Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Husband’s tops smell worse after washing

32 replies

Vintagefloof · 05/08/2023 22:37

Hello everyone,

I’m hoping that someone here might be able to give advice as I’m not sure how I would even construct a Google search for this!

Every time I do laundry and hang it up indoors (we have no outdoor space - London flat!) the room stinks of sweat afterwards. Today we figured out that it is my husband’s t-shirts which are causing the sweaty smell. I wash them together with some of my clothes, but my clothes don’t smell after washing, while his do. The smell is like his body odour when it’s really bad, but he doesn’t often get much body odour, so I’m not sure why it would be so strong after washing. His t-shirts also don’t smell this way after wearing but before washing - it’s like washing them brings it out.

I obviously can’t just not wash them, so does anyone have any recommendations of what to do?

Let me know if you have any questions or if there’s anything I need to clarify! Thank you for reading and thanks in advance for any suggestions!

OP posts:

Margoliciously · 05/08/2023 22:38

Use a sports wash pre wash when you wash his clothes. It gets rid of the bacteria that are creating the sweaty smell

Iwaskitty · 05/08/2023 22:39

What are you using? I used to have this problem, but in the end I washes them at 60° with a biological detergent and it helped.

(Then I divorced him, which solved the problem entirely but that's a bit drastic)

gluenotsoup · 05/08/2023 22:40

Hot wash, bio powder and laundry disinfectant

ValerieDoonican · 05/08/2023 22:41

Do you use conditioner? The smell in sweat is in an oil, I'm wondering if it is somehow being dissolved and dispersed by the conditioner? Or by the scent in the product (which I think may also be oil-based?)

To be honest I don't really know what I'm talking about - But maybe worth a try stopping using conditioner - and as a bonus the laundry might dry faster!

An intriguing question, I must say!

thecatinthetwat · 05/08/2023 22:43

Haha, do the divorce thing. No, I would suggest spraying them after washing with vinegar and water 1:1

Flossiemoss · 05/08/2023 22:43

Are you using enough washing powder? a full 9kg drum will need more detergent than a 7kg drum. Is the washing machine clean?
is it being washed for long enough?

if yes to all the above then this is the reason I like fabric softener. I have 3 sweaty ds.

Singleandproud · 05/08/2023 22:45

It's not uncommon, this issue comes up often on here. DDs shirts are the same and the pongq that is released from the pits on ironing is staggering. Shes allergic to bio detergent so I use Dettol laundry disinfectant. Other suggestions that come up is soak in Milton - fine for shirts as it keeps them white, might not be good on coloured clothing, bicarv and white vinegar in with the wash is another recommendation often made.

FortyFacedFuckers · 05/08/2023 22:51

I use the dettol laundry liquid especially when washing DS football socks as they stink but can't be washed on a high temp as they get ruined,

Original poster

Vintagefloof · 05/08/2023 22:55

Oh thanks so much everyone for the replies, so many already!

I generally use Ariel all-in-one bio pods and Lenor fabric softener, with the wash at 40 degrees for three hours. My washer has a 6kg drum and I run a drum clean after every three washes so I don’t think it’s to do with the drum being dirty.

I was concerned about shrinkage if I wash them higher but I suppose 60 should be fine? All my dresses are wash at 30 so I tend to be somewhat nervous or higher temperatures unless it’s for dish cloths etc.! A pre-wash also sounds like a very good idea and I may do some experiments with vinegar!

OP posts:

ToBeOrNotToBee · 05/08/2023 22:58

Use Halo laundry detergent, gets rid of all smells.

Bringonthesunforthewashing · 05/08/2023 22:59

The best tip I ever read on here was, put a bit of antibacterial hand wash on the pits before washing, but of a rub with a bit of water, leave for 5 minutes and wash as normal.

Honestly really works!!!

Bringonthesunforthewashing · 05/08/2023 22:59

You don’t need to do it ever wash, just now and again

IDontNormallySayThis · 05/08/2023 22:59

Try vinegar instead of fabric softener.

lochmaree · 05/08/2023 23:01

another vote for Halo sports wash.

DreamItDoIt · 05/08/2023 23:04

Perhaps he has an idea or could look up why this is a problem? Dues he do any laundry?

Original poster

Vintagefloof · 05/08/2023 23:07

He doesn’t have any idea why it is either.

I do all of the laundry as I love doing it and he does all of the rest of the housework and cooking.

OP posts:

crazyBadger · 05/08/2023 23:12

3 stinky teenager ..... Highly recommend white vinegar spray on underarms let sit for a bit then wash with detol laundry instead of fabric softener..

If it can remove the stink of teen boy it's strong enough for anything

MySoCalledWife · 05/08/2023 23:12

Are they made of polyester?

Polyester is very hard to get BO out off

Maybe ditch the softener too, it adds a chemical layer and the next time you wash it it does not accepted the soap water so well

Original poster

Vintagefloof · 05/08/2023 23:15

Thank you! I have ordered some Dettol wash and will try the vinegar too!

OP posts:

LadyGaGasPokerFace · 05/08/2023 23:16

Vodka is your friend here. Rub it into the pits of the shirt. Leave for a bit and pop it into the wash. The alcohol kills off the smell/bacteria.

You’re welcome 😉

Original poster

Vintagefloof · 05/08/2023 23:16

His pure cotton shirts are actually the worst.

Consensus seems to be that softener is out and Dettol or Halo is in! Bit sad as I love the smell of my softener…might keep using that on my dresses!

OP posts:

GU24Mum · 05/08/2023 23:36

Ditch the pods and switch back to powder. I put vinegar in with most washes and it does the trick.

gluenotsoup · 05/08/2023 23:44

Proper powder is better than the liquid or capsules, usually cheaper too and doesn’t clog the machines either

BlueSummerBaby · 07/08/2023 14:42

I used to have a similar issue when younger but it was the clothes heating up whilst on my body that produced the smell. Couldn't understand why I had BO when not sweating, until I was ironing and the heat brought it out. The tees were years old so I replaced them and the problem never recurred. I think clothes perhaps have an expiry point and trying to preserve them forever with cooler washes may well work but it causes other issues, like the one I experienced. Now I wash everything on 40°C, if I notice it still smells next time it goes in with the towels at 60°C and if that doesn't fix it it's recycled. I don't worry about whatever the label says, hand wash dry clean low temps etc. If items shrink or fade or get ruined some other way, they get replaced. I came to the concussion nothing lasts forever, not if you want it to smell nice as well as look nice

Theredfoxfliesatmidnight · 07/08/2023 15:09

The environmental message is pushed so strongly these days that people don't know you really do need to wash at high temperatures to get strong odours, like BO, completely out. So to start with you need to wash at 60 degrees, you'll notice a huge difference. You don't have to use the same 3 hour cycle, anything 1.5 hours or thereabouts will be fine.

Secondly is he wearing polyester - polyester is famed for holding onto sweat smells. Natural fibres are better. Also do his clothes fit correctly, or are they too small or tight fitting? Ideally you don't want anything clingy under the arms.

And last of all wash after every wear (at 60) even if on an immediate sniff, they don't need it.

Flip

1 2