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View Full Version : Laundry problem: getting rid of odor



maestramommy
08-27-2010, 09:10 AM
Dh and I have this..... odor. It's not BO. It's just this gamy odor that probably comes from the oils off our skin. I'm pretty sure you can't smell it when you're standing next to us, because it's not quite that strong, but it gets in our sheets, and our Tshirts. Not sure why it's not in our other clothes (at least not mine), but even after washing, all it does is sit there for a few hours and it starts to smell again. Anyone know what I'm talking about? I call it the Asian guy smell because I've only smelled it on Asian guys, but maybe it's more universal? I use Charlie's Soap powder, and I have tried using hot water wash, using Bac-out in the wash cycle, as a presoak, and it still smells. I tried using Tide HE but all it seems to do is cover it with the Tide perfume. My next strategy is to put vinegar in the rinse cycle.

Anyone else have this problem? Does ANYTHING work?

Green_Tea
08-27-2010, 09:17 AM
When my clothes and towels seem to come out smelling not so fresh I add a cup of vinegar to the *wash* cycle. I have also been known to throw some baking powder in as well. Seems to take care of it. I also notice that drying on higher heat works, too. FWIW, I typically use regular Tide or Arm & Hammer detergent.

truly scrumptious
08-27-2010, 09:19 AM
I throw a few tablespoons of baking powder in with every wash - it is great for removing funky smells from towels and sheets, especially.

Andi98989
08-27-2010, 09:43 AM
I put a cup of ammonia in the wash water - great for getting rid of funk. My parents used to go to "fish camp" for a week each summer and came back just reaking. We were able to just wash their clothes once by adding the ammonia to the water.

infomama
08-27-2010, 09:58 AM
One thing that I have learned is that it's important to get the clothes into the dryer asap after washing is done.

sophiesmom03
08-27-2010, 10:09 AM
I throw a few tablespoons of baking powder in with every wash - it is great for removing funky smells from towels and sheets, especially.

Baking powder, or soda?

I used vinegar in wash cycles with cloth diapers with success. It was also great at getting any lingering smell out of the washing machine.

Interesting q if it's on you and getting into your clothes...is there something unusual that you both eat or drink?

Good luck!

edurnemk
08-27-2010, 10:21 AM
Vinegar in the rinse works for us. Also adding baking soda or oxiclean along with the detergent.

If that doesn't work I wonder if stripping those clothes every now and then like you'd do with cloth diapers would work?

twowhat?
08-27-2010, 10:23 AM
Do you have a front-loader or top loader? How long are you leaving the clothes in the washer before transferring to the dryer? If you have a front-loader, are you keeping the door and detergent tray open when it's not in use so it can dry out? Have you tried oxyclean?

truly scrumptious
08-27-2010, 10:34 AM
Baking powder, or soda?

Sorry - baking soda.
Can I blame it on pregnancy brain? :bag:

edurnemk
08-27-2010, 10:39 AM
Sorry - baking soda.
Can I blame it on pregnancy brain? :bag:

If this makes you feel better, the other day I heard a commercial on the radio from a grocery store that gives "tips" and then promotes the products, and they also said to add half a cup of baking powder to the wash, I laughed so hard picturing the poor woman who'd follow that instruction. I don't know how many people review that before airing, and still they didn't catch it. So don't feel bad about the pregnancy brain! :wink2:

sophiesmom03
08-27-2010, 10:44 AM
If this makes you feel better, the other day I heard a commercial on the radio from a grocery store that gives "tips" and then promotes the products, and they also said to add half a cup of baking powder to the wash, I laughed so hard picturing the poor woman who'd follow that instruction. I don't know how many people review that before airing, and still they didn't catch it. So don't feel bad about the pregnancy brain! :wink2:

LOL, so true. Pg brain is a very valid excuse!

Has anyone noticed that the baking soda/powder at TJs these days has the labels "reversed" from tradition? The red can (looks like Mumford powder) is Baking Soda, and the yellow and red can (looks like A&H soda) is Baking Powder. Makes me paranoid when baking. ;)

maestramommy
08-27-2010, 01:47 PM
Okay, nice tips here! To answer a couple of questions:

1) I have an HE front loader. It's always hanging open in between washes.

2) I do one load a day and it's probably a couple of hours between the time it's done washing and when I put it in the dryer. On high heat.

3) I've tried sniffing Dh, and he doesn't smell like this, only some of his clothes. In particular his Tshirts, which he wears for running, biking to and from work, and working outside. And it gets on our sheets. Almost all of it is cotton, but I have a capilene shirt that STUNK. Even after I washed it, there was still a lingering smell.

4) None of the kids's clothes smell like this. Even the dipes don't smell like this after coming out of the dryer.

I am tempted to empty out my entire Tshirt drawer and wash everything all at once, because it seems as though a few shirts are contaminating everything else.

However, I have plenty of baking soda and vinegar so I will try those. I also have Oxy, but I'd rather save that for stain removal. I have a sheet load coming up Sunday so I will try it.

marie
08-27-2010, 02:12 PM
I have the same problem - my mother calls it "old man smell".

It seems to be worse in our t's and sheets, too. I have always thought of it as an oily or greasy kind of residue in our clothes/sheets so would the baking soda/ vinegar work on that?

I totally know what you mean about wanting to washing everything - I open my dresser drawer and the smell hits me. I do wash sheets if they have been stored awhile (like flannel sheets) before putting them on the bed. Also makes me reconsider my use of unscented detergent.

glad to hear that I'm not the only one! (DH claims he doesn't smell it. . .)

boltfam
09-06-2010, 03:22 PM
I have the same problem, too - mainly with DH's t-shirts. Still trying to figure out the cause. Have you had any luck, OP?

almostamom
09-06-2010, 04:12 PM
Melinda, this is one of the reasons I've been trying to figure out how to add 20 Mule Team Borax to our wash loads. I couldn't stand the smell from DH's clothes anymore. I've been adding it all week and it's made a big difference. I just don't know if I'm ruining my washer in the meantime!

Linda

Puddy73
09-06-2010, 04:18 PM
I've had good luck with WIN Sport Detergent. It removed some serious funk from microfiber diaper inserts, towels and DH"s gym clothes.

Sweetum
09-14-2010, 01:45 PM
Question: for front loaders, when and where do you put the vinegar and baking soda?

Every once in a while when my front loader starts smelling of mildew, I run a sanitary or tub clean cycle with bleach in the bleach compartment. probably not the safest chemical to use, but it takes out the stink. wondering if vinegar and baking soda would work here...

btw, I wrote baking powder everywhere and went back and corrected them all to soda!

mattiew
09-14-2010, 11:28 PM
Charlie's Soap was not working for DH's workout clothes (still stinky) so I recently purchased Rock in Green. So far so good!

DrSally
09-14-2010, 11:30 PM
I've never smelled the "Asian Guy smell"? That's a new one for me. I would try vinegar in the rinse cycle.

ETA: My DH's undershirt drawer does have a smell when I open it. They're all clean shirts, but there is a left over smell.

elektra
09-14-2010, 11:33 PM
I've never smelled the "Asian Guy smell"? That's a new one for me.



Me neither! I'm so curious!

boltfam
09-14-2010, 11:34 PM
Question: for front loaders, when and where do you put the vinegar and baking soda?

Every once in a while when my front loader starts smelling of mildew, I run a sanitary or tub clean cycle with bleach in the bleach compartment. probably not the safest chemical to use, but it takes out the stink. wondering if vinegar and baking soda would work here...

btw, I wrote baking powder everywhere and went back and corrected them all to soda!

You'd have to check your owner's manual, because it depends on the front loader. For mine, I had to check with the mfg. and was told to add powder directly to the tub. Others require it in the detergent dispenser. I add vinegar in the fabric softener dispenser. HTH!

Wife_and_mommy
09-14-2010, 11:37 PM
I don't have this problem but from 2006-6months ago, I was using borax in the wash as a way to reduce my detergent use. It worked great and might help the odor. :)

I simply used 1/2 as much detergent and a 1/2 C of borax in each load. Let me know if you're interested in the book I got this from. It's really good. :)

I now make my own detergent with a grated soap bar, 1c borax, 1c washing soday. It works *awesome* and is dirt cheap. :)

gatorsmom
09-14-2010, 11:54 PM
When I have laundry odor problems, I try using vinegar in the rinse cycle. If even that doesn't work, I will mix a little bleach into the wash water. Bleach always takes away the odor, even though I don't like doing that for the environment's sake and the fact that it weakens the clothing fibers.