Have you ever encountered clothes so smelly you considered just throwing them out because they continued to smell even after washing?
My daughter has been really great about helping out with laundry by hanging delicates, folding, and putting everything away. It’s a job she tends to enjoy, which is an extra bonus. However, something went terribly wrong with a load of my yoga clothes. I think she put them away while still a little damp. As soon as I started to sweat, which is soon and often since I teach yoga in a heated room, the clothes started to reek. Badly. I bought some special detergent for workout gear. My clothes still had an awful stench, which is a deal breaker. I don’t want my students to cringe in disgust when I come by to offer them an assist.
My husband has a desk job so I usually don’t have an issue with his uniforms. But, my milspouse friends often complain about the condition of clothes that come back from the field, particularly when we were stationed at Fort Irwin out in the Mojave Desert.
When I started researching the issue, I found articles suggesting all kinds of remedies for stinky laundry. I just wanted something easy so I was leaning toward just adding some distilled white vinegar in with my workout clothes. To confirm, I posted my predicament over in the InDependent | Fitness community. The resounding answer from the community was vinegar.
And…everyone was right. Adding a cup of distilled white vinegar in with the wash cycle took the smell out of clothes that had a lingering stench. I was delighted when my clothes did not start stinking as soon as I started sweating. And, they didn’t smell like vinegar either. After doing some research, I found that vinegar can help your laundry in more ways than just reducing smell.
Who knew that such a common, inexpensive, household item could salvage my expensive work gear?
What is your favorite way to use distilled white vinegar around the house?
