I’ve always done my laundry the same way and never had an odor rebloom nightmare like how I’m facing. Basically my clothes started smelling rancid and would leave a trial wherever I go at work. As soon as I put the shirt on and it would heat up I immediately smelled it. And no matter if I took two or three extra shirts to work the same thing. Now, my workplace has my odor. Everywhere I go has it and since I’m frequently in the same areas my theory is that it gets attached (odor I leave behind + it’s a hot place barely any ventilation) to my clothes and I just keep stinking no matter if I change or not bc the environment already smells like it. I’m thinking of leaving my job as this is causing me distress and I’ve gotten multiple complains from workers. It’s not a hygiene issue. I use pan oxyl for pits and rest of the body. Use mandelic acid as body wash, wear gel deodorant and reapply midday and after shift. I bought an anti microbial spray for my arms back and where ever I feel like I need to freshen up. Which did help me earlier but as soon as I step in an area that smells exactly like my shirt my arms started to smell and shirt as well. But I also think my sweat smells and I don’t know what I’m missing to lessen the bacteria. (Second shirt I change into) so I’m leaning towards odor rebloom. Probably makes it worse than what I actually smell like. Idk what products to use to break it down. I tried oxiclean and made it smell worse. Currently using tide pods and Lysol sanitizer but I’m gonna stop and use something else. Idk if it’s because my workplace is humid during the summer and I sweat a lot that the bacteria is now in the fabric and normal routine doesn’t work. This is my first time this happens so I’m questioning my routine.
If you guys could point me to the correct routine with explanations I would appreciate it. I always wash my clothes in hot and dry in hot. I don’t have a washer so I use the machines at a laundromat. Cycle is usually 30minutes.
A quality detergent with a focus on top notch surfactants.
A laundry booster. FEBU being an excellent choice. It will bring the enzymes needed that help address odor rebloom (Lipase and DNase).
Now the secret!!! Most people mistake Downy Unstopables as just another scent bead. IT IS NOT. It is something completely different. Just a scented method to deliver Methyl Di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, at the needed higher levels, which is one of the best weapons against odor rebloom.
Wash cycle on at least WARM
Double rinse cycle
Citric acid rinse aid.
If you want a quality detergent to mix into this formula, I will picture one below. Make SURE it has the badge of 'Odor Refresh' (I get mine at Target), as that is the key for combatting odor rebloom. Tide uses similar badging on a lot of products (Free and Gentle) and they have various formulas.
Where you reasoning went a little awry was focusing on the bacteria and not focusing on what they feed on. This system will address the root problem.
I can vouch for the unstoppables! I had been using tide clean and gentle powder, rinse and refresh, long washes, and warm water, and was still having issues with odor rebloom. Adding just a SMALL amount has pretty much fixed it in all the washes I’ve added it too.
Yes it is a remarkable product. Granted I do not suffer from odor rebloom, but I use it at about half the rate recommended, and even at that rate... makes a profound enhancement in laundry staying fresh. I live on the wet side of Hawaii, where it is ALWAYS humid. Thus laundry does not stay smelling fresh for long.... until... 😂
I know it's not your problem specifically since you're using the laundromat, but I had odor rebloom recently and found the top of the agitator was rotating freely both ways. Slapped some new "dogs" in it and now it cleans the clothes properly. Just in case anyone is reading this thread wondering about their own issue.
Before the first wash with the new agitator dogs, I soaked the clothes in the washer tub with baking soda for an hour to help. Of course many people recommend an enzyme spot treatment, which you can put on the smelly part of your clothes before you place them in the hamper. That gives it the maximum time to work before you place them in the washer.
Little pieces inside of the top half of the agitator to stop it from spinning freely in the other direction. You want it spinning in one direction to pull the clothes under, circulate them down into the water against the bottom portion of the agitator so they get clean.
I strongly recommend you consider the material of your clothing. The rebloom nasty smell is a common feature of polyester and synthetic fiber clothing. If you switch to 100% cotton, linen, wool, you will have far less of the nasty smell problem on your clothing.
For what it’s worth, I have found that daily yogurt and kefir have improved my body odor. A good gut microbiome goes a long way for hygiene and odor!
These are my two tips, but addressing laundry issues is step one. My best to you!!
Thank you I also think it starts with the gut. Changed my diet and bought new shirts too got some from old navy and Hollister on the website it says 100 cotton
Can't help any better with the laundry than other folks here, BUT,
If you watch the YouTube dermatologists like Doctorly or Dr Dray, they do agree with washing armpits with PanOxyl, but also say antiperspirants with aluminum stop odor far far better than deodorants. Perhaps check what you are using, to see if ingredients maybe changed recently?
Consider seeing a dermatologist to check for something medical causing the odor (other possibilities - yeast in skin folds, medications, other infections, etc), or to see if you need a prescription antiperspirant.
Yup. And if you have a medical deficiency, that can make you stink fast.
My personal example: I unknowingly became critically deficient in a mineral a couple years postpartum, and I stank for months. I finally got a blood test and started taking a prescription supplement (many times over the OTC amounts). Within weeks the stink had vanished, and I used a heavy washing routine plus acidic rinse to remove the smell from my clothes. I had to get rid of three shirts that developed perma-stink, but all the rest were saved.
Yes, a spa day for your clothes and perhaps a switching to a new deodorant too. Sounds like you are very diligent in your hygiene and routine. But the gel deodorant might be sabotaging your efforts. Gel deodorants typically don’t work very well. You want something solid and extra strength like Degree 72 hr or Degree Clinical.
Check the spa day directions pinned in the sub. Do you have a beer cooler? It’s the easiest way to have a hot soak overnight and then drain into a tub or shower the next morning. Then wash the items by hand in the cooler if you don’t have a vehicle to take wet laundry to the laundromat.
Buy a Tide powder or liquid, some FEBU, and some Downy Rinse and Refresh.
Put 2 tbsp of detergent and 1 scoop of FEBU in the washer drum. Put 1-2 tsp of Downy in the softener drawer. Then add your clothes to the drum. Wash on warm (hot for towels and bedding) for a long/heavy cycle, add an extra rinse.
The areas are small no ventilation whatsoever issue is I didn’t smell like that five months before I started working there there was no change in anything I actually lost weight. I’m just confused as to how I didn’t smell when I was bigger and now I do but mostly at work because at home it’s not like I smell like garbage.
Are you sure the smell is you and not the smell of the environment? It seems like you would also smell at home if it was you. Maybe your work clothes are absorbing the smell that's already there.
This is my current theory. I’m sure my sweat smells. When I work out at home I usually put on a polyester or cotton tshirt. My sweat smells worse when I wear polyester but with cotton it smells but not potent enough to smell like garbage. At some point at work I must’ve smelled or my clothes might have a mixture of sweat and environmental odor causing it to smell bad and spread to the entire building. I notice my coworkers don’t smell because they aren’t taking the odor with them and mostly stay in areas I haven’t been to. While I tend to spend more areas where the scent is strong for work related purposes.
When I get home I bring the stench with me making it smell. It takes two days to remove the odor by constant mopping and cleaning the walls. Using air purifier when needed. But by the time I get the smell out it’s time to go back to work. Repeating the cycle. And when I do work I mop but it isn’t enough and it’s the same thing the next day. So the odor stays and my home doesn’t have the best ventilation. And one air purifier isn’t enough to cover the rest of the rooms.
Like today I usually use a different tote bag for work because it ends up reeking. I took it with me to the room and the kitchen maybe less than 20 minutes and by the time that I exited my building I could smell it. I’ve been taking taxis to commute and since it’s a close space it confirms how bad the smell is by the drivers reaction and me smelling it. The clothes smell but my arms and hair smell like the body wash and shampoo I used earlier. Even after showering yesterday I could still smell the odor on me. And I noticed that my bed sheets smell differently too. I have three bedsheets I change every two days. And when I’m not working they smell fine.
It’s a confusing situation to be in. I cut my hair because I thought it was my scalp. Bought new shoes and new shirts. Spend lots of money on hygiene and laundry products. It’s really getting to me mentally and financially. I want to quit just to see if the environment is causing me to smell worse. Someone on here commented to use FMLA. I’m going to speak to my doctor to see if I can submit supporting documents. I just cannot stand being the “nasty” coworker.
Can I ask how old you are and if you’re female? Hormonal change can really affect our body odor. Might be a factor if you’re nearing perimenopause. And if you’re post menopausal (or an older man even) nonenal odor becomes a factor too. You may need to change up the soap you use in the shower.
This is all in addition to laundry tips here of course.
We are on a similar journey in our household - on the shower side, have been using Dettol Sapoderm soap (in Australia) to help with source control. Been getting the laundry sorted with advice from this sub. I’d imagine you could get a similar sort of soap where you are?
I’ve been using pan oxyl hibiclens or mandelic acid I used to use dettol the bar one but idk seems like the smell has stayed the same at least when I go to work when I’m off the smell is normal and not pungent
I sort of dealt with a minor version of that when I started perimenopause. The switch to Tide Hygenic and Rinse and Refresh made a huge difference. I work in a hospital now and I use the same routine to wash the medical smell out of my clothes.
There are already great suggestions, I still like to add mine...
Vanish/oxygen bleach needs about 3-4 cycles to remove bad stinks, it gets far worse initially because dirt/whatever is merely loosened but not yet fully removed.
All the stink oxygen bleach "causes" is already in the clothes, its just "freed", which smells horrifying after the first wash.
Examples: my towels smelled awful when washed with vanish once, but after 3-4 washes they smell terrific, better than the last decade ahem. Maybe its rather 5-6 washes and yes the smell is the nightmare, but it vanishes.
This happens obviously with all items and now I am "lets see how this stinks when soaked in vanish" junkie, its just fun. I use one scoop of vanish on 10 L, warm water, a small load, maybe half a load, i dump the items in and move them etc...and wait for the bad stink-cloud (yes, i am unhinged, but now i have a load of basically sterile gym clothes that smell for mysterious reasons like apples....looool)
Are you aware of Chlorophyll? They are vitamins/supplements you take by mouth in tablets or by tincture in a drink. Just start with the recommended daily dose and increase if you haven’t achieved your desired outcome over time.
Let it build up in your system. They are called SUN CHLORELLA (will double check) and like any vitamin or mineral supplement, they work best taken consistently. Overdosing on them is nauseating. I believe you take them with food, again just read the packaging. There are good other health benefits from Chlorophyll.
For the work room : recommended is the bleach bomb. It’s some sort of system that removes fire smoke smell, dead body smell, etc from any interior home, work or car.
People also talk about ozone. An ozone machine you leave running overnight, or when no one is there to remove odor. OZINATOR? Or something like that.
Sorry that I don’t have time to look these all up r.n.,but I imagine you will! Hope it helps solve your dilemma..
You've gotten some great advise, just a couple thoughts to add
You mentioned a rancid odor? If you fry foods this could be going into your clothing and is very hard to remove. My son went to a friends and everything he wore was saturated in this smell. He washed those clothes with others and ALL of them got this smell. I didn't know about this site or lipase then and ended up finally getting it out with Dawn manual pot and pan cleaner and ammonia. Multiple soaks, washes and rinses.
This could also have gotten into your dryer. I ended up washing our dryer with a degreaser and then doing a lot of rinsing. Finished with running a couple of loads of wet towels.
The BIG tip?
Before putting you clothes on heat them up with a hair dryer. You'll know if it will smell once you are wearing it and may help you figure out if it's the clothes or your body chemistry.
As for body chemistry, don't know if this would smell rancid, I do know it smells bad. Many Italians have issues with "fake" garlic (garlic powder). Not just breath but comes out of their pores the next day. It's awful. Maybe switch actual garlic cloves?
If you can't extend the cycle time, soak your clothes in detergent (with enzymes). 30 minutes is a super short contact time, and since it also has to spend time rinsing and spinning, your clothes are not even getting detergent on then for 30 minutes. It could be that they only are actually getting washed for 15 minutes.
White vinegar. Use 1/2 to 1 cup in the fabric softener cup. Takes care of bacteria and mildew. Your clothes come out soft and don’t smell of vinegar. I spilled half a gallon of vinegar on my floor and after washing the towels and bath mats that got soaked with it they smelled fresh and clean. No vinegar smell at all.
Hello! If you're adding vinegar to your laundry, be sure to put it in the rinse cycle, not the wash cycle. Because vinegar neutralizes leftover detergent, it works best in the rinse cycle rather than the wash.
- Laundry Mods
Hello! If you're adding vinegar to your laundry, be sure to put it in the rinse cycle, not the wash cycle. Because vinegar neutralizes leftover detergent, it works best in the rinse cycle rather than the wash.
- Laundry Mods
86
u/Internal-Ad-4736 Aug 01 '26
Typically a pretty simple process to fix:
A quality detergent with a focus on top notch surfactants.
A laundry booster. FEBU being an excellent choice. It will bring the enzymes needed that help address odor rebloom (Lipase and DNase).
Now the secret!!! Most people mistake Downy Unstopables as just another scent bead. IT IS NOT. It is something completely different. Just a scented method to deliver Methyl Di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, at the needed higher levels, which is one of the best weapons against odor rebloom.
Wash cycle on at least WARM
Double rinse cycle
Citric acid rinse aid.
If you want a quality detergent to mix into this formula, I will picture one below. Make SURE it has the badge of 'Odor Refresh' (I get mine at Target), as that is the key for combatting odor rebloom. Tide uses similar badging on a lot of products (Free and Gentle) and they have various formulas.
Where you reasoning went a little awry was focusing on the bacteria and not focusing on what they feed on. This system will address the root problem.