Smelly Shirts

[onnut]

What tips if any have you guys got?

I buy shirts by the dozen for work and they do not last long. They look fine but have an awfull smell to them no matter how I (my maid) washes them. I am in a job which requires me to run around a lot inside and outside, plus I spend a considerable amount of time in the kitchen. So I end up having to change my shirts once or twice a day while at work. Not a problem with that but I do notice that after a couple of weeks of wearing a shirt inbetween washes they smell as soon as I start to sweat.

It's not body odour as I do not smell, it's just the shirts. And because I can't get them to smell better through washing I normally throw them out and go and get some more made. It's a waste plus not cheap, so what do you guys do??

[Ijustwannateach]

I think there's clearly some problem in your maid's approach either to washing or drying. Make sure that she's really using soap- enough soap- and that you are providing it and she is using it. Make sure that she dries clothes appropriately, right after washing, and quickly- preferably somewhere with a bit of sun and air circulation.

I had problems with a 'dank smell' in some home-washing before, but that was usually during rainy season when it's harder to get enough dry air for things to dry quickly. Shouldn't be the problem at the moment.

[ukrules]

I use a laundry and don't have this problem, so the problem lies with your maid or the type of detergent you are using, or a combination of both.

Do you always take identical shirts to work so nobody notices this or do they change colour, etc throughout the day ?

[Tywais]

I had problems with a 'dank smell' in some home-washing before,

I used to have that problems many years ago on the Eastern seaboard and found out they were being washed in the "klong". As IJWT mentions, good air circulation and proper direct sun exposure. Also, we use a fabric softener which gives it a pleasant smell <or hides the bad smell> . If access to sun exposure is an issue then a place that has a proper machine dryer may do the job.

Also, a "small" amount of bleach to kill bacteria/mold/fungus that may be in the water which can cause the odor may help.

[needforspeed]

She need to wash, use softener and dry as quick as possible, if you don't do that the water left in the clothes and/or moister in the air slow down the drying process and therefor start smelling.

The moment your clothes are dry the smell disappear/ much less, but its coming up again when getting wet(transpiration).

Terminate her

[Carib]

Use a shot of vinegar with the last rinse, the vinegar smell will disappear during drying and the " shirt smell" will be gone.

[canuckamuck]

I used to have the same problem, I had a number of smelly shirts that would start smellin about an hour after i put them on.

I fixed the problem by getting them wet and them microwaving them. But you can boil them too, which might be safer.

I only had to do it once and the shirts were back to normal and I could wear them all day after that.

I think it was some kind of stubborn bacteria that had to be cooked out.

[needforspeed]

I used to have the same problem, I had a number of smelly shirts that would start smellin about an hour after i put them on.

I fixed the problem by getting them wet and them microwaving them. But you can boil them too, which might be safer.

I only had to do it once and the shirts were back to normal and I could wear them all day after that.

I think it was some kind of stubborn bacteria that had to be cooked out.

Stubborn bacteria all killed, but your shirts 6 sizes smaller

[canuckamuck]

I used to have the same problem, I had a number of smelly shirts that would start smellin about an hour after i put them on.

I fixed the problem by getting them wet and them microwaving them. But you can boil them too, which might be safer.

I only had to do it once and the shirts were back to normal and I could wear them all day after that.

I think it was some kind of stubborn bacteria that had to be cooked out.

Stubborn bacteria all killed, but your shirts 6 sizes smaller

I was worried about that, but it worked out ok, it is just like a hot water wash back home. In Thailand the washing is all cold water and I think some lil greebleys survive.

[thatguy]

mold, mildew, a clothes dryer will end the problem

[needforspeed]

I used to have the same problem, I had a number of smelly shirts that would start smellin about an hour after i put them on.

I fixed the problem by getting them wet and them microwaving them. But you can boil them too, which might be safer.

I only had to do it once and the shirts were back to normal and I could wear them all day after that.

I think it was some kind of stubborn bacteria that had to be cooked out.

Stubborn bacteria all killed, but your shirts 6 sizes smaller

I was worried about that, but it worked out ok, it is just like a hot water wash back home. In Thailand the washing is all cold water and I think some lil greebleys survive.

Joke, i know cold water wash is bacteria friendly.

[jubby]

What are the Shirts made of ? Cotton , Polycotton , other manmade fibres ?

It could be that the material doesn't suit you perhaps. I've got shirts that smell after a couple of hours and shirts that don't seem to smell after a couple of days.

Anyway, a bit more of the fabric conditioner, softener, freshener should help.

If you can't sort it out you could always send the shirts to me, I'm getting low on decent shirts and I smell so its not an issue if the shirt smells too.

[phetaroi]

I'd blame it on the maid. We have one twice a week. I do the clothes washing, she does all the rest of the housework and the ironing. When we first started she did the washing. Phew! When I would wash the clothes...ahhhhhhh. Or, teach the maid exactly how to wash the clothes. Frankly, many of them don't know how.

[TallForeigner]

Use not only common detergent but also a good fabric freshener or softener or conditioner with nice smell. If you still have a problem then you need to use a special detergent additive in your laundry or your washing that goes under the brand name "Dettol". This product can be found in the washing and detergent area of well equipped supermarkets like BigC. Dettol have cleaning products, shower gel, soaps and a lot of other products - just look out for their special washing stuff.

We once had this problem with towels and since we are using the Dettol product for laundry and handwashing of the towels the problem with the smell is gone for good.

No reason to fire your maid - just teach and educate her.

[egg]

Dettol or eucalyptus oil ,, in the wash helps with the smell ,, also the maid might be like a lot of other Thai's and put that many clothes in the machine that the water doesn't even move but because the machine makes a noise and the clothes get wet ,they think it works ,,, so l have found with my wife that she had to be told that if the clothes and water do not move they will not wash,,,

cheers

egg

[SAW]

Red shirts, yellow shirts and now the smelly shirts, whatever next!

[eek]

Agree with the comments above, that it seems your maid isnt washing correctIy. Just wish to add that after you get the washing side sorted out, when you store cIothes, i recommend using either scented sachets or sheets of scented paper (a good one is those "bounce" sheets used for tumbIe drying) or just pIain oId nice smeIIing soaps, in your drawers/wardrobe. My gran taught me the soap trick, and i aIways have a bar of soap in my drawers and scented sachets hanging in my wardrobe. Keeps cIean cIothes smeIIing reaIIy good when stored away.

[rhino533]

If you have the space go buy a Dryer Machine. I had a problem with my clothes drying to slow which created unpleasent smells when I wore them. I bought a Dryer Machine and it totally fixed the problem and it also makes my clothes much softer. You can buy them at most shopping malls.

[anon345535]

buy a washing machine and wash them yourself. get the maid to hang them and fold them up

[Tywais]

i aIways have a bar of soap in my drawers

Sorry eek, but that did make me laugh.

[Donnyboy]

i aIways have a bar of soap in my drawers

Sorry eek, but that did make me laugh.

a pair socks has the same effect

[stainlessbox]

I've had the exact same problem. It's not the shirt, it's the bacteria inside the shirt that never got cleaned properly. Use a bleaching agent (if the shirt's not white, then use "color" bleach.) Soak the shirt in a dilluted bleach solution for a few hours to kill the remaining bacteria. You need to change the way you wash clothes because obviously there's something not right with the washing process. As someone suggested, a cloth dryer will work by killing the remaining bacteria on the shirt that didn't get washed thoroughly. But then you wear the shirt out faster than normal though....

I find myself adding a cap or two of color bleach on every load to make sure the wash cycle kills the bacteria properly.

[onnut]

All very good ideas, thank you.

I have never washed anything myself because I was blessed with a sister who like to clean and iron! Then I moved here and got a maid. So I will pass the info on to her and my wife and see what happens.

Thanks

[samtam]

Clothes left in a machine undried will smell, even once they dry off naturally through the heat from the climate. Either they must be hung out to dry straight away, or dried in a dryer. The latter is much more effective. Like most things you need to micro manage how tasks are performed by people you employ. Have you observed the process by which your maid washes and irons your clothes...?

There very often seems to be no rhyme nor reason why somethings are done, or why things are done in certain ways. Bad habits picked up through no supervision, and a mind-numbing job.