Help! Lovely charity shop dress stinks of B.O. and won't wash out!

[alltoomuchrightnow]

Got stunning dress, it looks completely new.
Got it home..this is not the case. The pits stink of BO. It says to wash it cold with detergent. I didn't have time to faff so machine washed it on 30, cold. Still smelt. Re machine washed on 30 delicates (warm). Still smells , of BO and fabric conditioner. The offending areas are stretchy polyester (lycra type). It also has mesh black panel.
What breaks down sweat in fabric but is still kind to fabric?

Here is a tip. But you have just learned why polyester dresses are generally a bad idea.

Could you sprinkle the areas with bicarb and leave for a few hours? I would give that a go. Other than that, I would be giving it back to the charity shop.

Dry cleaner?

White vinegar sprayed on the underarms. Leave for half an hour then wash.

I had a polyester dress. I use deodorant and shower every day. I never have BO, but there is something about polyester and BO.
I used to machine was the dress at 40, scrub the underarm area with undiluted liquid bio detergent, but as soon as I wore it again and got warm it would stink of BO.

I chucked it out - but not to a charity shop.

I don't think you will get rid of the smell.

Ohhh, just read the handy hints, maybe it will go.

Febreeze

Pax exactly the same for me, and I am not a sweaty person. Polyester is plastic basically and tightly fitted sleeves + synthetics = BO

Are you using a non bio powder? If so, stop and switch to a bio one. Found that some ingrained smells only responded to the full might of enzymes.

Bio powder. Also try Napisan on the pits - wet them and scrub it in (as much as you are able without damaging the fabric)

Depending on the colour, I'd be very wary of both vinegar and bicarb as they could affect it.

oh yes, remember to wash the Napisan out again after an hour or so!

I put neat biological wash liquid on the pits before washing

Some Zoflora in the rinse can help.

Or I believe there is special washing liquid for sports kit - that must get rid of BO smells.

Halo sports wash (from Amazon and possibly Sainsburys) - don't know about BO and polyester but it does a great job on damp smells and DP's sports kit.

Napisan works on a 30 wash. We use it on sports tops every so often when they still smell whiffy after a wash.

I was going to suggest halo too. DHs running stuff gets washed with it now and then as otherwise it really smells...

The thing is, even if you get it out, the chances are once you are wearing it, you might well find the same thing happens to you. And, there's the whole thing about the smell appearing to be out, and then those pesky molecules re-emerging once warm...

Why do you think it ended up in the charity shop..?

Have you tried washing at 60? I have to do that with DP's stinky tshirts.

Halo sports wash from sainsburys works on everything to remove a whiff.

Soak inwhite vinegar and water solution.
Then make a paste of biological washing powder,apply to pits,and wash as hot as you dare.

Another vote for vinegar

I use Dettol laundry sanitizer on my son's stinking gym kit and it works, costs about three pounds.

Alcohol works. I had a jacket from a charity shop with the same problem. I poured neat vodka on the arm pits. Also dry outside so can get a good airing.

Soaking pre-wash with the anti-bacterial Vanish Oxy Action 9not the regular one, the one with the green top). Has destunk several tops for me.

Suspect it's probably similar to the sports wash someone mentioned upthread.

I soak things this happens to in the bath, with lukewarm water and a generous slosh of Dettol or own-brand equivalent (normal dettol, not the special laundry sanitiser one).

Give that an hour then machine wash as normal. Does it every time for me, you might need to wash it twice to get the smell of Dettolout though.