Second-hand clothes stink… if they haven’t been washed, stored or cared for correctly. Here’s how to get rid of bad smells in vintage & second-hand clothes.
Have you ever been put off by the musty smell of something you want in the thrift store? Or perhaps you didn’t notice the stink until you got it home and now it’s all you can smell? I’ve been there.
I’ve tried a few methods for taking care of that musty, second-hand stank and you might be surprised to find out that you don’t need to take a trip to the dry cleaners or spend more on laundry detergents and scent boosters. The secret is simple: baking soda. Good old, trustworthy baking soda. What can’t it do?
Over the years I’ve bought some really wonderful items of second-hand clothing that absolutely stink. One of which was a vintage, handmade, crochet poncho. It was under $30 (£15) from The HOB Thrift Boutique I was so excited about it, I knew exactly how I wanted to style it but it was stinky. It smelt so bad that the usual machine wash wasn’t cutting it. When I did what I’m about to share with you to get rid of the bad smells it smelt neutral and clean and I’ve been able to lovingly wear it and hang it in my wardrobe without it ruining anything else around it.
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Why is baking soda good for getting rid of bad smells and odours?
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is an alkaline substance that reacts with acidic odours to neutralise them upon contact. It is one of the best cleaning substances available and has many, many uses.
Baking soda is a natural cleaner, it is very affordable and can be bought in pretty much every food market.
Is this method only good for getting bad smells out of old or second-hand clothes?
This method using baking soda will also help to neutralise any odours in regular, day-to-day clothing such as your gym gear after a killer workout or damp smells after a hike in the rain.
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How long will it take to get rid of bad smells in vintage and second-hand clothing?
For this method for how to get rid of bad smells in vintage & second-hand clothes you’ll want to allow around 3 days. Two for the process and one for the washing and drying.
Please note that this method uses a washing machine and I do not advise doing it if your garment cannot be machine washed. In this case I would take it to the dry cleaners.
Here’s my step-by-step guide for How to get rid of bad smells in vintage & second-hand clothes:
What you will need to get rid of bad smells in vintage & second-hand clothes
- 4 tbsps baking soda
- A plastic bag without holes (assuming you have an old one still knocking around) or a bin liner
- A rubber band/elastic band
- Washing machine
How to get rid of bad smells in vintage & second-hand clothes
- Place the smelly item of clothing in the plastic bag.
- Pour in 2 tbsps of baking soda.
- Seal the bag, you can tie knots but I like to do this by twisting and tying a rubber band/elastic band around it so that I don’t damage the bag and can use it for this same purpose again.
- Shake the bag vigorously but as not to damage the clothing.
- Leave the bag somewhere out of the way for at least 2 days, shaking it once or twice a day to redistribute the baking soda within.
- Carefully remove the item of clothing from the bag and place it into the drum of your washing machine. Add 1 tbsp of fresh baking soda to the drum and another into the draw where the laundry detergent goes.
- Run a warm wash cycle, if the garment wash instructions allow, to kill bacteria.
- Once it has been washed, hang the item of clothing on a washing line (or lay flat if it’s a delicate wool) If the garment wash instructions allow you can dry it in the tumble dryer.
Sometimes there’s a chance the item of clothing still smells a little when it is fresh out of the washing machine but by the time it has dried the odour should have gone. This has happened a few times to me before, trust the process.
Let me know in the comments if my step-by-step guide for how to get rid of bad smells in vintage & second-hand clothes worked for you!
Do more on & for the planet, Gabriella
