Armpit Odor on T-shirts

I'm having trouble getting body odor (sweat) smells out of my husband's shirts. I have tried everything I can think of and nothing seems to work.

He has tried different deodorants, but with the job he does he's on a dead run all day and he soaks the armpit area. Most of his shirts are like new and I hate to throw them out plus we don't have the money to be buying him new shirts all the time.

Does anyone have any solutions for me? And it is only his shirts for work that smell like this. The rest of his clothes are fine. They smell clean everywhere, but by his armpit area on his work shirts. And sometimes it seems like the odor is gone, but after having it on for a bit he can start to smell this odor. He doesn't want people to think he is nasty or stinky. So please if there is anything I can use to eliminate this odor please let me know.

Desperate In Indiana,
Chas

Answers:

Body Odor on Laundry
lola (Guest Post)

Thank god for you lott. I literraly can only wear my tops twice without it starting to smell of BO, which is highly embassing. I have searched high an low for a solution to eradicate this problem, thinking cleanliness should be the best way to get rid of this.

I will try each of your sugestions above.
Yet again, Thanks.

Body Odor on Laundry
Post by Karen

I use Arm & Hammer liquid detergent and it takes out all odor. I have a spray bottle filled with the original amber-colored Listerine (less expensive store brand is excellent) and use it on our socks to kill bacteria and odor; it would probably work as well on shirts. Spray it on as soon as he takes his shirt off and it should be neutralized by the time you do laundry.

Good luck!

Body Odor on Laundry
Anna from Maine (Guest Post)

I soak my husbands T-shirts in detergent and about half a cup of Borax overnight to remove the arm pit odors and stain. The Borax will not bleach so is also good on colors.

Body Odor on Laundry
Suzie (Guest Post)

You might want to try Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda. It's an odor absorbing powder and a laundry booster that you add along with your regular laundry detergent. This works for my husband. Good luck!

Body Odor on Laundry
Sabrina (Guest Post)

Listerine! Have your husband put listerine (the mint leaves a fresh smell!) on a cotton ball and dab it on his arm pits it helps kill the bacteria that causes the odor. He should do this after his shower in the evening and again in the morning before he puts on deodorant. The first time I told my husband to do this he thought for sure I had been drinking, but it works! As for the shirts, try presoaking them in vinegar and water.

Body Odor on Laundry
Post by aline

is he drinking enough water? Wweat smells worse when you are dehydrated.

Body Odor on Laundry

Soak armpit areas in vinegar first. Try overnight. Then add vinegar in the wash also. Wash these shirts separately from other clothes. Old Spice anti-persirant works the best for my husband also as one listed. Use Old Spice after showering. If not sensitive, I would even try blotting the vinegar on his armpits, wait sometime, then shower as normal. Try it on a weekend day so you can see if the vinegar lingers with him or disappears.

Body Odor on Laundry
sandy (Guest Post)

Yesm use the white vinager in the water. I also use baking soda in the water to. that gives it a fresh smell. The other thing I do is soak cotton ball or wash cloth in vinegar and rub on arm pits. Smells gross when you do it but I can honestly say the uncontrollable body odor goes away for several weeks till I have a problem with it again.

Body Odor on Laundry
Cheryl from Missouri (Guest Post)

Make sure the "deodorant" your husband's using is an anti-perspirant AND deodorant. Alot of deodorants are ONLY deodorant OR anti-perspirant, not BOTH. Also, Old Spice High Endurance anti-persirant/deodorant has a money-back guarantee. It's the only thing that works for my husband. If it doesn't work for your husband you can get your money back.

Body Odor on Laundry
Post by Harriet

I have been using white vinegar in my laundry to eliminate odors such as this from our clothes, including the odors we often have in socks. I put it in the rinse cycle and the softener cycle because I soak sponges in softener and throw those in the dryer with the clothes. A good alternative to deodorant is to dust your arm pits with baking soda after your shower. Baking soda will also eliminate foot odors if sprinkled into shoes every evening.

Body Odor on Laundry
Carolyn (Guest Post)

I also suggest vinegar - you can add it to the rinse and the vinegar odor will be gone when the clothes dry. You might also try spraying the armpits of the cleaned and dried shirts with rubbing alcohol and letting them dry on the hangers before he wears them to kill any residual bacteria. Are you using bleach to wash them? This will also kill the odor-causing bacteria.

Body Odor on Laundry
Post by Denise

Have you tried white vinegar? I use it in the laundry to eliminate odors, as an alternative to bleach, and to remove pet hair. (02/08/2005)