You don’t want to smell bad, but you may not have time to wash your clothes. Many people wonder how to remove musty smells from clothes without washing them. We’ve put together a list that will help you freshen your clothes. You can choose from a variety of options to get rid of the musty smell.
This article will explain how to remove the musty smell from your clothes without washing. There are many ways to make your clothes smell fresh.
What Is Musty Smell
Most often, the musty smell in clothing is due to mildew and dampness from clothes being stored in a closed closet without enough air circulation. Your clothes can begin to smell mildewy when the humidity increases. You may be asking yourself, “How do I get rid of that musty smell in my clothes?” You may have tried to wash your clothes, but mildew can survive the cycle of a washing machine, and this will only make the smell worse.
What causes clothes to smell musty
Clothes may smell musty for many reasons. You might be wearing clothes you’ve never cleaned or that have been stored in your closet. Most people do not have time to wash their clothes every day or even weekly, so they keep them until they have time to sort through all of their clothing. These clothes can smell musty when you wear them.
The type of fabric used to make the clothes can also cause a musty odor. If your clothes are made from certain fabrics that absorb moisture better than others, they will be harder to dry and smell musty. Avoid buying clothes made of materials that quickly absorb water if you don’t want your clothes to smell like mildew.
How to get rid of the musty smell without washing your clothes
You can remove the musty smell of your clothes in several ways, but adding water and exposing it to heat is the most effective. It’s not an option for everyone, as not everyone owns a dryer. But if you have one, try drying your clothes for 20 minutes. This article has some options for those without a dryer.
Try out the Nori Facial. This steam solution was designed to enhance your Nori’s steaming performance. This solution prevents calcification, which is caused by using tap water. It will also often need to be descaling. Nori’s fabric facial not only extends the life of your iron but also contains a deodorizing solution that removes unwanted odors from the air when emitted in a stream or spray. You can now get rid of the musty smell by using Nori Pres steam.
Baking Powder: Put your clothes that smell musty into a bag and sprinkle with baking powder. Let the garments sit in the bag for several minutes. It may not work on dark-colored clothes as it will take some time to remove the baking powder. However, this method works well for most other colors.
Vinegar: Mix half water and half white vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake the solution and spray it on your clothing to remove musty smells. Add a few drops of essential oils to the mixture, and the vinegar smell will be eliminated. Otherwise, you’ll need to air your clothes out.
Lime Juice: Because it is acidic, lemon juice has similar properties to vinegar. It’s an antiseptic as well! If you don’t want to use vinegar, you can squeeze half a lemon in water and get two cups. Spray the mixture on your clothes and allow it to dry.
Use Febreze to eliminate that musty smell. You don’t even need water! Its only drawback is that it doesn’t work permanently. Spray it on your clothes and put them in the closet before putting them away. Then spray it again when you smell it coming back. This will eliminate the musty odor until you wash your clothing!
Use dryer sheets: Place dryer sheets between folded and hung clothes to eliminate a musty smell.
Outside: The most natural solution is to hang musty-smelling clothing in the sun. Heat and sunlight should eliminate musty smells until you have time to launder your clothes.
Essential oils: You can mix a few drops with water in a spray bottle if you don’t happen to have vinegar or lemons on hand. Shake the spray bottle and spray your clothes. You can let them dry.
Freeze: I know that this may sound strange, but you can put your garments with a musty smell into a bag of ice and leave it for a couple of hours. Give yourself enough time to defrost your clothes before wearing them. The freezing temperatures will kill most of the bacteria responsible for the musty smell.
Fabric Sprays Over the Counter: If you are prone to a musty smell, you may want to consider an over-the-counter solution. You can find several sprays on the market that will solve the problem quickly with a few spritzes. There are many. The Laundress is one, as Febreze Fabric refresher, Downey Wrinkle Releasing Spray, and others.
Cedar: There are many cedar products available on the market. Cedar products include cedar hangers, clothing sprays, cedar blocks, and drawer liners. These products can be used in your closet to eliminate musty smells.
Drier: Many dryers have a refresh cycle, which can be used to solve this problem. Follow your dryer’s instructions to get fresh-smelling clothes!
Fragrance/Perfume: If none of the above solutions works for you, it’s time to get out the scent. It’s best to use your favorite aftershave or perfume. You can spray some perfume on your clothes to eliminate the musty smell.
Sometimes, the above methods may not be available to you. This is especially true if traveling. Use a fabric brush or upholstery brush to remove the musty odors from the fabric. Use a little fragrance to mask the musty smell until you get home and wash your garment.
How to prevent mildew in the future
Keep your clothes in an airy area to avoid needing any of these solutions in the future. You will not have to worry about your clothes smelling musty. If you are not planning to wear your clothing until the next season, it is a good idea for them to be dry cleaned or washed at the end. Keep your closet clean and organized to allow better airflow. This will also make it easier for you to smell the clothes.
Be sure that your clothing is completely dry before you store it. It will prevent mildew. If you live in a humid area, you might want to buy a small dehumidifier. You can also use products such as DampRid and AirBoss. These low-cost absorbers will keep moisture and mildew from your clothes.
You can rewash your clothes if you notice a musty smell after washing. Add some baking soda or borax. Make sure they are completely dry before putting them away.
Hang your clothes near a source of heat or in the sun to ensure that they are fully dry before storing them.
