How to Remove and Prevent the Smell of Sweat on Clothes     

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent and remove the smell of sweat on clothes. Understanding why we sweat, how to remove body odor from clothes, and how to prevent smells from clinging to clothes in the first place, enables us to manage the problem. Whether you get a bit hot and bothered at work or regularly find yourself smelling out the place after a long run, our top tips and actionable strategies will help you eliminate those odors and stay fresher for longer.

What causes you to sweat? 

Before we share our advice on how to remove sweat smell from clothes, let’s take a look at what makes you sweat. Sweat is the body’s natural cooling mechanism and helps us regulate our body temperature. As you get hotter, your sweat glands release moisture to cool you down. Body heat transfers to the liquid, causing the water in your sweat to evaporate and cooling the skin. Various factors can increase the amount you sweat and the intensity of the odor it produces.

• Exercise – physical exertion will get you sweaty quickly. For most people, it is the main perspiration trigger. When you exercise, your muscles generate heat, your body temperature rises, and you begin to sweat in an effort to cool yourself down.
• Ineffective deodorant – deodorants mask the smell of body odors. But some are more effective than others. If you are sweating a lot and it smells, you may be using a deodorant that doesn’t quite work for you. Shop around and try out different products. Eventually, you will find a solution that works for your body.
• Tight clothing – clothing that is restrictive or sits tight to the body reduces airflow and its cooling effect, so your body has to work harder to cool itself. That translates into more sweating. And more sweating often means more smell. Tight clothing also prevents evaporation, minimizing the efficacy of the sweat you produce and causing you to sweat even more.
• Stress – the role of stress in producing sweat is often overlooked. But it is important. Particularly if you sweat heavily at work or other potentially high-stress environments. Emotional stress activates the apocrine glands. These glands produce a slightly different type of sweat that is more odorous than the sweat associated with physical exertion.
• Diet – what you eat will impact how your sweat smells. For instance, foods that contain volatile compounds, such as garlic, onions, and spices, can increase the intensity of your body odor.

How does sweat result in bad odors on clothes?

So how does sweating result in your clothes getting all smelly? Interestingly, sweat itself is odorless. It’s just a combination of water, electrolytes and salts. Body odor – the smell associated with sweating – is actually caused by bacteria. Our bodies are home to millions of bacteria, most of which are harmless and many of which perform valuable functions. However, some bacteria feed on our sweat, breaking down the proteins and fatty acids within it and producing unpleasant-smelling by-products in the process.

When you sweat, it permeates the fabric of your clothing, creating a warm, damp environment. And that’s exactly the type of environment bacteria like. They thrive in it. And, as the bacteria thrive and multiply, they produce more waste products that generate bad smells.

How much your clothing absorbs the moisture and how well it allows it to evaporate can determine how moist and warm an environment the bacteria has. So moisture-wicking, breathable fibers that allow your sweat to evaporate away tend to reduce unpleasant odors. It works the other way for fabrics that trap moisture.

Top tips – how to remove sweat smell from clothes

Often, a good wash will get odors out of your clothing. But sometimes, those smells continue to linger. If regular washing does not work and you are wondering how to remove perspiration odor from clothes, try one of the following tried and tested techniques.

1. Baking soda

Baking soda is a relatively effective odor-neutralizing agent. To use it on clothes, mix the baking soda with a little water until it forms a paste. You can then apply the paste directly to those areas of the clothing where the smell is strongest. Typically, this is the armpit and underarm area. Let the paste do its work for at least 15 minutes before rinsing it off and putting the item through a regular wash. This is one of the most affordable ways to eliminate body odor from clothes.

2. Vinegar

White vinegar is strong-smelling but works wonders when you want to eliminate body odor from clothing. Mix up a solution of one part vinegar to four parts water and soak the item for approximately 30 minutes. When you are ready, remove the clothing and wash it normally to remove the vinegar smell.

3. Air-dry clothes before washing

Chucking damp, dirty clothes straight into the washing machine can make the problem worse. If you have a recurring issue with used sports kits continuing to smell after a regular wash, try air-drying the items first. It can prevent further bacterial growth. The sun’s natural antimicrobial power will do some of the hard work before your machine finishes the job.

4. Anti-odor detergent

As unpleasant odors in clothing are a common issue, many companies manufacture special detergents that are specifically designed and optimized for odor elimination. They usually work by incorporating enzymes that break down the bacteria responsible for those unpleasant smells.

5. Use the right amount of detergent

If you struggle with smelly clothes, your natural reaction may be to add extra detergent to the wash. However, this is much more likely to make things worse. Excess detergent can get trapped in textile fibers, slowly build up, and begin to trap more sweat and bacteria. To prevent this, follow the instructions on your detergent packet and use the recommended amount.

6. Don’t leave dirty clothes lying around

Unless you’re giving them a quick dry outside, it is always best to wash your stinky clothes as soon after wearing them if possible. The longer you leave them in the laundry basket, the more the bacteria multiply and the worse the smell. Don’t hang around, get those clothes in the washing machine straight away.

7. Turn clothes inside out

Turning your clothes inside out ensures the detergent can work on the smelliest fibers immediately, increasing the likelihood that it will remove any odors from your clothing.

8. Dry your clothes well

Finally, make sure you dry all washed clothes well, as this removes the conditions in which bacteria thrive. Whenever possible, dry your clothes in direct sunlight, as this will also assist in eliminating bacteria.

What to do if clothing still smells after washing

If you try all of these techniques and you still can’t remove the sweat smell from your clothes, you have a few options. These processes tend to be a bit more aggressive, so use them sparingly and with care. 

• Double-wash – put your clothes through a second wash without detergent to remove any remaining soap or bacteria.
• Oxygen bleach – not quite as harsh as chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach can help remove stubborn stains and clothing sweat smells.
• Overnight vinegar soak – if a 30-minute soak doesn’t do the job, try a full overnight soak in a 4:1 water-white vinegar solution.
• Specialist sprays – try a purpose-designed anti-odor spray like Storm x Polygiene OdorCrunch™ to tackle environmental odors.

How to prevent body odor and bad smells in clothes

While removing bad odors from clothes is sometimes necessary, preventing those bad smells from developing in the first place is a much more effective approach. You can achieve this in several ways.

1. Choose breathable fabrics

Fabric choice plays a significant role in determining how much you sweat and how much that sweat smells. Breathable fabrics facilitate better evaporation, enabling sweat to do its work effectively. With this in mind, opt for cotton, linen, and merino wool when possible and avoid standard polyesters. Moisture-wicking properties are also a big bonus.

2. Wear looser clothing

Tight clothes trap sweat, prevent the air from cooling your skin, and reduce evaporation, leading to more and smellier sweat. Go for looser-fitting apparel to reduce sweating and the likelihood of smells working their way into your clothing.

3. Wash smelly areas thoroughly

If you struggle with smelly clothing, pay extra attention to the areas that cause you problems. When washing in the shower, give your armpits and groin a good scrub and, if necessary, try using a damp cloth for quick wipe-down washes between showers.

4. Rotate clothing regularly

The more you wear your clothes without washing them, the more likely it is that smells will develop. If you’ve sweated a lot, items should go straight in the wash. Regular rotation will help you better manage odors and ensure they don’t become embedded in your clothes.

5. Use an antiperspirant

While deodorants mask smells and cover them up, antiperspirants block sweat production. This can be extremely useful in certain situations, such as at work or during everyday life. However, if you are working out or participating in intense physical activity, you may want to let your body do its thing and sweat naturally. It will improve your ability to regulate your temperature.

6. Buy clothing with built-in antibacterial protection

As anti-odor solutions have evolved, new fabric technologies, such as Polygiene StayFresh™, have been developed. Polygiene StayFresh is integrated into clothing at the point of manufacture and prevents bacterial growth, keeping your gear smell-free and fresher for longer. It is one of the most effective methods for preventing bad smells in clothing, and more brands are incorporating it into their products than ever before. 

The science behind Polygiene StayFresh™

The active ingredient in Polygiene StayFresh is silver chloride – a salt that occurs naturally in soil and water. The solution is entirely skin-safe and works to inhibit bacterial growth in three core ways:

1. It interferes with bacterial cell membranes, preventing growth.
2. It inhibits enzyme activity to hamper energy production.
3. It disrupts cellular DNA, preventing bacterial replication.

Polygiene StayFresh is integrated into textiles during product manufacturing, ensuring it is built into the fabric rather than simply sitting on it. This enables it to provide 24/7, long-lasting antibacterial and anti-odor protection. It doesn’t leach out of the material and it doesn’t affect materials’ other properties. For instance, merino wool retains its excellent breathability and moisture-wicking properties.

Finding Polygiene-treated clothing

A whole host of brands now use Polygiene technologies in their products and it is easier than ever to find anti-odor clothing. To help you get started, here are three brands that make the most of advanced Polygiene solutions.

Maloja – One of our favorite sports and outdoor apparel brands, Maloja makes high-performance clothing that looks effortlessly cool. From cycling shorts to jackets designed for Nordic skiing, it combines the unique Maloja aesthetic with unrivaled functionality. And it uses Polygiene StayFresh to provide anti-odor protection in several of its ranges.

M.M. LaFleur – A fashion brand for women who want a wardrobe that works for them, M.M. LaFleur produces apparel that emphasizes three core features – functionality, comfort and style. Designing workwear and everyday wear, it uses Polygiene technology to help deliver on those goals.

JSP – JSP focuses more on the functional side of things, manufacturing high-quality workwear for commercial and industrial use. It incorporates Polygiene solutions into its products to enhance comfort for users and improve clothing performance in environments where strong smells are present.

Prevent that sweat smell with Polygiene StayFresh

In this article, we’ve hopefully shown you how to remove sweat smells on clothing. Keep in mind that prevention is just as important, and choosing the right anti odor clothing can eliminate the issue altogether. Polygiene StayFresh is a highly effective anti-odor solution that prevents body odor and sweat smells from becoming an issue in the first place. Today, more and more brands are incorporating it into their products. 

Why? Because consumers and end users want clothing that makes them feel comfortable, confident and odor-free.

Learn more about Polygiene StayFresh.