FINally! Real solutions for stinky work clothes

originally posted by: Gothmog

originally posted by: SummerRain

originally posted by: Gothmog
Baking Soda. 1,000.000 uses. Good to put in beans to prevent gas. Good for acid indigestion.
A good pesticide for ants. Just sprinkle the top of the mound with a good bit and go back in the house. Job done.
In the wash ?
Hades , any old foggy like me knew that one.

On food? you're rendering your stomach acid neutral, so not properly digesting it. your poor colon, lol

You put some in the beans as you are cooking them
"Just a dab will do ya"
So , you are not an old fogey ?

A little dab'll do ya !! My old man used to say that all the time. haha.

I'm old. I eat baking soda by the spoonful, great for acid reflux and to help keep the ph in check. Loads of turmeric, black pepper, ACV (not with the baking soda, mind you) and all manner of stinky herbs.

And I'll fart like a trumpet when I eat beans, keep the pipes working. lol.

... still can't work out why I do live alone, though.

a reply to: SummerRain

That was a GREAT self-assay, thank you.

Yep, bakin' soda has a myriad of uses. I like to use it as a wet-sand on my skin.

yah, ACV & BS makes an reaction. It would be difficult to make it a dangerous reaction, but I don't doubt it is possible.

I truly believe that -- as you put it -- "farting like a trumpet" -- is one of the basic things in life -- like sneezing -- is truly useful for blowing out the pipes.

ETA: The 'live alone' thang........ If you don't continually choose it, then you are able to change it. imo.

What you want to use instead of baking soda is washing soda, which is very similar. Baking soda is Sodium Bicarbonate (NaHCO3) and Washing soda is Na2CO3 and is a base (opposite of acidic). Baking soda is not very soluble in water compared to washing soda and no where near as strong as washing soda. Baking soda actually converts to washing soda when heated in boiling water or when heated in an oven and releases water and CO2.

As Oxyclean, it is very similar to washing soda as it is Sodium Percarbonate which is the same formula as washing soda but has hydrogen peroxide attached to the molecule - Na2CO3 + 1.5H2O2.

You can find washing soda in the laundry isle in the big yellow arm and hammar box that says "Washing Soda" or "Super Washing Soda". It works VERY well with bleach and is a savior on filthy laundry, blood, etc. There isn't a whole lot of point of using oxyclean with bleach as the bleach will release the hydrogen peroxide in the oxyclean before it can work.

One of the best ideas is to allow your laundry to soak for a while (20-60 mins) while the bleach and washing soda is in the water to allow the stuff to really do it's job.

Another additive (that professional cleaners use) for really bad/stinky loads is TriSodium Phosphate. It isn't in so many cleaners any more but you can find the powder in the painting Isle as a paint stripper. It is powdered like washing soda and is what used to be in detergents back in the 40-70's when the stuff really worked well (the powdered stuff). I wouldn't use it on loads that aren't very dirty as it isn't the best for the "waterways" so some say, phosphate levels cause algae blooms, which is why it was removed. It is not illegal to use, but manufacturers voluntarily removed it, probably b/c people use much more soap to make up for it.

What works for us for deodorizing is vinegar in the wash, but IMO, it doesn't soften anywhere close to advertised. Trust me, after cloth diapering 2 kids within the last 10 years, I'm VERY well-versed in the "crunchy" laundering methods. Not many of them really work too well, back to Tide I went. Anyway, since vinegar doesn't soften as much as claimed (if at all) I use a dryer sheet to dry. Bounce, FTW

Edit: if it helps, I have a front loader and put 1/2 a cup in the bleach dispenser to work with the initial soapy wash, and 1/2 a cup in the liquid softener dispenser to give it an effective two-fer rinse. Smells lightly vinegary by the time all's said & done, and the scent dissipates completely by the end of the dry cycle.

If this works me and my gf will be eternally greatful. I work with powdered metals and oils. It's hot sticky and messy and my work shoes have a permanent spot on the front porch. Which means my socks are just really gross. Tried so many other things so let's try old school. 🙂

a reply to: argentus
Sorry for the thread resurrection lol, but I stumbled upon this, and I'm wondering, does fabric softener remain the problem which you solved 5 years ago now?

I was thinking about the smell you described 'after' they had been washed, lovely and fresh, but then a yucky smell kinda reactivated after you'd started getting hot, working in them.

I've only had similar experiences when girlfriends have done my clothes for me, and they all used fabric softener!

I thought it was coz their machines were crappy or something, coz the smell was never like 'my' sweaty smell, it was always an old musty smell that appeared within half an hour of working a physical sweaty role.

I have washed everything myself for over a decade now, still sweating hard every day, but my clothes are still smelling fresh from the morning, until the end of the day, albeit damp, but not smelly!!

Honestly, since reading your OP I'm convinced now that fabric softener is the culprit, trapping stinking molecules into the fabric!

I've ONLY experienced that minging smell when girlfriends have used fabric softener on my working clothes...ffs I've only used regular lemon fairy liquid (same stuff for dishes in the kitchen lol) at 60C water, for my clothes and bedding - for most of my adult life, and they've always smelled clean.

...but every time someone has used fabric softener, skanky smell reawakens soon after I've only even warmed up for work!!🤣

/rant, thanks for a thread that explains much about the standards of washing I've had done for me, and why!!!👍😁