How to Remove musty smell on clothes

Try dry cleaning solvents. If you want to get rid of the musty smell on your jacket or the item is only dry cleaned, then soaking in water is not possible. Dry cleaning solvents can clean the surface of the item without wetting all layers of the fabric, so there is less chance of damage. You can find a section that sells dry cleaning products that says “no-rinse wash.” (dry cleaning). It is a concentrated solution in a bottle similar to water soap.

• Usually, you need to mix a capful of dry cleaning solvent with several liters of water. Pour into spray bottle.
• Spray on the musty-smelling item so that the entire item becomes slightly damp.
• Hang the item in the sun and wind to dry. Once it dries, the musty smell will disappear. If there is still a musty smell, repeat the process above.
• Note that this method requires moistening the item, so it’s not suitable for items that won’t get wet like leather or suede.

Use baking soda. Instead of washing clothes with baking soda, you can use dry baking soda on fabrics that can’t be wet cleaned. Baking soda will absorb the musty smell. You can repeat this process more than once for best results.

• Place the item to be deodorized on a clean flat surface. Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda all over the dish. Flip the back side and do the same. If you don’t want to sprinkle baking soda on the item, try putting it in a plastic bag with an open box of baking soda in it.
• Leave it like that overnight.
• Take out and shake vigorously. Use a soft brush to brush off the baking soda.
• Let it dry outside all day.

Try spraying some vodka on something that smells musty. If you don’t want to spend money on special cleaners, you can use cheaper vodka. Pour vodka into a spray bottle. Spray all over the item, making sure not to miss any spots. Hang out in the sun to dry. This will help eliminate or reduce the musty smell.

Offer a dry cleaning service. If home remedies don’t work, you may need to take it to a dry cleaner. There they will use strong chemicals to deodorize, and in most cases they can effectively remove the musty smell. If you don’t want your clothes coated with chemicals, look for a “green” dry cleaner, where they use liquid carbon dioxide to clean clothes. ^[1]

Put the clothes in boiling water. If the item has a very strong musty smell that you don’t want to throw away, you can try putting it in boiling water to kill the mold spores and get rid of the musty smell. This method should only be used on items such as towels, bed linen, and cotton fabrics that can withstand boiling water. Thin fabrics can fall apart if immersed in boiling water. The treatment is as follows:

• Boil a large pot of water. You need to boil enough water to immerse the moldy item.
• Place the item in another large pot. Pour boiling water over the item, making sure it is completely wet.
• Leave on for 5 minutes.
• Squeeze out the water. If it’s still too hot, you can wear rubber gloves.
• Wash the item in the washing machine as usual. Dry in the sun.

Use bleach. Bleach is an effective mold killer. It can remove mold and musty odors from washable items such as towels, linens and socks. Be sure to check the product label before bleaching. If you see the words “Do Not Bleach,” (do not erase), you must use another method. When working with bleach, you need to do it in a well-ventilated area and protect your hands by wearing gloves. Here’s how to bleach clothes:

• Mix half a cup of bleach with 4 liters of water in a large bucket.
• Put clothes that have a musty smell in the bleach solution.
• Wash the clothes in the washing machine as usual. Sundried.