1. Fresh Air: Airing Out Clothing

The simplest way to remove odours from clothing is to give garments a thorough airing. Ideally, hang them outside – for example, overnight on a balcony or in the garden. Fresh air can work wonders: cigarette smoke or light perspiration odours often disappear this way. Wind and oxygen help to release the odour molecules from the fibres. Make sure not to air clothes in enclosed rooms, but truly outdoors. If that is not possible, an open window and a hanger can be used as an alternative. Especially after wearing an item only once, airing is often sufficient to restore freshness.

Extra tip: Hang your clothes outside in cold, dry weather. Winter frost has the added benefit of killing bacteria. A few hours in freezing temperatures can, for instance, remove odours from a pair of trousers or a jacket. Important: bring them back into the warmth afterwards and let them thaw and dry completely before placing them back into the wardrobe.

3. Vinegar as an Odour Neutraliser

Household vinegar is a true all-rounder and works brilliantly for removing sweat and other unpleasant smells from textiles. Vinegar has antibacterial properties and neutralises odour molecules. Don’t worry – it won’t leave behind a lasting vinegar smell, as this evaporates during rinsing and drying.

To remove odours from your clothing, proceed as follows: Fill a bowl or the sink with lukewarm water and add a cup of vinegar. Place the smelly garment inside and leave it to soak for about one to two hours. Afterwards, wash it as usual in the washing machine. Stubborn sweat odours, for example, can be effectively eliminated this way.

You can also add vinegar directly to the washing machine: simply pour half a cup of white vinegar into the fabric softener compartment and run a normal wash cycle (without additional softener). This neutralises unpleasant smells in the laundry. Rest assured – your clothes will not smell of vinegar afterwards, but instead feel fresh and neutral.

Extra Tip: Use vinegar water to clean the inside of your wardrobe or chest of drawers at the same time. Damp wood or older furniture can trap odours and transfer them to clothing. Wiping down your wardrobe with a vinegar solution allows it to dry quickly while neutralising musty smells. That way, freshly laundered clothes stay genuinely fresh in the cupboard.

5. Citric Acid for a Fresh Scent

Much like vinegar, citric acid works effectively against odours in clothing – but it leaves behind a pleasantly fresh lemon fragrance. Available as a powder in chemists or pharmacies, citric acid is particularly suitable for light or white laundry. Note: It may have a bleaching effect on dark textiles, so better use vinegar for those instead.

For the citric acid method, dissolve about 3–4 teaspoons of citric acid powder per litre of hot water. Stir until fully dissolved. Place the garment (for example, dull white blouses or T-shirts with sweat odour) into the solution and leave it to soak for around one hour. The citric acid kills bacteria and effectively removes sweat smells. Afterwards, rinse the garment thoroughly or wash it in the machine. Light fabrics will come out fresh and odour-free.

Tip: You can also occasionally add citric acid to the wash instead of fabric softener (one to two tablespoons). It softens white laundry, neutralises odours and even prevents limescale build-up in the washing machine – a true all-round effect.

7. Washing Properly – with the Right Detergent and Temperature

Last but not least, proper washing plays an important role in getting rid of odours in clothing. Often, smells linger simply because the laundry has not been washed optimally.

These tips for the washing process can help:

• The right detergent: Use a good-quality detergent, or a specialist detergent for sportswear if you are dealing with strong sweat odours. Enzyme-based detergents help break down organic odour sources such as perspiration. Follow the dosage instructions on the packaging carefully. Using too much or too little detergent may leave your clothes less clean and even cause residue that produces odours.

• Correct temperatures: Wash non-delicate, strongly smelling items at higher temperatures (60 °C, provided the care label allows). Bacteria are killed off at around 60 °C. Towels, bedding, and white or light cotton T-shirts can often be washed hotter, ensuring odours disappear safely. For delicate garments, always follow the label instructions and wash at lower temperatures. Pre-treat them with vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, or citric acid, as described above.

• Maintain your washing machine: Sometimes the culprit isn’t the clothing, but the machine itself. Clean your washing machine regularly, as build-up in the drum and hoses can start to smell. Run an empty cycle every few months at 90 °C with a little vinegar or a special machine cleaner to kill off germs. Always leave the door and detergent drawer open after use so the interior dries out. This prevents mould and musty odours transferring onto your laundry.

• Dry clothes properly: Remove damp laundry from the machine straight away and hang it to dry. Do not leave wet items sitting around, as this quickly leads to a musty smell. Make sure garments are completely dry before putting them away in the wardrobe. Even slightly damp clothing can start to smell or develop mildew in a closed space.

9. When Is Professional Help Worthwhile?

In some cases, even the best home remedies and tips may not be enough. For example, with a delicate suit or a jacket that smells strongly of smoke or other odours but cannot be washed. In such situations, it is worth turning to the professionals. A dry cleaner has specialised methods for removing odours without damaging the fabric. Similarly, chemists and supermarkets offer odour removers or hygiene rinses that can be added to the wash cycle. These products usually contain antibacterial agents that kill bacteria, as well as enzymes that break down odour molecules. Such products can be a helpful solution for stubborn smells, but they should be used sparingly and always according to the instructions.