Topic: Help! How to get odor of laundry products out of clothes?
Rumigirl
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Member # 15091
posted
We live in an apartment building and do our laundry in machines in the basement.
Last night when my husband did our laundry, the machine my clothes were in apparently had been used by someone who must have no sense of smell. They came out REEKING of some horrible dryer sheets, or fabric softener, or something.
He tried putting it through again in a different machine with just water, but they still smell horrifically. How the blazes can we try to get this smell out??
We don't even have our own machine to put it through multiple times, although apparently this doesn't help anyway. (We wouldn't have this problem if we had our own machine!). Thank you.
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"Soaking, totally immersed, in vinegar -- straight -- is my go-to "fix" for almost any offensive substance in fabrics."
Maybe you could soak the clothes in your bathtub and then wash again in one of the machines?
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Rumigirl
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posted
Thank you, Lymetoo, I will try this. Here's hoping!
I read that this stuff has fat/wax that has to be stripped to get rid of it. I cannot imagine how the blazes anyone can possibly wear clothes smelling like this. It is sooo strong and awful!
You wouldn't have to be senstive to hate this! But I am a very sensitive smeller. I smell things that my husband doesn't smell at all. This laundry has us both sneezing, not to mention aghast.
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posted
Borax helps IF it's white clothes. (it can affect the color of the clothes)
I can smell laundry fragrance on my friends. It's disgusting. I have them understanding not to wear perfume, but we haven't discussed laundry soap very much.
I hate that smell. The newer fragrances are made to last 100 washes!!! It's SO dangerous to wear these toxins all day long. People just don't realize it.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
I can no longer use community washer/dryers - too many chemicals. I wash an item in my own sink and fan-dry it. If you think you will need to go this route, you could get a couple fans so as to be able to dry more clothes.
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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Bartenderbonnie
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Member # 49177
posted
You can try Dawn dish soap.
I used it on a blanket that my cat threw up a hair ball on. Amazing results. No strain, no smell.
I figure it must be good if we use it on dishes we eat off of.
Plus it breaks down down grease using very little of it.
Pretty scary how polluted the earth's air is, that we can't even hang clothes outside to dry anymore.
Not to mention the over population of the all the BUGS !
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Dawn [like many dish washing solutions] is very toxic to be putting hands in it, though. And too sudsy for the washing machine.
When my mother had liver disease, the doctors forbade her from using Dawn in the kitchen. They said it would really put more strain on her liver as it was absorbed through the skin & the smells put other stress on immune system.
This was summer of 1982, Emory University Hospital - they saved her life (at least for two more years).
Decades before this matter of ingredients in household products would be important to me.
Ahead of their time? What has / has not changed since then about ingredients or awareness? When will the right time be to shine a light on what the ingredients do, though? EWG helps to sort it all out. -
[ 10-29-2017, 04:11 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
BETTER LIFE Cleaning products -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Rumigirl,
Baking soda or Borax are the best helpers I've found but, unfortunately, I've just had to discard some items with scents that I've gotten from others or thrift stores. But those were long infused.
Hand washing and airing out in the sun might help (if you live in a place where the skies are friendly right now).
You might see if you can contact EWG for an answer. I would start there.
Maybe they could also help with some organizational pieces for a campaign for your communal laundry room. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Rumigirl
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Member # 15091
posted
Thank you, everyone!!
I did a lot of research (thank you, Lymetoo for the Facebook group link) and came up with 2 of the most likely helps. One is what Lymetoo suggested: baking soda and vinegar. The other is non-colored (and non-scented!) ammonia. The latter sounds like the best bet. Then, there is the straight vinegar, but it would take a lot of it.
But, unsurprisingly, my husband had to traipse all over creation today to find these products, especially un-colored and unscented ammonia. Yeesh, how the heck do so many people put up with the horrible, scented stuff??!!
There were lots of people online trying to figure out similar problems. Some never did get the scent out. Hopefully, I will, as it's my pants, etc. that are not particularly replaceable, given my other issues (not being able to shop, stores not carrying cotton clothes anymore, not being able to handle non-stretchy, non-cotton pants with the nerve pain).
Robin, I know you have all kinds of similar problems.
To be continued.
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Rumigirl
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Member # 15091
Yes, EWG is fabulous. I asked for their cleaning info via email, which I haven't looked at yet. What a minefield this stuff is? So many things are so incredibly toxic! What have we done to this poor world, not to mention us and all of the animals. And now all of the loosening of all of the government regulations . . . unreal.
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Even unscented ammonia can be hard on you / your liver, be sure to open all the windows and put on a fan if you can. It's still ammonia, even if you don't smell it you do not want to stand over it for long while breathing - and wear rubber gloves if hand washing.
A tiny bit may do.
They may have put in some kind of masking agent or even a scent that counteracts but still it's not a neutral choice so be careful.
i would not use this on any sleepwear or underwear as some of the ammonia might stay in fabric and you don't want it near your tender parts.
Wear eye protection, too, to keep from any splash to eyes.
Good luck. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Rumigirl
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posted
I was going to start with some of the clothes, but decided to go for all of them in the strong stuff---the ammonia. Yup, it smells alright! Can't open the bathroom window too wide, as we're in the middle of a nor'easter.
Put it all in a huge recycling container, put on rubber gloves, of course, and "agitated" it w/ a mop handle. Now am letting it soak. Good grief what a mess.
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posted
I would be very afraid of the ammonia myself. That's pretty scary. DO BE CAREFUL!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Rumigirl
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Member # 15091
posted
A lot of people online have been using ammonia in wash for a long time. Yes, of course, I was careful and didn't stick around it for long. It did take a good portion of the stink out; I let it sit for 2 1/2 hours. Then put it in the washing machine to get all of that out.
People said that the ammonia is the best at breaking up the waxes in the fibers of the clothes. That fabric softener stuff is evil!
Next I have been putting some of the clothes in baking soda and vinegar. But that doesn't seem to be taking the rest of the smell out. I'm letting it sit overnight. Sigh.
Posts: 3792 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
WOW... I'm just so sensitive to all chemicals. I hope you will have success! If you have any sunshine, put the clothes outside for a bit.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Rumigirl
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posted
No, I don't have any way to put the clothes in sunshine, unfortunately.
Well 1/2 of the clothes that I put in ammonia got better to an extent. Then I soaked them in baking soda and vinegar for a few hours, put in more of each, & soaked for 24 hours. That took out the majority of it.
Now I'm working on the second 1/2 of the clothes. Whew!
I cannot understand how so many people routinely use this stuff! It's known to be carcinogenic, can cause lethal asthma attacks, and is horrid beyond belief. Of course, I'm preaching to the choir here.
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posted
I know... they have become deaf to warnings about carcinogens since carcinogens are in everything. But just think, you are WEARING THE CHEMICALS all day long if you have them on your CLOTHES and your SHEETS.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Rumigirl
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posted
Yup, preaching to the choir, Lymetoo!
Well, the clothes are better, but they still stink. I don't think there is much more that I can do. It has taken way too much energy to do what I've done so far (energy that I really don't have, but that is another story).
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posted
I'm so sorry .. I guess they will have to sit awhile. Maybe it will slowly get better. Now you're stuck with your least favorite clothes, right?
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Rumigirl
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posted
When I researched it, people said that even over a year or more it doesn't get better. People also said that they left them outside on a clothes line for weeks in the sun and the rain, and no better.
I could try yet another round of the same, but I'm not sure it will help. I wish I could buy the same pants that I had, but they don't make them like that anymore. Everything is synthetics now. These pants are cotton with some lyrcra, no other synthetics, comfortable, and look really nice, can be dressy, even. Sigh.
Posts: 3792 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
my bf washed his clothes at a laundromat and the same thing happened. A smell so bad it's hard to even describe it. so bad that it ruined my dryer, can't get the smell out of it either.
I saved a couple light fabric items by handwashing them, but eventually threw the others away.
If you wash other clothes with the smelly clothes it will ruin them too. I think the high-efficiency washers that don't use enough water are to blame.
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Rumigirl
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quote:Originally posted by dogmom2: my bf washed his clothes at a laundromat and the same thing happened. A smell so bad it's hard to even describe it. so bad that it ruined my dryer, can't get the smell out of it either.
I saved a couple light fabric items by handwashing them, but eventually threw the others away.
If you wash other clothes with the smelly clothes it will ruin them too. I think the high-efficiency washers that don't use enough water are to blame.
Uh, oh, thank you for the warning about washing other clothes with them; that makes sense. I didn't, of course, while doing all the stuff to try to get the smell out. But after spending a lot of time on it had to give up. They are better, but it isn't all gone.
The waist bands of my pants are the worst, because of several layers of fabric. It's really ghastly! Even though a lot better than it was. Sigh.
All of the soaking with ammonia, and later with vinegar and baking soda also ruined the fabric in one pair of pants, and negatively affected the fabric and color on the rest.
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Rumigirl
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This is somewhat different, but as of yesterday the hallway outside of our apartment smells unbelievably strongly of perfumey something or other! Different cleaning products?? WTH?? Yeesh.
Next we will be forced to be mouth-breathers, which still wouldn't be good.
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LisaK
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I have thrown away org donated clothes for this very reason.
-------------------- Be thankful in all things- even difficult times and sickness and trials - because there is something GOOD to be seen Posts: 3592 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Jul 2013
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I bet they used Unstoppables or a similar product. It is touted as lasting 100 washes!!!
When will this madness STOP???
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Rumigirl
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quote:Originally posted by Lymetoo: I bet they used Unstoppables or a similar product. It is touted as lasting 100 washes!!!
When will this madness STOP???
Sadly, not likely in our lifetimes, at least not the way it's going now. Whaaaa!
Never heard of Unstoppables, sounds like it's from H**l!
Robin, I have to look at your link for a tiny washing machine, but, truthfully, we wouldn't have room, no matter how tiny. I will be afraid to have my clothes washed from here on out. And given that I can't wash the bad stuff with the good stuff on top of it all . .
I have been looking at yoga pants online, but the kind I had was perfect. I am not going to wear the usual yoga pants outside of the house, esp when I'm not doing yoga. Everything is so tight these days. And it doesn't help that I gained some weight from taking Lyrica only once/day, not a ton, but still.
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