8 Easy Hacks to Remove Underarm Odor from Clothes (Without Washing)

Author: Joy Adi

Are you tired of coming back home every evening & wondering “Gosh how in the world do I smell like that?”

It doesn’t matter whether you sweat a little or a lot, underarm sweating is nothing but a nuisance. You are not alone; it is something all of us face regularly.

However, worry not! The 8 Actionable Hacks mentioned in this post will make life easier for you as you will know exactly how to remove underarm odor from your clothes without the need of any washing!

So, let’s dive right in…

hacks to remove body odor

Hack #1

Hang Your Clothes Out in the Open

There is no substitute for depending upon Mother Nature to remove unpleasant odors from your clothes. 

The sweat produced in our body is quite protein-rich. This becomes a breeding ground of bacterial growth which breaks down the sweat into acid & produces a foul smell. 

Hence instead of dumping up the smelly clothes in the corner of a room, you should always give them a proper shake & hang them out so that they can get enough exposure to the air. This limits bacterial growth from escalating. 

clothes on washing line

The scorching UV rays of the sun are effective in limiting the growth and in killing the bacteria to a wide extent. The gentle breeze will further boost the process and within a few hours freshen up the dress.

Note:

  1. In case you don’t have access to a balcony, rooftop, or garden, hang the dress near an open window for a few hours.
  2. If you came back home late in the night and have to wear the same dress tomorrow, you won’t get access to much sunlight. In such instances hanging them outside in the cool nighttime breeze overnight can also serve the same purpose. 

Hack #2

Spray Vinegar with Essential Oil onto your Clothes

hacks to remove body odor from clothes

Vinegar is effective in getting rid of foul smells, especially if the spray is focused upon a particular area, as in this case. 

Action Steps:
  • Take a little bit of distilled white vinegar in a bottle.
  • Add 5 to 7 drops of essential oil of your own choice.
  • Now shake the bottle up for a few seconds.
  • Spray onto the spots below the arms where the odor is particularly acute.

Even though the role of Vinegar as a disinfectant is limited, it is an effective cleanser & can even remove certain types of the pathogen which causes the foul smell in the first place.

Note: Using the essential oil is not a must but it helps in reducing the strong scent of the vinegar.


Hack #3 

Spray Vodka onto the Affected Areas 

Alcohol is one of the most effective ways to kill bacteria. Alcohol evaporates and it will kill the odor-causing microbes while tackling the foul smell along with it. 

Action Steps:
  • Just buy some cheap vodka and put 2 cups of it in a spray bottle.
  • Add ½ cup water to it.
  • Shake the bottle properly.
  • Apply it to the affected areas. 

Note: There is no point in using costly vodkas for this purpose. A cheap one will serve the job just fine.


Hack #4

Use Old Newspapers to Absorb the Odor 

Newspapers can absorb stuff as well as paper towels or tissues. So why not use them to absorb the odor from the clothes?

Action Steps:
  • Take few pages of old newspapers & ball them up.
  • Next insert them into the sleeves and put them in the underarm region of the shirts.
  • Leave them undisturbed for the night or at least for 4 to 5 hours. 

As newspapers are porous, they can absorb the majority of the sweat & odor from the clothes. You can get rid of the balls of newspaper later on or can even use them for cleaning window glasses or shelves!

Note: You can put the paper balls inside the clothes and button the shirt sleeves up so that the balls don’t disperse and then hang them on the balcony. In this way, the balls will effectively absorb the odor and the cool breeze will lend an extra hand in the process.


Hack #5

Use the Magic of Baking Soda Powder 

baking powder to clean

Baking Soda is kind of like the 'Jack of all trades'. It has a wide range of applications and is used in cooking, for quick home remedies against burns, as well as being an effective cleaner. 

Baking soda has a special reputation for removing foul smells from things. It’s popularly used to get rid of the fishy smell from the hands after cooking. 

You can use it to get rid of the smelly odor from your dresses.

Action Steps:
  • Sprinkle the baking soda in the areas of the dress which are giving off a strong smell particularly in the underarm and neck areas.
  • Spread it out evenly.
  • Leave it as it is for a few hours at least. Then shake the powder off.

The chemical composition of Baking soda makes it suitable as an absorbent. It acts as a pH neutralizer and can neutralize the acidic components in the dress which is the main culprit behind the unpleasant odor.


Hack #6

Put the Clothes in the Dryer

Exposing your clothes to a high temperature for 15 to 20 minutes is one of the best ways to kill the odor-causing microbes.

Action Steps:
  • Put your clothes in the dryer even though they are completely dry.
  • Turn the heat setting to “High Heat” so that the microbes will be exposed to extreme temperatures.
  • Keep the dryer on for about 15 minutes to 20 minutes. 

As per Insider.com, the majority of the harmful microbes are killed in the dryer as opposed to the washing machine.

Exposing the clothes to a high heat setting for 10 to 15 minutes is enough to get rid of the bacteria and the foul smell.

Note: Make sure your dress is dryer friendly. Otherwise, the heat can affect the fabric quality. 


Hack #7

Use Coffee Grounds for Odor Removal

Coffee grounds have been used for years to get rid of a wide variety of odors indoors, ranging from the smell of rotten eggs to stinky shoe smells.

So, what enables coffee grounds to be such a great cleanser of unpleasant smells?

As per research by The City College of New York (CCNY), 

"Caffeine, the stimulant that gives coffee its energy jolt, contains nitrogen. This element cranks up carbon's ability to clean sulfur from the air, a process called adsorption". 

They also found out that materials made from the coffee grounds can absorb hydrogen sulfide gas which produces an awful smell in the sewers!

Hence if you are struggling with removing foul smell from your clothes, you should give coffee grounds a try.

Action Steps:
  • Take a small bowl and fill it up with unused coffee grounds.
  • Take your dress, fold it up in a way that will keep the areas with the odor towards the coffee grounds of the bowl.
  • Leave it like this for a few hours or if possible, for the whole night.

Side Notes:

  1. Make sure the clothes don’t come in direct contact with the coffee grounds as that can leave stains.
  2. Only use unused dry coffee grounds for this purpose. Damp coffee grounds are much more prone to leave stains if you are not careful. 

Coffee grounds, apart from being effective in removing foul smells, are also quite cheap. And the best thing is you can use it for dual purposes, for having a drink as well as for cleansing the home from odors. 

  • You can use whatever brand of coffee you want for this purpose.
  • So, you can keep a separate stock of quality coffee grounds for having a drink and another stock of cheaper coffee grounds to remove odor.

Hack #8

Apply Odor Killing Deodorants 

If you don’t want to go through any kind of hassle you can buy an odor-killing deodorant like Febreze. It will deal with the foul smell of your underarms and will make your dress smell fresh instantly. 

This is an ideal solution for getting rid of foul smell from the underarm areas of your clothes when you are in a hurry and need a quick solution.

But you need to keep in mind that it’s not a natural product unlike the other hacks mentioned in this post. It is safe to use on most fabrics, yet you should avoid using it on clothes made of silk, leather, or on fabrics that are prone to water spots. 

Consider Making Your Own Natural Deodorant

If you have the time, you can consider making your very own natural odor killing deodorant:

Materials Needed

  • Coconut oil 
  • Baking Soda
  • Arrowroot
  • Essential Oils of your choice

Instructions to make your Home Deodorant

  • Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil to a bowl.
  • Next, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of baking soda to it.
  • After this, you should add 1 tablespoon of arrowroot powder.
  • Lastly, add 10 to 15 drops of the essential oil of your choice.

You can always experiment with the quantity of these components and try to find your perfect recipe. Put it in a spray bottle and shake it thoroughly before use. Next, add it to the sweaty underarm areas for the best results.

YouTube Video to add with this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z7-Oa7vArE


To Sum Up

No matter how big of a headache underarm sweating feels like, if you follow these tips, you can easily sort them out! 

You should try to use many of these hacks to find the one that suits you. 

For better results, you can always combine one hack with another. For example, you can apply vodka and let the dress hang on the balcony so that the cool breeze can also freshen it up.

So, which one of these 8 tips you going to try to remove Underarm Odor from your clothes?

Let me know in the comments below!


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