Sweating is our body’s way to cool down after activity or stress. While this beneficial bodily response helps flush out toxins and makes it possible for us to withstand warm climates, sweat gets blamed for a handful of modern-day inconveniences. From damaged white shirts to questionable odors, there’s no denying that the combination of sweat and bacteria can be hard on clothing.
Find out the best way to remove sweat smell from clothes, and other methods for keeping a wardrobe fresh, with these helpful tips from odor eliminating experts at Fresh Wave.
How to Get Sweat Smell Out of Clothes
- Wash away odor-causing bacteria
- Use an odor eliminating additive when laundering
- Spray clothes to refresh after and between cleanings
Understand the Source of Sweat Odor
We sweat for many different reasons — heat, exercise, hormones, nerves — to name a few. What’s less apparent to many is that sweat itself doesn’t contain malodor, but the bacteria in sweat that produces bad smells.
Sweat causes bacteria to multiply rapidly. As the bacteria multiplies, coming into contact with perspiration, it causes sweat to break down into odor-producing acid. This reaction and combination of acidic substances is the source of many common smells like boot odor and gym bag odor. Even in the case of bleach odors, the breakdown of bacteria is often to blame for unpleasant smells.
Understanding the source of any odor is key to fighting it. Defeat the bacteria that resides deep in the fibers of your favorite T-Shirts, socks, and gym gear to get rid of sweat smell in clothes and prevent it from coming back.
Use an Odor Eliminating Laundry Booster
The best way to remove sweat smell from clothes is to clean them properly. Whether made from a knit fabric like jersey or fleece or woven fabrics like cotton and linen, bacteria thrives in the moisture held at the fiber level of most clothing.
In order to eliminate microscopic bacteria, it’s important to wash sweaty clothes often and with a laundry detergent or even laundry sanitizer designed to kill bacteria. Bacteria-fighting detergents will keep your clothes smelling fresh longer and supplement any odor eliminating laundry boosters you choose to add to your load of sweaty clothes.
However, these detergents alone don’t always solve the problem. For this reason, Fresh Wave Laundry Booster is the perfect addition to any load of foul-smelling laundry. Its odor-fighting ingredients include plant oils that works to neutralize odors naturally and effectively. To get rid of sweat smell in clothes, add 2 to 4 capfuls of Fresh Wave Laundry Booster, in addition to detergent, to your sweaty clothes and let natural ingredients go to work.
Fight Odors as Your Clothes Dry
As you allow your clothes to dry, a few extra steps can help combat sweat odors. You can place clothes in the dryer and machine dry according to the fabric specifications, but there are other, more natural, methods that are more effective in the fight against odor-causing bacteria.
Drying your clothing in the sun is a great way to kill the bacteria that may remain after the wash and get rid of sweat smell in clothes. The sun contains UVC, UVB, and UVA rays. Each form of ultraviolet light kill viruses and bacteria at a molecular level. Hang your clothes, particularly your whites, in a sunny spot in the backyard or on a porch and allow the sun and breeze to soak up any remaining moisture in the clothes.
Check the clothing periodically to ensure its gradually becoming more dry, and lightly spritz with Fresh Wave Odor Eliminating Spray. With the bottle held vertically, 12” away from the garment, lightly mist your clothes to evenly distribute the odor eliminating formula. Like Fresh Wave Laundry Booster, Fresh Wave Odor Eliminating Sprays use a proprietary formula of natural ingredients that neutralize common odors. It’s one of the best ways to remove sweat smell from clothes and keep your wardrobe smelling fresh.
To learn more about Fresh Wave ingredients, helpful where to use tips, and more, shop the collection of odor eliminating products and experience a breath of fresh air today!