467 Remove offensive odors from towels with vinegar and baking soda. To deep clean towels, fill your washer with hot water, add 1 cup of white vinegar, and run towels through a wash cycle. Once that cycle is complete, leave the towels in the washer. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda, wash again in hot water, then dry thoroughly in the dryer or outside. The odors should be completely gone, but if any linger, you can repeat this process until your towels smell fresh and clean. Use this method when you notice your towels aren’t as fresh and absorbent as usual.
468 Nix underarm odors with vodka. Mix 1/3 cup of vodka and 1 cup of water in a spray bottle, and shake to combine. Perform a spot test on an inconspicuous spot, and if it works okay, spray liberally on smelly underarm fabric on shirts, blouses, and even dry-clean-only garments, and let them sit overnight. Check the garment in the morning. If the smell is still there, re-treat. If the smell is gone, wash the garment in cold water, and hang to dry. The heat from the dryer can set odors if they aren’t completely gone. Once you’re sure the odors are out of the garment, launder as usual.
469 Keep clothes smelling fresh with lavender essential oil. Do you have a load you need to wash but won’t be able to dry immediately? To keep odors at bay, put a couple drops of lavender essential oil or another antifungal oil on a sock or rag, and add it to the wash.
470 Soak linens to remove offensive odors. If your bed linens aren’t smelling fresh and clean after washing, soak them in a bucket or sink filled with hot water. Add 1 cup of white vinegar and 1 tablespoon of natural dish soap, and stir the solution with your arm to mix. Add your sheets, and swish them around to saturate them in the cleaning solution. Soak for at least 30 minutes or overnight, then wash as usual.
471 Use baking soda to remove tough odors. Remove even the toughest odors like gasoline from your clothes by soaking them in baking soda. Fill a bucket or the washing machine with warm water, and add 1 cup of baking soda. Soak the smelly garment in the mixture for 3–4 hours or overnight, then launder as usual. Repeat for extreme odors.
472 Make a laundry scent booster with salt and essential oil. You don’t need the strong, synthetic fragrances in commercial products to make your laundry smell fresh and clean. This DIY laundry scent booster provides a nice, light fragrance without unhealthy chemicals!
3-pound box kosher salt
25–30 drops essential oil
1/2-gallon Mason jar
Pour the salt in a medium bowl, and add your favorite essential oils, such as lavender, lemongrass, peppermint, or lemon. Stir well to combine. Store the mixture in an airtight container.
To use, add 1/2 cup into the washing machine per load, and launder as usual. The salt will soften clothes, and the essential oil will freshen and remove dirt and odors.
473 Scrub away mold and mildew with a toothbrush. If the garment has visible mold on it, use a toothbrush to gently scrape it away before washing to allow the washing machine to reach deep into the fibers and remove the rest of the stain.