fter putting our clothes in the washing machine with the right amount of detergent, we often find that while the stains are gone, an unpleasant smell may still remain.

This problem is especially common with towels. To help you enjoy fresh and clean laundry, here are some simple and effective tips to remove bad odors and leave your clothes smelling fresh and pleasant.

From personal experience, one common cause of bad laundry smell is placing wet clothes directly into the laundry basket.

If you have a dirty item that is also damp, it’s better to let it dry in the open air first. Otherwise, bacteria that thrive in moisture will grow, and this will create an unpleasant odor in your clothes.

Important Note: Before trying any of the following methods, always check the care label on your clothing. Some fabrics have restrictions on certain products, and ignoring these instructions could damage the material.

Use hydrogen peroxide, also known as oxygen water

If you notice a specific stain that causes a bad smell, hydrogen peroxide can help. Simply spray the stain with plenty of oxygen water and let it dry. If the smell does not go away after the first try, repeat the process until the odor is gone.

Be careful! Oxygen water has bleaching properties, so it is not safe to use on colored clothes. In that case, vinegar can be a good alternative.

Use vinegar

Vinegar is a natural and safe cleaner and deodorizer. You can use it to remove bad smells by adding half a cup of vinegar to your regular wash cycle. But don’t pour it directly on the clothes, as this could damage the fabric. Instead, put it in the detergent compartment.

From time to time, you can also run a cleaning cycle for your washing machine without any clothes. Just use vinegar and baking soda together to clean and disinfect the inside of your washer.

Use coffee to get rid of bad smells in clothes

Coffee naturally absorbs odors, and you can use this property to refresh your clothes. Just place some unused coffee grounds in a deep bowl, then fold the clothing item and put it over the bowl without letting it touch the coffee

(to avoid stains).

Leave it for a few hours, or even better, overnight for the best results.

Use newspapers to absorb bad odors

What absorbs odors better than paper?! Thanks to the high porosity of newspaper, it can easily soak up unpleasant smells.

All you need to do is crumple a few sheets of newspaper together and place them inside sleeves, underarm areas, or pant legs, then leave them overnight (or at least for four hours).

Newspaper isn’t just great for clothes it’s also a lifesaver for smelly shoes if you use it in the same way.

Baking Soda to Eliminate Clothing Odors

Here, you can soak the clothes in a mixture of water and baking soda. But before soaking, make sure to separate white clothes from colored ones to avoid any stains. Fill a basin with warm water, add two cups of baking soda, and stir until it dissolves.

Then, place the clothes inside and leave them for a few hours or overnight. After that, wash them as usual.

You Can Use the Freezer to Solve Clothing Odor Problems

This trick works perfectly for jeans, since it’s not recommended to wash denim too often. But with frequent wear, jeans can develop an unpleasant smell.

The solution is simple: place your jeans in a plastic bag and put them in the freezer overnight. The extremely low temperatures will help kill the odor-causing bacteria and leave your denim smelling fresh again.

And finally, nothing is simpler than fresh air to get rid of clothing odors

Good ventilation is key to removing odors. In many cases, simply hanging your clothes in fresh air and sunlight is enough to get rid of any unpleasant smell. If outdoor air isn’t available, you can use a fan instead  it will do the job just fine.

Tell us do you have any special tricks or unique hacks for getting rid of unpleasant odors in your clothes? Share them with us in the comments ⇓ and don’t forget to pass these helpful tips along to your friends!