outside in the sun, indoors or in a well-ventilated room as soon as you are done washing your clothes. This will remove moisture to avoid causing a stench. After washing, air dry your clothes in the sun or in a similarly warm environment as soon as possible. 

Airdrying in the sun

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Ideally, laundry should be hung outdoors on a sunny day. The sun is the best way to get rid of laundry odours, but it's not always easy to find a sunny day. The best times to hang your clothes are from 10 am to 4 pm in order to maximise the time for drying and disinfection. The UV light rays are more intense in the early morning and mid-day which helps to kill germs and eliminate odours. 

Similarly warm environments

For times when it's raining, or you missed the best time to hang clothes, you can:

• Use an automated laundry system

Nowadays, machines have become so intelligent that they can do most of the work for you. You do not need to purchase several expensive machines and pay higher monthly electrical bills to get your laundry done. An automated laundry system is a compact machine that comes with all the important features you need at an affordable price. An automated laundry system has many functions like a heater, fan and even UV light. Having an automated laundry system allows you to dry your laundry indoors. There is no need to worry about getting the right amount of sunlight to dry your clothes with a heater and fan function. With the UV light function, it will help to kill bacteria which gets rid of odours from your clothes just like the UV rays from sunlight. But, not to worry, the UV lights are not as strong as the sunlight’s UV rays which can cause harm to your skin. There is also an ioniser to reduce odour in your laundry when you turn on the heater or fan.

• Place a fan near your clothes to speed up the process of drying

Don’t worry if you do not have an automated laundry system; you can still hang your clothes indoors in a well-ventilated room, preferably near the window. Since there are no light and heat sources indoors, you can use a fan to air dry your clothes to speed up the process. It's best to set your fan to the highest speed in the direction of your laundry for faster drying. The faster your laundry dries, the lower the chances of you having lingering odours in your clothes.

Laundry tips: 

Here’s a tip, when drying your clothes, space out and lay your clothes out to create more surface area for faster drying. Not only that, place your clothes strategically nearer to any heat or wind sources. Most importantly, be consistent with your laundry habits!
 

These are some steps you can take to prevent your clothes from the smell of odours. They are simple yet manageable steps that can be done by anyone at home regardless of your housing set-up. Be sure to give them a try before you throw away your current odour-filled clothes.