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Do you regularly buy second-hand clothing on Vinted or in a vintage store? Then you have probably noticed that there was a musty or unpleasant odor on your clothes. You would think that you would just wash it, but unfortunately this is not always sufficient. Curious how to make second-hand clothes smell like new again? We have the answer.
Shopping for second-hand clothing
In 2023, there is nothing crazy about buying your clothes second-hand. It is cheaper, better for the environment and not always necessary to buy something new. Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages. This means you are dependent on how the previous owner handled it. For example, clothing can smell musty or like smoke. Not very fresh, but we have a solution for that.
Let it air
Before you start using expensive detergents: first let the clothes air out. This is the most natural and effective way to get musty smells out of second-hand clothes. Hang the clothes outside on a dry day. And not for an hour, because that is often not enough. Simply leave the clothes outside all day or even several days.
Wash more often
If clothing has a musty or unpleasant smell, washing it once is often not enough. Therefore, wash the clothing as warmly as possible for at least three times. In addition, not washing second-hand clothing properly can also entail other risks such as scabies.
Steaming in the bathroom
You really don’t have to take your clothes to the dry cleaner to have them dry cleaned properly. You can also do this yourself. Hang your clothes in the bathroom when you take a hot shower. After this, you can let it air outside and it will smell wonderfully fresh again.
Vinegar
Is the smell still gone or is there a strong smoke smell in the clothes? Then place the clothing in a bucket of vinegar mixed with water and leave it overnight. Wash the clothes twice after this and your odor should be gone.