The old wives tale that will instantly get rid of sweaty smells on your clothes and ‘works a treat'

The Sun

3 days ago

THERE'S nothing worse than pulling out an outfit and realising that there is a smell of sweat lingering on the fabric.
There are so many reasons that this can happen - for example, some materials can't be washed, and therefore it's harder to remove bacteria that can transfer into the clothes.
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Or if you've bought an outfit off a hanger, then lingering sweat, skin oils, and bacteria can accumulate on it.
Even hanging up clothes that have not completely dried in tight spaces like wardrobes, which aren't well ventilated, can leave a lingering odour.
Luckily, there's a handy old wives' trick that can quickly get rid of this issue, and fashion fans swear it "works a treat".
People have been sharing the top tip on social media after a woman pleaded for help to get a lingering sweat smell off her wedding dress.
Posting on the Wedding DIY UK Facebook group, which boasts 162,400 members, one woman explained she bought her dress off the hanger.
But she revealed that after putting her dress in a bag and leaving it in her wardrobe, she pulled it out the night before her big day and realised there was a strong odour coming from it.
Looking for a quick fix, she posted: "I've just got my dress out of the bag and it smells of stale sweat... I get married tomorrow.
"How do I get rid of this! Please help".
Fashionistas were quick to flock to the comments to share an old wives' tale that works well in taking away the smell.
They explained that creating a mixture of vodka and water is the perfect solution and works on all types of fabric.
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All you need to do is fill half of a spray bottle with vodka and top up the other half with water, and mix or shake it thoroughly.
Then just spray the mixture onto the affected clothes and wait for it to work.
Users explained that it "works a treat" on everything from wedding dresses to clothes.
And many revealed it is also an old theatre hack that is often used when certain costumes can't be washed due to the fabric.
One person even said that it works when it comes to collecting and selling vintage clothes.
Posting in the comments, a user said: "There's the traditional customer trick of a bottle of half cheap vodka and half water sprayed onto the dress".
Another added: "Spray it with vodka. It's an old theatre trick. Some costumes can't be washed so they spray them with vodka and it works a treat".
Someone else wrote: "I've heard vintage resellers talking about using vodka to get rid of any smells".
And a fourth shared: "50/50 vodka and water misted on and left to dry. Did this for many years in the theatre."
And a fifth chimed in: "I've heard using vodka is good".
So, how does it work?
If you are a little sceptical about this trick, you're not alone.
But vodka, as it turns out, is actually the perfect odour remover for anything that can't be washed.
This is because vodka itself is odourless and colourless, and it even has a sanitising effect.
What else can vodka clean?
IT'S not just clothes that vodka can remove smells from.
Many homeowners actually use it on their furniture, like their sofas, curtains and mattresses.
Surfaces like these may seem impossible to clean because they're so large and can't always be put in the washing machine, but using this trick routinely can keep them fresh and get rid of unwanted smells.
Using vodka is an easy way to make sure that items you don't want to put in your washing machine can last longer.
And it also works wonders for deodorising well-worn shoes!
Martha Stewart is known for using this hack to keep her boots and shoes fresh and actually shared a video with followers on Instagram.
In the clip, she sprayed a pair of boots in her hallway and said, "Say goodbye to musty smells".
It works because it has a high alcohol content, which kills germs and bacteria, and as you spray it over your clothes, the alcohol surrounds the smelly molecules that are clinging to the material.
As the spray begins to dry, the vodka evaporates, taking the unwanted smell with it, so by the time it is completely dry, the odour has vanished.
It's not just sweaty smells that this hack can be used for - the high alcohol content is also strong enough to remove food smells, to even cigarette smoke.
But before you try this, it's important to make sure you have the right kind of vodka.
It needs to be an unflavoured and colourless bottle, otherwise it will leave marks on the clothes, and they could end up sticky.
The quality doesn't matter, however, so feel free to use the cheapest vodka you have since you're only using it to clean!
If you're buying a new bottle, then take a quick look for the cheapest ones with the highest levels of alcohol content.
Then just spray the fabric with the drink - but make sure you don't leave it soaking wet - and let it work its magic.
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