Getting Rid of That Mildew Smell

Updated on September 29, 2007
L.H. asks from San Antonio, TX
21 answers

Hi,
I bought my 2.5 year old son one of those SPF50 swim shirts at the start of the summer. Somewhere along the way it picked up that yucky mildew smell. I've tried washing it (several times) both with Tide and without Tide and I can't shake that smell. I don't think I am allowed to use bleach (1. it is a lime green shirt and 2. I think it says don't bleach on the care label). Is there some way to get rid of that smell? It would be nice to be able to pass the shirt along to my daughter when she gets older.

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So What Happened?

I soaked the shirt in vinegar and water for a couple of hours (probably a little overkill there) and then washed it. I don't smell the mildew anymore. However, he hasn't worn it yet to go swimming. Maybe we will get a nice hot day and he can play in the sprinkler one last time.

Thanks!

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M.A.

answers from San Antonio on

What I do and works perfectly is put it in a big pot with a dash of comfort, Cover it with water and boil it... then wash it regularly

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S.S.

answers from Wichita Falls on

Soak it in diluted (1:1 with water) white vinegar for 30 - 45 minutes, then wash it again. Rinse twice.

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T.S.

answers from Killeen on

As with many others, I recommend using vinegar. You can also soak the shirt with some baking soda first, then add vinegar to the washer & then wash. The vinegar will neutralize the baking soda & help with the smell as well.
I think you should be able to save it.
Let us know how everything turns out.

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S.O.

answers from College Station on

L.,

I have had that same problem with my husbands work shirts. If you put it in the washer with your detergent and also add some vineger (regular white destilled) and was it it comes out smelling the same as you bought it. If it comes out smelling like vineger just wash it again with out detergent with plain water and the smell will go away. Hope this helps.

S.

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J.G.

answers from Phoenix on

Hi L.. I would recommed Oxy Clean. It is the best product out there. It will take the smell out and it will not change the color of the shirt. I use this stuff faithfully! I actually put it in almost every load of laundry that I do. It always takes the funky smell out of the laundry when I forget to change the load from one day to the next and that same mildew odor comes. Anyway hope this helps! Have a great day!
J.

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B.W.

answers from Beaumont on

Have you tried using plain white vinegar in the wash? I use it on my bath towels sometimes when they sit in the dirty laundry too long.

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T.F.

answers from San Antonio on

You could try to wash it in vinegar water. Let it soak in it first and then wash it. I've heard that works with alot of smells in clothes.

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S.S.

answers from San Antonio on

Try soaking in some baking soda & water. Then wash.

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A.S.

answers from Austin on

Hi,

I have 3 kids and 4 cats. I found this stuff called "Odoban" at Sam's that I use a lot. You can put a little in the laundry, use it for cleaning, everything and it gets rid of germs and smells. I know a lady who used it to clean up when her puppy had accidents and it worked great.

I hope this helps.

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J.V.

answers from Houston on

Wash it again like you usually would but add about a 1/2 c of vinegar to the water. It works greats!

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J.A.

answers from Amarillo on

How about soaking it in some baking soda and water for a while or spraying it with febreeze?

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C.M.

answers from San Antonio on

Have you tried Clorox for colors? It seems to work for me when I get that ugly smell in my laundry. I use warm water and put in about a cap and a half along with the Tide. Hope that helps you. C. M San Antonio, Tx

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A.J.

answers from Killeen on

i think you can use white vinegar but i'm not sure how much you use, maybe you could look it up on ask jeeves or something?

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A.C.

answers from Amarillo on

using vinegar should do the trick

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A.M.

answers from Killeen on

try washing the shirt in plain ol' white vinegar. you can either pour the vinegar in with the laundry, or just soak the shirt in vinegar in the sink. That should help.

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L.F.

answers from Killeen on

Try some amonia -

I buy a gallon or so and leave it in my lundry because I am famous for washing a load of laundry 10 times before I ever get back to the point of taking it out of the washer and putting it in the dryer - Oh the joys of single motherhood, lol... my time is spent on better things than laundry.....

Just remember not to mix it with bleach, but other wise you can put in every load of laundry you have. Pay attn to the other chemeicals you are mixing it with first.

I normally wash the load once with about two cups of just amonia, then I wash it one more time with one cup and my detergent.

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K.H.

answers from San Antonio on

Maybe try soaking it in OxyClean?

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M.Y.

answers from Austin on

I would go with the 1/2 c to 1 c white vinegar in the load. That has always helped me with smelly clothes (my dh is a contractor and works outside a lot in the summer so I know a thing or two about smelly clothes) It works like a charm!

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S.F.

answers from Austin on

one more thing yo try... there is a product for hunters that is a scent remover, Sport-wash is one name brand but there are several; seems to work wonders on everything that I can't stand to smell (dog bed) that is 'clean'.

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A.W.

answers from San Antonio on

You can add one cup Vinegar to your wash. Vingar can be the miracle non toxic cleaner! As a mama, I love it when I find something that works that doesn't have alot of chemicals in it! Vinegar should take the mildew smell out and then just wash it again with regular detergent if you want that detergent smell in it again!

You can check out these websites if you like: http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/vinegar
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/980618b.cfm

HTH

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C.C.

answers from Austin on

Spray it with Lysol a few times and then rewash it. Lysol is a mildew remover so it should work.

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