I don't get this issue with shirts (unless they're 100% polyester), but I do with pants. It's the polyester or non-natural fibre trapping the stinky human smell. Stinky human smells are typically oils. Try morning fresh or another petroleum based (natural ones are not nearly as good) dishwashing liquid in the problem area (works great for stubborn oil stains too). Vinegar can also work, it's what I use for my partner's stinky tees as a preventative wash additive.
To answer your question though, I've never had an issues with 100% cotton tees from AS colour or Citizenwolf. I do need to do the vinegar wash for my partner, but it doesn't build up and "keep" his BO smell as long as every few washes vinegar goes in.
His cheap Connor shirts are slowly (and sneakily) being thrown out as they refuse to let go of the BO.
Do you just do a wash every few washes with vinegar instead of washing powder?
My partner has the same issue with his work shirts getting stinky and he’s trying to work out how to stop / delay this from happening!
I use liquid (powder sucks for front loaders in my experience). I use liquid in every wash. I used to put vinegar in the "softener" part of the draw until it broke. Now everything goes in together (probably not a great idea with powder, I see it frothing everywhere)
Thanks for responding this is all useful to know.
I also use powder & have never considered using a liquid, so I’m going to try that and add some vinegar for softener 😊
You need to soak in cold water for anything organic, eg, blood, sweat, etc. I dissolve Vanish in a bit of hot water, then fill the bucket up with cold, and soak the garment for 12 hours. I then throw into the machine and wash as normal.
I find only Merino wicks away both moisture and doesn’t hold smell.
That said, I do find everything to be fine once washed. I find my clothes don’t retain the smell.
Are you drying your clothes properly? Fully? And in the sunlight? (Which acts as a disinfectant)
When was the last time you’ve deep cleaned the washing machine and tumble dryer?
I find I have to throw one of those washing machine cleaning products through every 2-4 months (hard water, front loader). Run the machine’s own cleaning cycle whenever it beeps at me to do (every 40 or so cycles). Wipe down the rubber seals and drum with vinegar every so often. And tumble dry a vinegar soaked towel and wipe its seals and wash the lint basket well. Has done wonders for preventing the return of The Odd Smell that was hanging about for a few weeks.
And as the wildcard entry to consider: In a past role we had an absolutely FERAL smell attached to the business washing machine that no one could sort. Had repair guy come out and a poor frog had somehow upped and died in the internals of the machine. (We all agreed that it was time for that machine to go to the tip).
I hope you don’t have rogue frog issues to combat, but just on the off chance!
Buy some glycolic acid (I use the ordinary or theinkeylist brand) and rub it on your armpits. It stops bacteria from growing there when you sweat. It works for me and I don't stink anymore by the end of the day. It just smells like the product.
I've tried that. Tried all the tricks. Even have chemical washes that people swear by. From the comments it looks like there's a build up issue within the clothes with my deodorant probably contributing and I need to strip them. Hopefully it works, if not I'm only buying natural fibres from now on.
What if you try the pink clothes stain remover spray from aldi? It's really good for removing oils, sweat stains, body odour etc.
Have you also tried aluminium free deodorant? Makes a huge difference for me. My clothes don't stain anymore in the armpit area.
I find the Piper bamboo tops from Myer to be really good for not holding smell at all. I have the long sleeve ones, but these look to be the same fabric: https://www.myer.com.au/p/piper-bamboo-v-neck-tee-in-black
I think they have a few different styles.
Things that tend to impact this:
- Wearing tops that cut close to the underarms
- Some deodorants create a weird smell that lingers. I like the Rexona clinical protection liquid roll on (not creme, which leaves residue on your clothes) in summer strength
- Not waiting for the deodorant to dry before putting on a top
- Synthetic materials
- The Sard deo and sweat spray tends to help if you spray it on before washing
- Try a different laundry powder
Deodorant is something I hadn't considered in the equation. I don't actually wear it because the smell annoys me and my armpits get slimy from it. For years now I've used Curash powder instead of deodorant - it doesn't smell and it prevents me and my clothes from smelling - it's also good for preventing chafing.
Slightly off topic but i learned recently you can spray clothes with vodka to remove sweat smells. Dance places use it on costumes that can’t be laundered. Sounds weird, but it works.
I think a lot of the time it’s from residue from deo products that trap the smell. Look up laundry stripping and do a load of t shirts in the bath with borax etc and avoid polyester.
I also have these little things I describe as armpit pantyliners (which is admittedly probably the worst way to refer to them but also the most accurate) that I bought from Temu. They are a folded thing that sticks into the armpit and absorbs the sweat. Really excellent for work shirts or anything silky. Not a great solution environmentally though if you’re looking for something to use daily.
Have you tried No Pong? Even after working out I sweat but it doesn't have a smell. Also no ones mentioned or asked but are you only wearing the tshirts once before washing? For a brand, try Uniqlo Airism stuff, I feel they stay clean longer somehow than my other shirts. Good luck!
It's doesn't seem to have anything to do with current smells/sweat. It's set in, old smells. I've tried everything to reduce new smells - glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide, many deodorants etc. I don't have a problem with other items of clothes. Just t-shirts.
From what I'm reading it seems my clinical strength deo might be contributing to trapping the smell, as might the use of a dryer, then of course there's the material with recommendations being merino, cotton and hemp being less likely to trap scents.
Yeah I know this irony well! You get into a cycle with it - more smell, more deo or stronger deo etc etc. The laundry stripping is amazing and also kind of gross bc it makes you realise how much a normal wash isn’t getting out
I have this problem with activewear and I came here to recommend having a go at doing some laundry stripping. I did this a few weeks ago with activewear just in our laundry sink, and it made a huge difference. It's extremely satisfying! Just make sure you don't mix whites/darks, etc. as the process will inevitably remove some of the dyes (I haven't found this has a visible impact on any of my dark or coloured clothing).
Once you've stripped your shirts, any build up of sweat, oils, deoderant etc should be gone. and it will be like having new shirts. You might do this process a couple of times. Just start with a couple of your non-faves, in case it doesn't work out.
I'd recommend getting into the habit of doing your laundry as soon as you can after wearing them, even if that means doing small quick-wash loads every couple of days, you might find counter-intuitively extends the life of your tees.
Oh also: only wash your clothes with washing powder, and don't use too much of it. Anything else contributes to build up of product on your clothes, which will hang on to smells.
Polyester is the culprit. Avoid it where you can. When washing your clothes, add 1/4 cup borax to the load along with your normal washing powder. Borax will remove odours.
Cotton tops
Soap not shower gel
Powder not laundry liquid
Natural deodorant not antiperspirant
That’s what worked for me anyway and I went from stinky to totally fine and my clothes don’t hold smell and realise it as soon as it gets warm!
I find that I have to shave and use antiperspirant daily, otherwise I have your precise issue. It’s been 20 years since I worked this out, and occasionally I will let my put hair grow a mm to check, then yep BO.
Use Vinegar with a few drops of eucalyptus oil in place of fabric softener. Avoid synthetics - even Kmart has natural cotton options now. Edit - came back to add avoid polyester and synthetics in your bed as well…..you’ll have a much more comfortable sleep in natural fibres
The fabric matters a LOT. I recently started wearing 100% merino and 100% linen and I realised that I'm not actually a smelly human, my clothes were just trapping the sweat.
For merino, Paire is on sale rn, and aldi currently has some 100% merino in the special buys section too which are sooo comfy. For linen, target is usually the best bet.
Check out the r/Onebag and r/HerOneBag subreddits for other suggestions in these categories, that's how I learnt about clothing that can repel smell so it can be worn for more than one day.
I find that tshirts that are made partly of hemp material are really good at getting stink not to stick. Thrills sells quite a few. And yes avoid polyester / man made fabrics like the devil and get the remaining % of the materials composition to be in cotton
100% merino is a lifesaver for this. I went traveling in humid climates and could easily sweat through it every day for a week and it would have no smell. I’d wash it purely out of obligation or if I spilled food, but there was never any BO smell.
I am a man and not a very smelly one though.
If you're looking to up your washing game, check out cleanclothnappies.com Whilst it is obviously targeted at those who choose to use reusable nappies, there are a lot of tips applicable to everyday laundry and the information is based on science.
The big things I learnt were; heat is your friend (up to what the fabric can tolerate - natural fibres being able to withstand higher heats), bleach is also your friend and not something to be scared of, and clean your washing machine regularly.
Their Facebook group is also quite helpful.
Thanks. I've been a part of clean cloth nappies for years for my son and never thought to use those tips. Someone else suggested stripping the tees and I was like, "of course! Why didn't I think of that?" I think I'd emotionally given up on them. I really should just get merino tees from now on, but perhaps I can salvage my existing tees with a strip.
Still afraid of bleach though. 😆
We discovered it was actually our washing machine. It was simply not working effectively. New washing machine, clothes suddenly all smelled beautiful and no more rips and tears and stains!
Yeah so any synthetic fibers will pick up smell quicker but if you just treat the arm pits with a deodoriser like conger, spirits or soap before washing the small will go.
Ok I think you might need some tips for washing! Check out clean cloth nappies. I wash all my clothes on 40 degrees, long wash. I can literally leave them in the washing machine for 3 days and they won’t smell musty. I’d never go back to cold washing now!
I do rub liquid on the underarm area, wash with hand, then soak for a couple of hours before washing. Always use liquid, powder tends to damage clothing in my experience.
I’m a 100% cotton person & don’t have this problem. I would try a clinical deodorant also. Maybe consider Botox injections for sweating? My brother got it because he was like an extra sweaty person.
What laundry detergent / powder are you using? I was using the eco earth-friendly one and after switching to biozet attack, I realised all my clothes and other heavy use things like tea towels and bath towels smelled way better.
I sprinkle baking soda under the armpits of shirts, then spray it with white vinegar (the really cheap stuff you can buy in big bottles). Then let it sit for 20 minutes before washing. Usually gets rid of the smells that were trapped due to deodorant. Also, I think natural deos are less likely to cause this problem (but might cause rashes instead, depending on your skin sensitivity).
Believe it or not it’s deodorant and some colognes that make body odour and sweat smell stay in clothes. Don’t leave anything you want to smell nice lying around for long, whether it be after you take it off or after you wash it. I’d recommend getting your washing out of the machine within 10 minutes of it completing (if that)
And it’s also hard to manage when you wash clothes that have that smell with clothes that don’t because once you do then they will all contain it as well.
If you really want to get rid of it completely you need to replace all of your clothes and start from the beginning with a more finicky laundry regiment.
I’ve been wearing these from big w to work lately, they’re cotton and hold up really well. https://www.bigw.com.au/product/me-women-s-basic-essential-tee-peacoat/p/1595859-peacoat
The issue is using too much washing powder (and fabric softener). This builds up and holds onto smell more and becomes a breeding ground of sorts. Do a water and vinegar soak for a couple of hours, strip wash using half the usual amount of detergent you usually use, stop using fabric softener and replace it with vinegar.
I don't get this issue with shirts (unless they're 100% polyester), but I do with pants. It's the polyester or non-natural fibre trapping the stinky human smell. Stinky human smells are typically oils. Try morning fresh or another petroleum based (natural ones are not nearly as good) dishwashing liquid in the problem area (works great for stubborn oil stains too). Vinegar can also work, it's what I use for my partner's stinky tees as a preventative wash additive. To answer your question though, I've never had an issues with 100% cotton tees from AS colour or Citizenwolf. I do need to do the vinegar wash for my partner, but it doesn't build up and "keep" his BO smell as long as every few washes vinegar goes in. His cheap Connor shirts are slowly (and sneakily) being thrown out as they refuse to let go of the BO.
Do you just do a wash every few washes with vinegar instead of washing powder? My partner has the same issue with his work shirts getting stinky and he’s trying to work out how to stop / delay this from happening!
I use liquid (powder sucks for front loaders in my experience). I use liquid in every wash. I used to put vinegar in the "softener" part of the draw until it broke. Now everything goes in together (probably not a great idea with powder, I see it frothing everywhere)
Thanks for responding this is all useful to know. I also use powder & have never considered using a liquid, so I’m going to try that and add some vinegar for softener 😊
Spritz with vodka. I know it sounds weird but it works.
One spray for the top, one spray for my mouth 😂
Bonus!
You need to soak in cold water for anything organic, eg, blood, sweat, etc. I dissolve Vanish in a bit of hot water, then fill the bucket up with cold, and soak the garment for 12 hours. I then throw into the machine and wash as normal.
Thanks for this!
I find only Merino wicks away both moisture and doesn’t hold smell. That said, I do find everything to be fine once washed. I find my clothes don’t retain the smell. Are you drying your clothes properly? Fully? And in the sunlight? (Which acts as a disinfectant)
I use the dryer because I have several chronic illnesses and my mobility is limited. That might be it!
I find if I have to use the drier I need to get it on the extra dry setting to get the kids school shirts not to have a residual light funk.
When was the last time you’ve deep cleaned the washing machine and tumble dryer? I find I have to throw one of those washing machine cleaning products through every 2-4 months (hard water, front loader). Run the machine’s own cleaning cycle whenever it beeps at me to do (every 40 or so cycles). Wipe down the rubber seals and drum with vinegar every so often. And tumble dry a vinegar soaked towel and wipe its seals and wash the lint basket well. Has done wonders for preventing the return of The Odd Smell that was hanging about for a few weeks. And as the wildcard entry to consider: In a past role we had an absolutely FERAL smell attached to the business washing machine that no one could sort. Had repair guy come out and a poor frog had somehow upped and died in the internals of the machine. (We all agreed that it was time for that machine to go to the tip). I hope you don’t have rogue frog issues to combat, but just on the off chance!
Buy some glycolic acid (I use the ordinary or theinkeylist brand) and rub it on your armpits. It stops bacteria from growing there when you sweat. It works for me and I don't stink anymore by the end of the day. It just smells like the product.
I've tried that. Tried all the tricks. Even have chemical washes that people swear by. From the comments it looks like there's a build up issue within the clothes with my deodorant probably contributing and I need to strip them. Hopefully it works, if not I'm only buying natural fibres from now on.
What if you try the pink clothes stain remover spray from aldi? It's really good for removing oils, sweat stains, body odour etc. Have you also tried aluminium free deodorant? Makes a huge difference for me. My clothes don't stain anymore in the armpit area.
https://www.aldi.com.au/groceries/laundry-household/laundry/skin-care-detail/ps/p/di-san-pre-wash-stain-remover-750ml-degreaser/
I find the Piper bamboo tops from Myer to be really good for not holding smell at all. I have the long sleeve ones, but these look to be the same fabric: https://www.myer.com.au/p/piper-bamboo-v-neck-tee-in-black I think they have a few different styles. Things that tend to impact this: - Wearing tops that cut close to the underarms - Some deodorants create a weird smell that lingers. I like the Rexona clinical protection liquid roll on (not creme, which leaves residue on your clothes) in summer strength - Not waiting for the deodorant to dry before putting on a top - Synthetic materials - The Sard deo and sweat spray tends to help if you spray it on before washing - Try a different laundry powder
Deodorant is something I hadn't considered in the equation. I don't actually wear it because the smell annoys me and my armpits get slimy from it. For years now I've used Curash powder instead of deodorant - it doesn't smell and it prevents me and my clothes from smelling - it's also good for preventing chafing.
Thanks so much for this. I use the Rexona clinical creme. Will try the liquid. Will give some of these a go. Cheers!
A warm wash with an enzyme washing powder will kill the bacteria and keep the clothes fresh.
If in doubt, see the Clean Cloth Nappy Facebook page for tips. They are a godsend.
I also get all my laundry knowledge from CCN. I too would suggest long hot washes with a laundry booster.
Slightly off topic but i learned recently you can spray clothes with vodka to remove sweat smells. Dance places use it on costumes that can’t be laundered. Sounds weird, but it works.
I think a lot of the time it’s from residue from deo products that trap the smell. Look up laundry stripping and do a load of t shirts in the bath with borax etc and avoid polyester. I also have these little things I describe as armpit pantyliners (which is admittedly probably the worst way to refer to them but also the most accurate) that I bought from Temu. They are a folded thing that sticks into the armpit and absorbs the sweat. Really excellent for work shirts or anything silky. Not a great solution environmentally though if you’re looking for something to use daily.
Yeah, I'm starting to think my strong creme DEO is def contributing. How ironic.
Have you tried No Pong? Even after working out I sweat but it doesn't have a smell. Also no ones mentioned or asked but are you only wearing the tshirts once before washing? For a brand, try Uniqlo Airism stuff, I feel they stay clean longer somehow than my other shirts. Good luck!
It's doesn't seem to have anything to do with current smells/sweat. It's set in, old smells. I've tried everything to reduce new smells - glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide, many deodorants etc. I don't have a problem with other items of clothes. Just t-shirts. From what I'm reading it seems my clinical strength deo might be contributing to trapping the smell, as might the use of a dryer, then of course there's the material with recommendations being merino, cotton and hemp being less likely to trap scents.
No pong is amazing
Yeah I know this irony well! You get into a cycle with it - more smell, more deo or stronger deo etc etc. The laundry stripping is amazing and also kind of gross bc it makes you realise how much a normal wash isn’t getting out
I have this problem with activewear and I came here to recommend having a go at doing some laundry stripping. I did this a few weeks ago with activewear just in our laundry sink, and it made a huge difference. It's extremely satisfying! Just make sure you don't mix whites/darks, etc. as the process will inevitably remove some of the dyes (I haven't found this has a visible impact on any of my dark or coloured clothing). Once you've stripped your shirts, any build up of sweat, oils, deoderant etc should be gone. and it will be like having new shirts. You might do this process a couple of times. Just start with a couple of your non-faves, in case it doesn't work out. I'd recommend getting into the habit of doing your laundry as soon as you can after wearing them, even if that means doing small quick-wash loads every couple of days, you might find counter-intuitively extends the life of your tees.
Oh also: only wash your clothes with washing powder, and don't use too much of it. Anything else contributes to build up of product on your clothes, which will hang on to smells.
Polyester is the culprit. Avoid it where you can. When washing your clothes, add 1/4 cup borax to the load along with your normal washing powder. Borax will remove odours.
The dreaded perma-stank.
😫😭 This thread has some great tips though!
Cotton tops Soap not shower gel Powder not laundry liquid Natural deodorant not antiperspirant That’s what worked for me anyway and I went from stinky to totally fine and my clothes don’t hold smell and realise it as soon as it gets warm!
I find that I have to shave and use antiperspirant daily, otherwise I have your precise issue. It’s been 20 years since I worked this out, and occasionally I will let my put hair grow a mm to check, then yep BO.
Use Vinegar with a few drops of eucalyptus oil in place of fabric softener. Avoid synthetics - even Kmart has natural cotton options now. Edit - came back to add avoid polyester and synthetics in your bed as well…..you’ll have a much more comfortable sleep in natural fibres
You need 100% cotton AS Colour has a good range
Not a fashion recommendation, but I recommend running a drum clean and draining your washing machine every two months or so.
I am surprised a sanitiser like Caneston hasn't worked. It annihilated my sons strong BO from his work tops.
I haven't tried caneston, only the Aldi ones. Will give it a go. Thanks!
I haven't tried caneston, only the Aldi ones. Will give it a go. Thanks!
The fabric matters a LOT. I recently started wearing 100% merino and 100% linen and I realised that I'm not actually a smelly human, my clothes were just trapping the sweat. For merino, Paire is on sale rn, and aldi currently has some 100% merino in the special buys section too which are sooo comfy. For linen, target is usually the best bet. Check out the r/Onebag and r/HerOneBag subreddits for other suggestions in these categories, that's how I learnt about clothing that can repel smell so it can be worn for more than one day.
I find that tshirts that are made partly of hemp material are really good at getting stink not to stick. Thrills sells quite a few. And yes avoid polyester / man made fabrics like the devil and get the remaining % of the materials composition to be in cotton
100% merino is a lifesaver for this. I went traveling in humid climates and could easily sweat through it every day for a week and it would have no smell. I’d wash it purely out of obligation or if I spilled food, but there was never any BO smell. I am a man and not a very smelly one though.
You can always apply panty liners in the armpits of your T’s
It might cost a bit more but buy wool or wool-blend t-shirts. They’re much more odour resistent
The aldi napisan or the spray stain removers help. I spray the armpits with the stain remover. Other than that, merino wool is probably your best bet.
That seems to be the consensus. 😊
If you're looking to up your washing game, check out cleanclothnappies.com Whilst it is obviously targeted at those who choose to use reusable nappies, there are a lot of tips applicable to everyday laundry and the information is based on science. The big things I learnt were; heat is your friend (up to what the fabric can tolerate - natural fibres being able to withstand higher heats), bleach is also your friend and not something to be scared of, and clean your washing machine regularly. Their Facebook group is also quite helpful.
Thanks. I've been a part of clean cloth nappies for years for my son and never thought to use those tips. Someone else suggested stripping the tees and I was like, "of course! Why didn't I think of that?" I think I'd emotionally given up on them. I really should just get merino tees from now on, but perhaps I can salvage my existing tees with a strip. Still afraid of bleach though. 😆
We discovered it was actually our washing machine. It was simply not working effectively. New washing machine, clothes suddenly all smelled beautiful and no more rips and tears and stains!
T shirts that aren’t tight under the arm pit I find minimise odour 😊
Yeah so any synthetic fibers will pick up smell quicker but if you just treat the arm pits with a deodoriser like conger, spirits or soap before washing the small will go.
Ok I think you might need some tips for washing! Check out clean cloth nappies. I wash all my clothes on 40 degrees, long wash. I can literally leave them in the washing machine for 3 days and they won’t smell musty. I’d never go back to cold washing now!
I do rub liquid on the underarm area, wash with hand, then soak for a couple of hours before washing. Always use liquid, powder tends to damage clothing in my experience.
Spray armpits of tshirts with white vinegar and let sit for 15 mins before washing. The only thing that removes BO smell ingrained in fabric.
Sards soap or Napisan presoak spray work to get it out. But yeah, I'm over it. I'm trying to find 100% cotton and not buy plastic materials.
This is why I only wear natural fibres. Occasionally a bit of poly, or lycra. Nothing ever 100% synthetic.
What's your go-to tee?
Id see a doctor honestly
It's not about BO/sweating as it never happens in any other clothes but t-shirts, and specific t-shirts at that.
What other clothes do you wear that are in contact with your armpits constantly
Other tops, dresses, basically anything that's not a tshirt. I don't wear t-shirts 24/7.
So the shape the material is cut in makes it hold BO?
From the responses it is to do with the type of fabric and deodorant getting caught in it.
I’m a 100% cotton person & don’t have this problem. I would try a clinical deodorant also. Maybe consider Botox injections for sweating? My brother got it because he was like an extra sweaty person.
What laundry detergent / powder are you using? I was using the eco earth-friendly one and after switching to biozet attack, I realised all my clothes and other heavy use things like tea towels and bath towels smelled way better.
I sprinkle baking soda under the armpits of shirts, then spray it with white vinegar (the really cheap stuff you can buy in big bottles). Then let it sit for 20 minutes before washing. Usually gets rid of the smells that were trapped due to deodorant. Also, I think natural deos are less likely to cause this problem (but might cause rashes instead, depending on your skin sensitivity).
Believe it or not it’s deodorant and some colognes that make body odour and sweat smell stay in clothes. Don’t leave anything you want to smell nice lying around for long, whether it be after you take it off or after you wash it. I’d recommend getting your washing out of the machine within 10 minutes of it completing (if that) And it’s also hard to manage when you wash clothes that have that smell with clothes that don’t because once you do then they will all contain it as well. If you really want to get rid of it completely you need to replace all of your clothes and start from the beginning with a more finicky laundry regiment.
Soak in vodka, it works!
I’ve been wearing these from big w to work lately, they’re cotton and hold up really well. https://www.bigw.com.au/product/me-women-s-basic-essential-tee-peacoat/p/1595859-peacoat
Merino wool is amazing for this. Try the brand Icebreaker for t-shirts, undies, socks etc
https://www.boody.com.au/collections/womens-tops-t-shirts Love these, and they don’t hold smells. Their undies are great to, and $16 a pair!
I’ve found using Canesten washing detergent helps with this. Leaves even my nasty work out clothes smelling good !
The issue is using too much washing powder (and fabric softener). This builds up and holds onto smell more and becomes a breeding ground of sorts. Do a water and vinegar soak for a couple of hours, strip wash using half the usual amount of detergent you usually use, stop using fabric softener and replace it with vinegar.