Best detergent for getting out a musty smell?

[aristocatz]

Bought an adorable dress for my DD on Ebay, but it arrived today and smells really musty

Which laundry detergent is best for getting rid of a musty smell?

Thanks!

 

[MI mom of 3]

Wash it with vinegar in the water then hang it outside to dry. May have to repeat but between the vinegar and the sun you should be good to go. Good luck

 

[java]

Try adding a little vinegar to the machine(i do it when you would add a fabric softener.

It should take out the muty moldy smell. Good luck!

 

[Jedana]

Came in to second the white vinegar.
A good soak in the vinegar, dry in the sun, and repeat if needed, then wash normally.

If the white vinegar can cut through that preteen boy "funk", a little mustiness can't hold out against it.

 

[bcla]

The detergent ingredient in most laundry detergents are the same. The thing that might get the smell out would be an enzyme, which all the major ones have. You might need to soak. If that doesn't work, then you might try a pet odor neutralizer like Nature's Miracle or Odor Out. There are other brand names. Maybe Downy fabric softener with Febreeze will help.

Once I bought a slightly used polyester fleece jacket from REI. I think it had been returned after it had been worn a couple of times, and I got a great price on it. It looked pristine, but had the most awful BO in the armpit areas. I tried everything from soaking to copious amounts of Shout pretreater. Only after a dozen or so washes did the odor sort of go away.

 

[aristocatz]

Thank you! I will try the vinegar idea.

 

[malibuconlee]

Arm and Hammer Washing Soda is the best thing I have found for removing odors. I use it along with regular detergent. I use it with every load of towels to get rid of funky smells.

Wal-Mart carries it, haven't found it at Target or looked anywhere else really.

 

[Christine]

When both my son and daughter lived in dorms, they'd come home and their clothes would just smell incredibly funky. Not musty, but just weird. Yuck. Regular Tide would not get it out, even after several washes. I did try the vinegar but that didn't quite do it (admittedly, I didn't soak the garments because I had SO many).

What really helped was those stupid Tide or Gain scented beads you can buy now. I guess they are masking the odor, but I don't know. I used them once and, while the clothes were HEAVILY scented, the odor did not come back when I didn't use them.

Also, I made the mistake once of buying Tide with fabric softener built in. I washed one of my work sweaters in it. Oh my god, I could hardly stand myself that day. I reeked. I washed that sweater three more times before that scent would disappear, so I gotta believe something like that would work.

 

[firecracker725]

If white vinegar won't work, then you're pretty much out of luck. That's the best deodorizer ever. What amazes me is that it's one of the cheapest things you can buy, yet it is so effective in so many situations.

 

[Nancyg56]

If white vinegar won't work, then you're pretty much out of luck. That's the best deodorizer ever. What amazes me is that it's one of the cheapest things you can buy, yet it is so effective in so many situations.

Vinegar is a great deodorizer and a good cleanser. I use it for everything. OP- I would try using some washing soda in your wash. It really does help. Think Baking Soda on steroids!

 

[Jeff in BigD]

I was wondering about that myself. We had pulled some things out of storage & found some nice pillow cases that hadn't been used a bunch, they were still soft & would have been usable except that they developed a funk. They were washed before putting them in, but I guess spending some time in the broiling heat of summer in a non-ACed storage unit did the trick.

We debated whether or not to try salvage them, but opted to just chuck them instead. I'm sure we might face the same issue with some of my slimmer clothes & winter wear, so hopefully the vinegar tip does the trick!

 

[mamacatnv]

a cup of white vinegar in the wash, then mix fabric softener with 50% vinegar
Like so many have said, white vinegar is a wonder deodorizer - I use it in every single load of laundry as well as I keep it in a spray bottle and spray the furniture, mattresses and carpet with it regularly.

Another note, add a couple of drops of dawn dish washing liquid (the original) to the wash, this helps open the fabric fibers that may be coated with unseen grime which will also hold odors in. To get the grime off of the fabric may actually take several washes thus the soaking should help as well

 

[mejohn7779]

By far, the best laundry detergent for getting rid of musty smells, or any other smells for that matter, is soap nuts organic laundry detergent.

 

[j's m]

When both my son and daughter lived in dorms, they'd come home and their clothes would just smell incredibly funky. Not musty, but just weird. Yuck. Regular Tide would not get it out, even after several washes. I did try the vinegar but that didn't quite do it (admittedly, I didn't soak the garments because I had SO many).

What really helped was those stupid Tide or Gain scented beads you can buy now. I guess they are masking the odor, but I don't know. I used them once and, while the clothes were HEAVILY scented, the odor did not come back when I didn't use them.

Also, I made the mistake once of buying Tide with fabric softener built in. I washed one of my work sweaters in it. Oh my god, I could hardly stand myself that day. I reeked. I washed that sweater three more times before that scent would disappear, so I gotta believe something like that would work.

We've been dealing with this for the past two years. I couldn't soak in vinegar because my washer drains after 10 minutes. We've tried vinegar rinses, borax, fabric softener, multiple washes and there is still the slight lingering smell, but not as bad with the borax.

We call it the college funk, you could smell it in the rooms, the hallway, and even the entrance to the Barnes and Noble on campus. They have front load washers and I think this contributes to the smell.

 

[littlejimmy]

Tide. You can never go wrong with tide.

 

[of the seas]

Your regular detergent with Downy Unstopables! Those work well on getting clothes to smell fresh.

 

[bcla]

Tide. You can never go wrong with tide.

Depends. It's got optical brighteners, which aren't supposed to be used on some military clothing used for combat. They make someone absolutely light up when viewed through night-vision.

I saw a list of approved laundry detergent for washing military clothes. This isn't the one I remember, but it's got a longish list.

http://www.vandenberg.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123065881

I'm not sure about Cheer these days, which may have them now.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

I agree with washing soda. I think a lot of musty clothes come from the new HE washers. Re washing with the washing soda. Rinse first to get out old detergent, put the washing soda in the water with your detergent. I just picked up Gain Flings with Febreeze for clothes that have been stored away. The companies have taken out the phosphates that use to make Tide the cleanest one around and added the brighteners.

Also, if the clothes are moldy smelling, place out in the sun, if they tolerate bleach presoak in the washer.

I also agree white vinegar is excellent for so many cleaning needs.i get a huge bottle at SAMs Club.

 

[marcyinPA]

Definitely white vinegar. I add it to my wash when I have work out clothes. Without it- P. U. !!!!