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

[troubl3]

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?

Oh and for antiperspirant the dove or sure cream that you apply at night
https://amzn.eu/d/fd0Q1S7

Agree with PP about using plain white vinegar. I put vinegar in a small spray bottle and spray on the armpit area and leave for 15 minutes before washing. Another alternative is neat vodka sprayed onto the area or hand sanitizer. The alcohol kills the bacteria.

Check for colour fastness and fabric composition before spraying. If her clothes are mostly polyester, polyester and man-made fabrics absorb odours. Dettol laundry cleanser doesn't work for me.

Cream, does that make a difference?

I used to compete in sports and no general antiperspirant ever worked on me. I could smell myself even before the competition had ended. The only thing that worked was using Perspirex roll on, the night before. It can sting a bit and dry the skin out so I'd only use it every three or four days. One application tied me over for about three days. The other well known strong antiperspirant didn't do anything but might be worth trying a different antiperspirant, not the general £2-3 ones.

And yes to bar soap, I have to use an exfoliating glove to properly shift the antiperspirant as it’s meant to stay on

Additional to the laundry changes recommended, I'd also suggest shaving her armpits before washing them if she doesn't already. It ensures that the soap makes decent contact with the skin. A flannel (hot washed between uses) is also a good idea. She could also try using an antibacterial wash twice a day (morning and evening).

Are her clothes artificial fibers like polyester? They tend to hold on to smells that detergent might not dislodge.

Do you have any low pH laundry rinse products available? I use one that's Free and Clear (unscented) on youngest's scrubs and my workout gear.

Agree about using bar soap, Cidal do a good anti bac one. Also try using washing powder instead of pods and definitely wash at 40 or above (also use a proper cycle instead of a quick wash cycle).

I know Im not answering the direct question but I think there's something about addressing the BO first....I suddenly started to get BO and the only thing that has sorted it (for the most part) is a bar of dettol soap (inexpensive) and a move to natural deoderant (Fussy in my case). I've heard good things about Mitchum but it didn't work for me.

I still find that if I wear one of my old tops, the smell seems to reappear, even if it doesnt smell when I put it on. I've not noticed it in any of the clothing Ive bought since I switched soap/deoderant.

I had the same issue but was using a quick wash. They need a good cycle with a decent temperature to get the smell out and regular cleaning of the washing machine or it won't do as good a job.

Are you using the Dettol Laundry Cleanser in the fabric softener drawer? My sister was using it instead of detergent (rather than instead of softener) and wondered why it wasn't effective.

Powder detergent.
Dettol cleanser instead of softener
Wash at 40

My teen DSs' shirts stink unless I do this!

Bar soap.

40 degree wash with fragrance free bio power and dettol laundry wash.

All kinds of liquid detergent, scented softeners etc just seem to lock in the smells and make them worse.

Clean your washing machine with soda crystals or vinegar too, otherwise "that smell" will come back from the washing machine.

How do you dry your washing? Line drying outside will really help. Sunshine breaks Dall sorts of things?

I came on to say this sure max protection cream is the one.

some food creates BO- onion garlic and cumin

if pure bar soap isn’t strong enough try hibiscrub.

I spray the underarms of my tops with white vinegar before washing, and I include white vinegar as a fabric softer too. I wash most things at 40C, but some things at 30C if I have to.

I give my underarms a good scrub in the shower - I use one of those sisal soap holders.

I use a PitRok crystal deodorant.

Maybe if things are a bit whiffy already, a rescue with Dettol Laundry wash would be good first. I don't like using chemicals like this all the time though.

Bar soap is a game changer. I use dettol antibacterial soap on my armpits (i have excema prone, sensitive skin and it doesn't bother me) and then I use Dove bar soap on my vulva area.

I used to smell a bit and it completely stopped when I switched from body wash.

Also make sure she isn't using aerosol antiperspirant. It can irritate the sweat glands causing them to go a bit crazy.

The Mitchum cream ones are the best in the UK.

I now live in Thailand and I am routinely outside in the heat and I have zero BO :)

White vinegar used as a prewash would neutralise the smell

Sponge or spray with cheap vodka and leave for about 15 mins before washing. The alcohol smell won't stay in her clothes! Vodka is used for theatrical costumes and ballet tutus that can't be washed, they're just sprayed and left to air

Biological washing powder. Wash at 40 full cycle. Cotton shirts at 60. I used to handwash the school jumper. Have you got room to air dry her uniform outside? If so leave her clothes out airing as long as possible.
She needs to use a strong antiperspirant deodorant and shower daily. It's a stage that will pass x

Washing powder really helps, I always use biological.
DSs clothes need to be washed at 60 or the smell sticks - it hasn’t ruined the clothes so far.

Another vote for white vinegar here. Works for me

Thank you so much everyone!

I have used ‘Gymwash’ recently which has been brilliant at getting rid of the pong on clothes. The clothes always smell clean but, particularly sports clothes, when the body warms them, smell again.

Soak items initially according to instructions then wash as normal. I haven’t tried it in the washing machine but you can do so apparently.

https://www.gymwash.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqd9J4IQkVMFzhcMXXdRsVyoIbmKTAt_LWk5eZqjx0oG74kAK8o

I also understand that Dove isn’t the best as a soap as it is a beauty bar. Standard soap is best, gently scrub armpits with a mitt or cloth can help too.

Are you using enough detergent for the size of the wash load?
I put two Ariel capsules in as it’s a large capacity machine and I save a full load.

Can’t help much with the washing, but the sweating: Try perspirex from boots. There’s different strengths but it stops sweating. Also, potentially a bit young right now, but Botox under the arm can also stop sweating if this is something that is extreme and long lasting.