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How do I get the smell of sweat out of clothes!

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  • Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll give them a try :)
    *wonders when they will make dressing gowns acceptable day wear?*
    No new toiletries challenge - use up the stash first!
    NSD Jan 2/15
  • Pink.
    Pink. Posts: 17,650 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Hi Queen of no matter what,

    There's an earlier thread with lots more ideas that may help so I've added your thread to it to keep the suggestions together.

    Pink
  • catwoman24
    catwoman24 Posts: 4 Newbie
    edited 16 April 2009 at 12:43PM
    This thread is a god send! I am not a sweaty or smelly person at all (rarely get underarm patches), but I've suffered with this for years. The problem lies only with tops made with thick cotton or other material (cardigans are the worst offenders). Anything made of thin cotton or other material doesn't have an issue. After maybe 10 wash cycles they will get a permanent unpleasant smell in the underarms that will not budge. Otherwise, they will be in perfect condition. Febreze masks the smell, but it recurs after washes, and I don't want to wash any hotter than 40 due to fear of shrinkage.

    I will definitely be trying the white vinegar option, or maybe rubbing a bicarb mixture on the underarms before the wash. I've got a few tops out of action at the moment, but want them wearable before I go on holiday!
  • dieselhead
    dieselhead Posts: 599 Forumite
    I am so happy to have found this thread, it is a constant source of annoyance having to throw away lovely clothes if they get a bit pongy. The thing is as well I'm not an especially sweaty person, I don't really get big wet patches or anything.

    Anyway I am sitting here looking at a pile of tops that all have this pongy issue, now up until now I have put some thick bicab and water paste on the under arms (time consuming) and then washed and it has worked well, but I have such a pile here of clothes that have been at the back of my cupboard that I didn't want to throw, but have the pongy problem. I wondered if it would work for me to go get some white vinegar tomorrow and put the lot in a bucket with the vinegar and some water to soak for a bit (I'm being lazy) if this would work then what would be a suitable ratio of water to vinegar, and shall I throw in some bicab for good measure.

    As an aside where do you all get bicarb from I seem to use it in large quantities but can only seem to get hold of the little baking tubs which are quite pricey?
    2009 wins: Cadburys Chocolate Pack x 6, Sally Hansen Hand cream, Ipod nano! mothers day meal at Toby Carvery! :j :j :j :j
  • JoolzS
    JoolzS Posts: 824 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    I suffer from excess under-arm sweating.
    I'm only 18 so im very self-conscious of it.
    Some days im worse than others, somedays im fine, others i have big wet patches under my arpits (very embarrasing, so i try to cover up with a jumper).
    I try all different deoderants (nearly all i think ive tested) nothing really combats it.
    I'm lucky in the respect it doesnt smell though.
    I had this problem and basically cured by it using anhydrol forte anti-perspirant (I hope this doesn't get removed as being medical advice). I used it exactly as directly and it completely cured my excessive production of sweat. I remember during all my teenage and early 20s years only buying clothes that wouldn't show sweat under my arms - not fun.

    I think I was in my late 20s when anhydrol forte was available over the counter and it was such an amazing thing for me. If it is still available then I will definitely say that you have to stick to the usage advice. I seem to remember it saying that you shouldn't use it within 48 hours of shaving - believe that instruction!!!! Honestly, I'm not using those exclamation remarks lightly - it is really painful if you use it after shaving.

    I have now done a search and found that this product is still available. I will add that you don't stop sweating after it starts working - the sweat simply comes out elsewhere - on me it was/is in my centre back and on my face. I still find this preferable to having sweaty armpits and I now pick my clothes based on what I like and not on what/will show sweat.

    Julie
  • Sami_Bee
    Sami_Bee Posts: 14,555 Forumite
    My Hubby works very hard and uses hot things like welders and blow torches at work, he also has to wear a supplied uniform that is a black polo shirt, poly/cotton mix.
    His work are a bit stingy with replacing uniform but now all his polo shirts smell in the armpit area and no amount of washing has got rid of it _pale_
    I always wash on 40 degrees and use non-bio liquid as our son and I come out in a rash with biological soap.
    Any suggestions? should I use bio soap for OH's work stuff?
    The very best is sometimes what nature gives us for free.
    3onitsway wrote: »
    I think Sami is right, as always!
  • Pink.
    Pink. Posts: 17,650 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Hi Sami_Bee,

    There's an earlier thread with lots of ideas that may help so I'll add your thread to it to keep the suggestions together.

    Pink
  • jenny_vidler
    jenny_vidler Posts: 16 Forumite
    Peakma wrote: »
    I bath daily,shave my arm pits, use good antipersperant de-oudourant ( used a variety).But I still seem to leave many tight fitting tops a bit whiffy! Particulary black cotton thin jumpers(reaction with the dye?). I've tried soaking them in nappy washing powder, using upholstry de-oudouriser, hot wash, different powders etc.
    they hardly have any aroma when folded in the draw, but when they've been on for a little while the old-sweat smell seems to warm up!I have loads of tops in really good condition apart from this and I cant wear them,though also cant bear to bin them.
    Does anyone have any ideas-I have thoght it could be down to diet,too much caffine?I dont eat spicy food often.And even if it is down to diet, surely I should be able to wash it out somehow?I wondered about bicarbonate of soda- but if so how much, how long etc.
    Any ideas at all would be apprecited, and just to confirm I'm not a smelly person!I despise missing my morning bath,I cant wake up properly without a good soak.


    try putting white vinigar under the arm of the clothes just before you wash them, it takes out all smells and any white marks too...good luck
    buttons
  • BitterAndTwisted
    BitterAndTwisted Posts: 22,492 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I really wish some of the question-askers on this thread would come back and let us know how they go on.

    Just want to say thanks for the product recommendations: I have a chum who suffers from very excessive perspiration ONLY UNDER ONE ARM (how weird is that?) and shall be buying all of them and shipping them out to Canada for her to try. Many thanks!
  • Sami_Bee
    Sami_Bee Posts: 14,555 Forumite
    I really wish some of the question-askers on this thread would come back and let us know how they go on.
    I'll do my best to report back :D but I can't promise as I'm going to give birth 'any day now':eek: so I might be otherwise engaged for a while
    The very best is sometimes what nature gives us for free.
    3onitsway wrote: »
    I think Sami is right, as always!
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