8 ways to remove food odors from clothes

Steaming

Steaming can eliminate bacteria that cause unpleasant odors on your clothing. Using a steamer makes it particularly easy to freshen up shirts and lightweight fabrics. Hot steam removes the unpleasant smell of food from your clothes without needing to send them to the dry cleaner or wash them.

Air it out

When the weather is favorable, you can hang smelly clothes outside. Sunlight and fresh air will breathe new life into the fabrics and reduce odors picked up during cooking.

Wash with baking soda

Pre-treating fabrics with baking soda can also help remove food odors from clothing. For washable items, dissolve a cup of baking soda in four cups of hot water. Pour the solution into a bucket or basin of cold water before submerging the garment; let it soak for at least four hours, then wash as usual.

Soak in vinegar

Vinegar is a natural deodorizer that can help remove food smells from clothing. To prepare a vinegar solution for removing food odors, mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a basin or bucket. Submerge the clothes in the vinegar solution and leave them for 30 minutes to an hour. After soaking, remove the clothes and start a regular wash.

Soak with ammonia

Ammonia has similar properties and is recommended to be added to water in a basin or bucket. Clothes with a food smell should be soaked in this solution. Ammonia can also help remove sweat odors. However, regardless of the scent you’re trying to eliminate, always test the solution on a small area first.

Sprinkle with baking soda

If items can’t be machine washed, place them in a zip-lock plastic bag with an open box of baking soda. Securely seal the bag and leave the items inside for a few days, allowing the baking soda to absorb any unwanted odors.

Place in a bag with coffee

Ground or whole coffee beans can also help remove food odors from clothing, as they absorb aromas just like baking soda. To remove stubborn food smells, place the clothing in a plastic bag with a pouch of coffee beans, then seal the bag tightly. However, this method has its drawbacks - the clothes may have a slight coffee scent afterward.

Use citrus sachets

Lemon and orange peels can not only absorb food odors but also add a light fragrance to your clothes. To make a sachet, place the peels in a light fabric bag, optionally adding aromatic herbs or cinnamon. As with the previous methods, to remove food odors, keep the sachet and the scented clothing together in a tightly sealed bag.