Smelly armpits on clothes

[countessbabycham]

I've bought a couple of lovely tops from charity shops but I've noticed when I had washed and was ironing them,that a sweat smell was coming up from the armpits.
I know many would say "Euk" and bin them,but I really like them and they'll be fine minus the pong.
Any tips to deodorize them?
TIA.

[BirdFromDaNorf]

God I love Mumsnet. I am literally going to go to my bin and the vest and top out that I love SO MUCH and have reluctantly binned tonight as I've washed them (fab cond, and non bio in our house) and they stayed smelly.

I LOVE YOU ALL.

[BerylStreep]

I bought some of the Halo wash that was recommended. I soaked clothes in it before washing, and I have to report that both today and yesterday my work clothes were completely fragrant ... all day.

Thumbs up for Halo Sports Wash. Great recommendation!

[BerylStreep]

I get this too - strangely, only on my work clothes - I blame the stress and boiling hot offices.

Anyhow, I have been using vinegar on my black dresses for ages now, thanks to another MN thread, and it definitely doesn't bleach them. It works a bit for me, but by the end of a shortish day in work, they still start to whiff a bit.

Will perhaps try bicarb or napisan for a bit, and rotate them. Does napisan bleach dark fabric?

[countessbabycham]

It really works Mole doesn't it!!!!!!!

Thanks to the people who suggested it

[Molehillmountain]

Okay, bit sad I know, but had to come back to update! Smelly armpits gone! Hooray! Will be dousing a couple of other tops with vinegar very soon! Thanks

[Molehillmountain]

Well-have to admit defeat and go to bed before the top out of the washing machine. But something to leap out of bed for tomorrow

[carrotsandcelery]

Mole I am so glad it is not just me then

[countessbabycham]

[Molehillmountain]

Me-I get out so rarely (not because of smelly pitted tops I hasten to add) that I am fairly quivering at the excitement. Especially since its twenty four hours since I watched "call the midwife" and the same plus an hour til "one born every minute"

[countessbabycham]

...X post.I put the neat vinegar on the tops then soaked in water for about quarter hour. I'm still not sure if it would cause any bleaching in anything,even though it didn't for me,so I'd urge caution. (however to be honest a smell of strong BO pretty much renders a top unwearable so I see it as kind of "do or die"!)

[ivykaty44]

the white vinegar works as it is an acid and kills the bacteria - whereas the washing powder doesn't kill the bacteria it just washes when added to water.

[countessbabycham]

Hope it works for you Molehill!!

I was actually quite excited about getting tops dry so I could iron them and stand there sniffing the armpits.

I clearly don't get out enough

[Molehillmountain]

Sorry if I missed this-but how long to soak in vinegar?

[Molehillmountain]

My most serious offender is currently in the basin with neat vinegar on the armpits. Have no dettol yet but will attack with that next time. No more fabric softener for us!

[countessbabycham]

Well the suggestions I was able to get most readily were white vinegar and dettol disinfectant liquid so I've gone with those.

carrotsandcelery I actually put neat white vinegar on the armpits,then filled the basin with cold water and bunged them in to soak for a short while.I then washed with Persil bio (only a 40 wash as this was the maximum I could) and put dettol disinfectant liquid in the fabric conditioner compartment instead of fabric conditioner. This is all working on the basis (I think) that the vinegar neutralises the smell and the dettol kills the bacteria. I then hung them on the washing line for a blow (despite the drizzle).

The result has been that I have seen no colour loss in the items I washed (one black and one purple) - although if worried I would do a patch test.The purple top has no odour at all now when I ironed it.The black top (by far the whiffiest!) has a slight odour still,but massively reduced,and I reckon it will go with another treatment.

I have also decided that fabric conditioner is the work of the devil.I stopped using it because on low temp washes a film is left and bacteria then sticks to it and stinks (same goes for liquid detergents on low temps).I spent a long time trying to sort out a seriously smelly machine before I found out this was the cause.
I was then lured back in by the divine smell of Lenor Infusions Gold Orchid.But having now learnt that fabric conditioner traps smells in,I reckon I've stopped that habit for good, in favour of Dettol or possibly Zoflora.

I still think I'm going to get some Napisan for my white loads too....

[carrotsandcelery]

I am back on the vinegar questions. Can anyone tell me how much I should put in a wash - it is a black wash in the machine with dh's running gear but other black clothes as well? Or should I just soak his gym gear in a bucket and then wash it normally? And if I soak in a bucket how much vinegar do I put in? ?????

[multipoodles]

Bicarb and white vinegar can be bought in bulk in Asian supermarkets, usually very cheaply!

Just a thought, might be mad but what about freezing the garment to kill the bacteria, as washing it in hot water will be cooking the bacteria into the fabric! Maybe for a few days :)

[carrotsandcelery]

The link is really helpful RatDesPaquerettes - thank you.

I am not sure if there is a Chinese or Indian supermarket nearby (North of Scotland) but there surely must be. I will research

[RatDesPaquerettes]

carrotsandcelery again, on Moneysavingexpert, they recommend Indian and Chinese supermarkets to get larger quantities of white vinegar.

[RatDesPaquerettes]

carrotsandcelery you can get 5L bottles of white vinegar here.

I often go to France and get some at the supermarkets there (very cheap over there!)

[LittlebearH]

White vinegar then wash. White vinegar is the best thing ever.

[Salamanger]

I have this problem and the only thing that has worked is ariel hygiene wash. Sounds like halo wash is something similar.

[countessbabycham]

Has anyone used white vinegar on a black item?
Does it fade it any?

orangina do you think you could spot sponge clean the lining with one of these suggestions?I have to admit to sometimes taking a chance with dry clean only stuff and washing it - I look at it and decide whether I'll get away with it.I'm not saying you should do this,but if all else fails and you reckon you might get away with it,it could be a last ditch effort,before its binned.