Heidi Norton
Getting rid of a stale perfume smell from clothes can be challenging, especially if it's a strong, concentrated fragrance. The good news is that there are several effective methods to eliminate or significantly reduce the scent. The key is to act fast and use natural deodorizers like baking soda, white vinegar, lemon juice, or even vodka to neutralize and remove the odour. Soaking or spraying the affected clothing items with these solutions and then washing them as usual can help eliminate the perfume residue. For particularly stubborn smells, repeating the process or using laundry detergents with boosters like baking soda or oxygen bleach may be necessary.
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Soak in a vinegar solution
Soaking your clothes in a vinegar solution is an effective way to remove stale perfume smells. To do this, fill a sink or washing machine with warm water and add a cup of distilled white vinegar. Submerge the clothes completely in the solution and let them soak for at least an hour.
The vinegar will help cut through the perfume residue in the fibres of your clothing. After soaking, wash the clothing as usual, following the care label guidelines. You can also add a quarter of a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle and let the laundry soak for an hour before completing the cycle.
For an even more intensive vinegar soak, fill a bucket with warm water and add a few drops of liquid soap and a cup of vinegar. Swish the clothes around in the solution and let them soak for an hour before rinsing and washing as normal.
If you don't want to soak your clothes in vinegar, you can also try spraying them with a mixture of vinegar and water. Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spritz the solution onto the affected areas of your clothing. Leave the clothing for 20 minutes, then rinse or wash the fabric.
Vinegar is an excellent natural cleaner that can help eliminate unpleasant smells. It's a simple and effective way to remove perfume odours from your clothing without the need for harsh chemicals.
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Baking soda
One popular method is to create a baking soda soak. Fill a sink or washing machine with warm water and add one cup of baking soda. Submerge the smelly garment completely and let it soak overnight. The next day, wash the clothing as usual with unscented laundry detergent. For particularly stubborn smells, repeat the cycle of airing, soaking, washing, and drying.
For delicate fabrics such as silk or lace, hand washing or using a gentle cycle on the washing machine is recommended to avoid damaging the fabric fibres. Baking soda can be added directly to the wash cycle for these fabrics, along with a small amount of vinegar, which helps cut through perfume residue.
If you don't have time for a full wash, a quicker alternative is to sprinkle baking soda directly on the fabric. Place the garment in a sealed plastic bag or container with the baking soda and shake the bag to coat the fabric. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, then remove the garment and shake off the excess baking soda. This method is especially useful if you don't have time to wash the clothes before storing them.
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Vodka spray
To use the vodka spray method, pour some vodka into a spray bottle. Then, spritz the vodka directly onto the areas of the fabric with a heavy perfume odour. You can also spray the entire garment if you wish to remove the smell from the whole item of clothing. As the vodka evaporates, it will remove the ugly odours from the fabric.
The vodka spray method is especially useful for vintage garments. It is also a good alternative to dry cleaning, which is not as effective at removing odours.
You can also use rubbing alcohol as an alternative to vodka. However, unlike vodka, rubbing alcohol has a strong odour.
If the vodka spray method does not eliminate the perfume smell completely, you can repeat the process as many times as necessary.
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Lemon juice
To use lemon juice to eliminate the stale perfume smell from your clothes, create a 1:1 mixture of lemon juice and water in a spray bottle. Shake the bottle well to mix the solution thoroughly. Before spraying the solution onto the clothes, make sure to test it on an inconspicuous area of the garment to ensure that the lemon juice does not cause any discoloration. If the fabric passes the test, flip the clothes inside out and spray the solution liberally onto the affected areas.
Use a soft-bristled brush to gently scrub the areas where the perfume smell is concentrated. Hang the garment in direct sunlight for a few hours to dry. The combination of lemon juice and sunlight will effectively eliminate the perfume smell. After drying, check if the smell is gone. If the garment still smells like perfume, try applying more lemon juice and repeating the process.
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Airing and sunlight
To start, hang your clothes in a well-ventilated area, preferably outdoors. If you cannot hang them outside, hang them indoors by an open window in a breezy, warm, and sunlit room. You can also use a fan to create a breeze.
Next, leave the clothes as they are for at least a full day. If possible, rotate the garment occasionally to ensure even exposure to air and sunlight on all sides. The sun's UV rays will accelerate the breakdown and neutralization of the perfume's odour-causing compounds.
However, be cautious with delicate or dark-coloured fabrics, as sunlight can cause fading. If you must hang dark-coloured garments in the sun, do so for no more than two to three hours.
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Frequently asked questions
Airing out your clothes is an easy and cost-free method to remove stale perfume odours. Hang them outside or in a well-ventilated indoor area, preferably near an open window. For a quicker fix, you can also try lightly misting the affected areas with plain, unflavoured vodka.
Fresh air and sunlight help to naturally dissipate strong odours.
Baking soda is a great natural deodoriser for removing tough odours. Sprinkle a generous amount onto your clothes, let it sit for at least 30 minutes or overnight, then shake it off and wash your clothes as usual. You can also add half a cup of baking soda to your washing machine during the wash cycle.
Yes, white vinegar is another excellent natural deodoriser. Soak your clothes in a solution of vinegar and water for about 30 minutes to an hour, then rinse thoroughly with cold water and wash as usual. The vinegar smell will disappear as your clothes dry.
You can try using other household items such as lemon juice, essential oils, coffee grounds, or even vodka. Lemon juice can be mixed with water and applied to affected areas, then rinsed or laundered as usual. Essential oils can be mixed with vinegar to create a deodorising spray. Coffee grounds can be placed in an airtight container with your clothes and left for 24 hours to absorb odours. Vodka can be sprayed directly onto affected areas to neutralise odours.
