Why do old T shirts smell?

Mildew may be to blame for that musty clothes smell, but it can't survive old-fashioned home remedies. All you need are household staples—vinegar or baking soda. The next time you do a load of laundry, add either half a cup baking soda or a half cup distilled white vinegar to your detergent drawer.
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Why do my t shirts smell weird?

The primary culprits are bacteria, sweat and body oils, which build up inside synthetic fabrics and cause a literal stink. In addition to subjecting gym apparel to large quantities of the above, the fabric they're made from is another odor contributor.
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How do you keep old shirts from smelling?

Many odors can be removed using vinegar or baking soda as part of your wash cycle, and if those don't work, commercial sanitizers and sports detergents target odor-causing bacteria, too. Air drying outside is also a great option for freshening fabrics.
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Why do my shirts smell old?

Any clothing can begin to smell musty due to damp storage, re-wearing, or even unclean laundry machines. The specialists at COIT Cleaning and Restoration discovered some tips for people around the world, hoping to help them remove the musty smell from clothing.
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Why do my shirts smell musty?

It's usually a combination of bacteria, sweat, and oil.

This kind of musty odor will typically come out after a wash, but if you don't wash your clothes fast enough or your washing machine isn't clean, it can settle into the fabric and become much harder to get out.
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How to Remove Musty Smells from Vintage Clothing - Odor Elimination Secrets



Why do clothes smell after being stored?

Insufficient air circulation inside your clothing storage is a major cause of clean clothes that smell. You wash them, they smell good, they hang in the wardrobe for three days, then they smell off. This is because moisture is getting trapped inside the wardrobe.
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Why do my clothes smell after sitting in closet?

More often than not, your clothes smell musty because of an excess amount of moisture in your closet. High moisture is sometimes due to where you live and the season, but it can also be a sign that you have a problem with your insulation or a crack in the foundation of your home.
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Why do my old T shirts smell after washing?

Sometimes the source of unwelcomed odors is your washer itself. Fabric softener and detergent can build up, block filters and harbor bacteria. So, as you wash again and again, your clothes are exposed to bacteria in the water. To fix the issue, pour two cups of vinegar in your detergent drawer.
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How do you get a musty smell out of clothes that have been in storage?

6 Tips for Getting Rid of Storage Odors in Clothing
  1. Laundry Detergent and Fabric Conditioner. Oftentimes all it takes is a good wash! ...
  2. Baking Soda. This multi-use ingredient is an excellent odor absorbent that can soak up musty smells. ...
  3. White Vinegar. ...
  4. Lemon Juice (for mold spots). ...
  5. Sunlight. ...
  6. Dryer Sheets.
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How do you get rid of vintage smell?

Fill a small spray bottle with white vinegar and lightly spritz the garment. That's all! It sounds strange, sure, but the acid in the vinegar will counter the odors by leveling out the pH. The vinegar smell will dissipate in short time, so you don't need to worry about smelling like salad dressing.
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How do you get rid of a musty smell?

To get the last of the musty smell out of your house, use a natural odor absorber like activated charcoal or baking soda. These products will absorb the smell, so you'll want to throw them away and replace them every two weeks or so.
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How do you get sulfur smell out of clothes?

First Method:
  1. Mix two cups of white vinegar into one bucket of water. Stir carefully.
  2. Soak the smelly garments in the solution for thirty minutes to one hour.
  3. Drop your clothes in the washing machine and run a normal cycle.
  4. Hang your clothes outdoors, if possible. Drying them in fresh air is highly recommended.
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Why do clothes smell musty in drawer?

Mildew develops spores that accumulate in dark and damp environments, and even if we aren't able to visibly see them, the smell will give it away. The moisture that triggers musty smells, often find their way into drawers from a damp piece of clothing, a spill, or even from humidity.
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Can you have a musty smell without mold?

The musty smell that is harbored within your home's walls can be the cause of several factors residing in the environment and/or conditions that are present in the indoor space. Although most people's initial thought is that musty smells only come from mold development in the environment, this is simply not the case.
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Should clothes be stored in plastic bags?

Many people use cardboard boxes or plastic bags to store clothes, as these are more cost-effective options, but these methods leave your clothing vulnerable to damage. Plastic bags can trap moisture and will lead to mold and mildew.
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Why are my clothes smelling musty after drying?

Mold & Mildew Odor: Why Your Laundry Smells Bad After Drying

According to the CDC, mold, and mildew develop in the presence of excessive moisture. You may have excess moisture build-up if you wait too long to transfer your clothes from the washing machine to the dryer.
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Why do all vintage clothes smell the same?

Logically, the only difference between new and old clothes is that they've been worn and not all of them have been completely cleaned and carry natural human odours. So it's not the chemicals used to clean clothes that give these shops their smell?
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Should you wash clothes from storage?

When switching out your summer clothes for your winter clothes, be sure to wash each item before storing in plastic storage containers, boxes or bags, as dust, dirt and other particles left on your clothes can cause stains and discoloration after being stored away for a few months out of the year.
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Why do my clothes smell like eggs?

If you can smell hydrogen sulfide coming from your washing machine, it is most likely the result of a buildup of mold, grime, mildew, or old soap in the washing machine itself or a component of it, like the door gasket.
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Why does it smell like rotten eggs when I do laundry?

If the rotten egg smell in your laundry room is indeed coming from mold or mildew, this is due to the fungus releasing hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S). Because H2S is an irritant to humans, it can cause mild to moderate discomfort with some side effects like sneezing, headaches, dizziness, or coughing.
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Will sulfur ruin clothes?

Besides smelly and making your water taste bad, sulfur might stain your sinks, toilets, clothing, and even cause plumbing damage.
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What is a musky smell?

musky Add to list Share. A musky smell might make you close your eyes and smile, or it might make you leave a room. Either way, it's a very strong and sweet odor that's hard to ignore. Musk is a scent that deer secrete to convince a mate to cuddle with them, and so a musky odor often does the same for humans.
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How do I know if my body is musty?

Try this: sniff coffee or charcoal for a full minute. Then go back and take a whiff of your underarm or other potentially offending area. In a pinch, you could even smell the crook of your elbow, which contains few sweat glands.
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What does feces smell like?

Feces normally have an unpleasant smell. Foul-smelling stools have an unusually strong, putrid smell. In many cases, foul-smelling stools occur due to the foods people eat and the bacteria present in their colon.
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Do girls have a musk?

Yes, men and women really do have distinctive scents. And thanks to Swiss researchers, we even know which chemicals are responsible for the difference. Both male and female sweat feature 3-hydroxy-3-methylhexanoic acid and 3-methyl-3-sulfanylhexan-1-ol, but they're not present in equal amounts.
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