A few years ago my mom found this great formula for getting fragrances/smells (even gasoline odor) out of clothes:
We call it the Coca-cola Recipe –
– put 1-2 cups baking soda and 1 quart (4 cups) of coca-cola in a small water level in the washing machine
– stir mixture (or let the machine agitate for a minute)
– add the clothes (you can increase the water level after adding the clothes if necessary, just try to keep the load fairly small)
– turn off the machine and soak clothes overnight (or up to 24 hours)
– finish the machine’s washing cycle and then wash once more as you normally would (we use Charlie’s Soap for our laundry – charliesoap.com)
If the fragrance/chemical in the clothes is really persistent, you might need to repeat this process again the next day.
This has worked really well for us. I’m just glad to know there’s a healthy use for coca-cola. =)
Note: If your laundry room is not air conditioned and you live in a hot, humid place (like FL), then after doing this a couple of times you’ll probably need to rinse your washing machine with vinegar, as the coca-cola combined with humidity can cause a slight mildew build-up in it.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
You're welcome! Let me know if you have any questions.
God bless,
-Joanna
Thanks for this info! Will be trying it tonight on hubby's clothes.
~Beth