SWEAT - Help! How do you get rid of the smell from clothes?

I used a Napisan or equivalent soak for my gym clothes, then washed in the machine with other clothing, as normal. I always used deodorant, but a normal wash will not remove the smell of sweat completely. However, once the oestrogen levels drop, I find I no longer need to use deodorant, ie we are all different at different times of our lives.

Nelliemoser - what shysal means is not antibacterial cleaning sprays it's a specific antibacterial laundry product made by Dettol.

I'm a fan of Dettol laundry liquid too! Fantastic for when you have delicate underwear that you can't hotwash, or if anyone has a sicky bug! I don't use anti bacterial sprays etc but this is one product that I do use on a small amount of washing. X

Slightly different as not offering a solution to 'smelly armpits'. But do agree with 'Nelliemoser' products like Dettol are not doing us any favours eliminating all bacteria!!! That's one reason why kids have so many allergies nowadays - they are not allowed to get dirty!!!! My Mum used to say 'you have to eat a peck (of dirt) before you die' and I so agree!!

Chuck it away - it's passed its 'use by date'!

Yes starbird use salt when wet - see my earlier post.

If he's exerting himself manually, by the afternoon he will sweat. Can he not take a sponge or baby wipes to work, wash, dry then deodorise?

You don't wear the salt

He puts everything - dark and light items - in together, and probably overloads the machine too, then does a 30 degree wash, so that's probably the reason. He does use deodorant and does not have noticeable BO. I think I will try to get him to wear t Shirts with collars instead of shirts, but he is rather old fashioned fashion wise. I only see him about 3 times a year as we don't live near to each other, and I try to put his flat in order a bit while I am there. He is married but his wife is in a care home and he spends all his spare time with her, for him 'home is where the heart is' and it's not in his flat!

Are you using sufficient biological washing powder, not a hot enough wash or over-filling the washing machine?

Have you tried using Vanish? In my opinion starbird if clothes smell at all then they need washing.

Perspirant even

I think if clothes are smelling of perspiration even after washing then personal hygiene needs reassessing. Shirts should not smell if he is using anti perpirant.

When I visit my son and iron his shirts the underarms smell of sweat/perspiration in spite of having been washed. Any answers to that?

I have a very good sense of smell and often smell things others can't. If there is just the faintest whiff on my clothes I don't wear them again, but to save washing if there is a slight smell I use the diluted vinegar spray at night. The vinegar smell is gone in less than an hour. If there is any smell in the morning I put the clothes in the wash, but you'd be surprised how often there is no smell at all. It is the same principle as having a bowl of vinegar in the kitchen when you cook fish.
Apparently in the old days in the East they put sweet smelling incense like frankincense on the fire and the ladies let the smoke waft up their skirts!

No whiffs, but I did find that Mr P's shirts and T shirts became stained in the underarm area.

I use Mitchum roll on antiperspirant, and always allow it to dry before I get dressed, Mr P used to just roll it on and put on his shirt straightaway! I have now got him onto aerosol antiperspirant and that seems to have helped.

TBH, I would be a bit worried if my clothes smelled of sweat, are you sure it isn't some sort of stuff used in the fabric processing?

starbird, surely if they smell a bit they do need washing.

I don't think I'd like to walk around smelling of vinegar. It would remind me of Friday night hair-wash night and the ghastly vinegar rinse.

Oh, yuk! If the crotch is still smelly, even after washing, something is seriously wrong...

I have a spray bottle with diluted vinegar in and spray underarms on clothes and crotch in trousers if they smell a bit but otherwise don't need washing - especially good for dry clean items. I have heard that using a citrus spray works as well.

Deodorant??!! Prevention better than cure??!!

You might try this rowantre

When the arm pit area is wet, liberally sprinkle with salt, covering the whole area, rubbing salt into the seams.

Leave it for 3-4 hours, then then immerse in warm water for another couple of hours, salty arm pits too.
If concerned about shrinkage, shorten the soak times.
Then wash as normal. It works.

Find my remedy fitting, considering the make.

I immerse my DH's sweaty shirts into hot water, spreading out the fabric, then pouring out copious amounts of salt onto the exposed arm pit area, whilst rubbing salt into the seams.

I think the stitching of the seams hold onto odour unless displaced by my determined salty rubbing.

Still works a treat. Let me/us know if you try this please.

There seems to be a lot of stuff about vinegar working well .

www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=vinegar+to+remove+sweat+smell

Rowantre I put neat white vinegar on the underarms and soak it a bit before washing.

It's very odd - none of my other clothes have this problem, just this one top. I'll try the vinegar first and see what happens and then contact Seasalt if it doesn't help.

Could you not hang it outside? I am sure that would remove any odd whiffs.

I just glug probably a mug full of cheap brown vinegar into a bucket of water. The clothes don't smell at all of vinegar after washing.

I'd like to try the vinegar, but how much vinegar to water? A whole bottle or a few tablespoons?

I think cotton is particularly bad for absorbing smells.