Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Help! Must be a cheaper solution for BO in clothes?

297 replies

troubl3 · 17/03/2025 17:16

Please advise, or am I being unreasonable and should just replace the clothing of my poor teenage daughter!
13yr DD has good hygiene, showers daily, hair wash every couple of days. Always showers after exercise. Uses “proper” deodorant and perfume. She still struggles with BO. It sticks to her clothes after a day of being warm at school, or out with friends. Her school shirts, branded school jumpers, personalised dance uniform, all smell, even after washing. I have tried every product in the supermarket. Am I just going to have to let her smell or do I fork out again for new? AIBU to think there must be a better solution?

OP posts:
OneTC · 17/03/2025 17:17

What temperature are your washing at?

Squirrelsnut · 17/03/2025 17:18

Have you tried spraying stain remover like Shout on the pit area and leaving it for 15 minutes before washing? It works for me.

I've also read on here that soaking in vinegar works

troubl3 · 17/03/2025 17:20

OneTC · 17/03/2025 17:17

What temperature are your washing at?

30 degrees, but I did try a hot wash (60) and it just shrunk her last school jumper and it still had the lingering smell

OP posts:
BathLegeron · 17/03/2025 17:20

Two things, is she washing her armpits with bar soap because that massively helps, and I mean proper soap not something like Dove.

Have you tried washing her clothes with Dettol Laundry? These are the two things that have helped my children's clothes stay nice smelling. I have sons, now adults and one son and Dh sweat a lot.

troubl3 · 17/03/2025 17:21

Squirrelsnut · 17/03/2025 17:18

Have you tried spraying stain remover like Shout on the pit area and leaving it for 15 minutes before washing? It works for me.

I've also read on here that soaking in vinegar works

I have tried stain remover, but not vinegar. Does that not smell equally bad?

OP posts:
MysteriousFalafel · 17/03/2025 17:21

Came on to second the dettol laundry cleanser! DH is a very sweaty article who cycles a lot and it’s stopped the stains and the smells

Theraffarian · 17/03/2025 17:22

Second using stain remover , I just use this oneHere less than £1.50 , but I would say if it’s got to the stage where it’s been in the fabric for a while it’s more of a lost cause . I use this every day for underarms of sports gear etc which seems to prevent the smell getting locked in , in the first place .

https://groceries.asda.com/product/stain-remover-for-whites/astonish-oxy-active-fabric-stain-remover/1000383143343?&cmpid=ppc-_-pmax_google-_--_-google-_--_-dskwid-_dc&s_kwcid=AL!11432!3!!!!x!!&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADuzMyivpoUcDBXkuaoL7ORSFn_H-&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjJrN7c-RjAMVopNQBh2psC_NEAQYAiABEgKRr_D_BwE

BathLegeron · 17/03/2025 17:22

Ah just seen you wash at 30, bacteria love anything below 40, this is from an Ask Me Anything MN thread from a person who knows about this stuff

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/AMA/3308661-I-developed-laundry-detergents-AMA

See her second post. "Bacteria actually breed at anything less than 40 degrees. 30 is their safe haven"

I developed laundry detergents AMA | Mumsnet

For many years I was responsible for innovation for one of the biggest laundry brands in the UK. Any questions you have on stains, wash cycles, laun...

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/AMA/3308661-I-developed-laundry-detergents-AMA

queenrollo · 17/03/2025 17:22

I find a vinegar soak works, but can sometimes bleed colour so don’t mix whites with colours if you do it.
I do a vinegar and water mix, leave to soak for a couple of hours then on a wash.
I used to buy lots of vintage clothes which often came with a previous owners smell (ugh) and in fabrics that wouldn’t stand a hot wash.

troubl3 · 17/03/2025 17:23

BathLegeron · 17/03/2025 17:20

Two things, is she washing her armpits with bar soap because that massively helps, and I mean proper soap not something like Dove.

Have you tried washing her clothes with Dettol Laundry? These are the two things that have helped my children's clothes stay nice smelling. I have sons, now adults and one son and Dh sweat a lot.

Oh, I haven’t heard of the bar soap, what brand would you recommend?
yes I always use the dettol laundry as well as the laundry tabs and scent booster

OP posts:
WonkyDonkeyWonkeyDonkey · 17/03/2025 17:23

I used the dettol laundry stuff on school shirts too. Also the dettol soap is great.

DeclutteringJane · 17/03/2025 17:23

I swear by a capful of Listerine in the fabric conditioner drawer for things with BO. I actually learned about it from a thread on here circa 2014... 😅

queenrollo · 17/03/2025 17:24

And the vinegar smell doesn’t linger.

doodahdayy · 17/03/2025 17:25

You need to be washing at 40 degrees. The lingering smell will wash out after a few washes.

WarrenTwofficer · 17/03/2025 17:25

Stain remover powder- Astonish, Oxy, whatever in the drum. White vinegar as fabric softener. Wash at 40 not 30.

And get her to use bar soap and something abrasive like a flannel or brush under her arms. Fine to use shower gel afterwards, but alone it wouldn't shift it.

Is she using spray or cream antiperspirant?

Blackcordoroys · 17/03/2025 17:26

I use soda crystals in every wash because of this on DH’s gym kit. It really works

Gliblet · 17/03/2025 17:26

Yes to the Dettol laundry disinfectant, that stuff is amazing, it stops DH's sports kit smelling and that's a challenge for any product 😁 Mitchum deodorants are great, agree with the pp who mentioned bar soap as well rather than shower gel. Something really simple (Simple actually sell one) like Imperial Leather not one of the ones with added moisturisers or oils. Are her clothes natural fibres as far as possible? Acrylics pick up and hang on to smells really easily and you can usually treat cotton fibres a bit more roughly when washing them as well.

PoorLion · 17/03/2025 17:26

30c isn’t hot enough, do you have a 40c cycle? One last about two hours? My DH keeps using the 60 minute cycle, it’s not long enough. Use liquid detergent and fabric conditioner. I wouldn’t put school clothes on a 50 but might sportswear, never a 60 though

Silvertulips · 17/03/2025 17:26

DS smells better since I’ve stopped buying shower gel and he has to use soap!

Dove is good.

I would also recommend Mitchum 48 hour deodorant as a stick not spray.

buffyfaith · 17/03/2025 17:26

Here’s what works for me after trial and error
saturate armpits of clothing with dettol or fabulosa fabric sanitiser before washing and let it sit for 5-10 mins
wash clothes above 40c with a bio powder on a decent long wash, an eco one for longer soaking
no fabric conditioner
add more sanitiser to the wash (in the softener drawer)

if that doesn’t work, they’re fucked!

BathLegeron · 17/03/2025 17:27

Anything she likes the smell of really and what you have available. Mine use stuff bought from Costco that are more natural ones.

It isn't just the soap, the pits need a good scrub too and she can use shower gel on the rest of her body if she likes a particular small.

You need to wash at 40 though, 30 will not cut it. I know washing products say they wash at low temps but see the laundry Ask Me Anything thread. Very good information.

Spitalfieldrose · 17/03/2025 17:27

My daughter has terrible BO, and my go to is a 40 degree wash, and Dettol Laundry liquid. Gets rid of it every time.

APurpleSquirrel · 17/03/2025 17:27

Wash whites at a hotter temperature & everything else at 40 degrees.
Get her to wash her armpits at night (in shower/bath or sink) with proper soap, dry them & then apply antiperspirant - it has longer to absorb this way. She can always top it up the morning.

troubl3 · 17/03/2025 17:27

Great advice already! Just going to go and change the wash that’s on to 40
degrees!

OP posts:
ChiaraRimini · 17/03/2025 17:27

I haven’t tried the Dettol product but Napisan in the powder drawer along with washing powder also works to remove sweat smells, especially from synthetics like gym clothes where it really persists. . And wash at 40C or higher.

Swipe left for the next trending thread