Smelly tops

[claireybee]

You know how if you sweat in a top once then it always smells when you wear it again...

How do you stop it stinking? It smells clean when it's washed but the smell seems to come out as it warms up on your body.

[claireybee]

am I just a big stinker then??

I use a mixture of bio powder and liquid (depending what's on offer), mostly powder though.

Usually wash at 40, sometimes 30

[glitteryb6]

if you get one of those crystal deodorant sticks they make your sweat not smelly apparently

[Mumcentreplus]

Need to wash them on a more powerful wash..perhaps a higher temp (depends on fabric)..how do you dry them?

[claireybee]

That's the thing glittery, it's not me that smells, it's once it sets into the tops or something...When I take them off they might be a bit damp but not smelly but then the next time I wear them (after washing) they smell. This isn't every day or anything, just if I do get a bit sweaty one day!

I know friends have experienced this too. It is mostly tshirt type tops though a friend had a couple of jumpers like it.

Dry on washing line

[bubblagirl]

i heard white vinegar was supposed to work

[claireybee]

Works on nappies I suppose bubbla...will give it a try

[systemsaddict]

If you have soft water the detergent might not be rinsing out properly, so not taking the smelly molecules with it. White vinegar in the rinse water helps this process (a slosh in the fabric conditioner drawer) and also deodorises. 8 drops of lavender essential oil leaves things smelling nice too. And if this is possibly the problem, maybe try using less powder / liquid - about 1/2 as much as the manufacturers suggest. Drying things outside gets the smells out too, if you can.

[BonsoirAnna]

Wash hotter with better quality detergent.

[bubblagirl]

i have a friend who had same problem and was told milten or diluted white vinegar on clothes seems to be the answer if you google also just checked

[claireybee]

Always dry outside anyway.

What would you class as a good quality detergent anna? I was worried that washing hotter might set the smells in more, plus aren't you only supposed to use bio at 40 or less?

[claireybee]

Sorry that sounded snippy, didn't mean it to!

[BonsoirAnna]

I use Ariel liquitabs (and Vanish powder for extra whitening) and often wash cotton shirts at 60° if I think they are a bit smelly.

[giveloveachance]

I never wash above 60 - its very expensive to do hot washes.

I wash bed linen at 60 as this is the temp that kills off dust mites.

I wash most other things at 40 using Fairy non-bio but if its very stained or smelly (DP's gym kit - ugh!) I either pre-soak the offending items in a nappy bucket or add a some napisan - does the trick - and its less than £2 a box.

Mostly dry outside on the line too.

And always use the reduce spin / reduce creases option so I don't have to iron so much.

[Servalan]

I use white vinegar on DH's more "fragrant" shirts

[OtterInaSkoda]

FWIW I'm stinky, too. Will try out the white vinegar thing. Didn't there used to be a washing powder aimed at this, ahem, delicate matter? I remember the ad; housewife despairs over her husband's (clearly she didn't perspire) whiffy shirts. "Scientist" with indeterminate European accent pops up to explain all, the solution being.... Vortex...

[elvislives]

oo how spooky. I was just about to start an identical thread.

[OtterInaSkoda]

So it's elvis, claireybee and me then. Bunch of stinkers

Will report back when I try the white vinegar trick.

[Sherbert37]

Did it work? I too have this problem and had started replacing otherwise good t shirts and shirts.

[OtterInaSkoda]

Well I bought some white vinegar (which dp informed me is also used in the preparation of class A drugs. So are stinkers and drug users the main consumers of white vinegar??? I digress...) but I've yet to try it - will give it a go tonight. How much do people reckon you need to add?

[ElectricElephant]

DH had this with his T-shirt,but only when I used the short 30C wash. I have switched to Persil Bio, and put it on the much longer (60 min) wash, and they're fine now.

Old T-shirts with the crusty sweat patches have had to be thrown out though.

[NoahDear]

rub liquid into armpits

[claireybee]

Ruby I have it with a couple of 100% cotton tops too though