10 Effective Ways to Deodorize Clothes Without Washing Them

Co-authored by Susan Stocker and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: January 17, 2026 References

We've all been there. Maybe it's a hot day and you're a little sweaty, or you pull clothes out of the closet and notice a musty smell. You may not have time to stop and run a load of laundry at a moment's notice. That's totally fine! There are lots of little tricks you can try to get your clothes smelling fresh in an instant. Try some of the suggestions below to get your clothes smelling great so you can get on with your day.

1

Get rid of body odor with white vinegar.

Turn sweaty clothes inside out and make a diluted vinegar spray. Just fill a clean bottle with equal parts white vinegar and water. Then, spritz it over the smelly fabric.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Susan Stocker
House Cleaning Professional

Expert Interview} Let the fabric dry completely—the vinegar smell and the odor should disappear!^{[2]
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- Don't use apple cider vinegar since the distinctive smell might not fade completely.

2

Spray your light-colored clothes with vodka.

Fill a spray bottle with straight vodka and spritz it onto the stinky spots. This also works with vintage clothes that have a musty smell. The alcohol in the vodka clings to the smell so it disappears as the vodka evaporates! Just make sure you don't use fruity or flavored vodka.^{[3]
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- It's totally fine to use cheap vodka for this. It's just as effective as a top-shelf bottle.
- Alcohol could discolor dark fabrics so don't use this spray on dark jeans or clothes.

3

Use a natural lemon spray.

Mix 1 US tbsp (15 ml) of lemon juice with ³⁄₄ c (180 ml) of water. Pour your homemade deodorizer into a clean spray bottle and spritz it all over your smelly clothes. Then, hang them up to dry.^{[4]
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- This spray works best for white clothes since the lemon juice could bleach your colorful clothes.

4

Toss the clothes in a bag with a dryer sheet.

Seal the bag and shake it so the fabric's coated with the scent. Then, leave the clothes in the sealed bag for about 10 minutes so the fresh smell is strong. When you take them out, you'll have clothes that smell brand new!^{[5]
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- If you're deodorizing black clothing, check it when you take it out of the bag. If you see white residue from the dryer sheet, just brush it off.

5

Stick stinky clothes in the freezer.

Fold your items and put them in a sealable bag. Then, pop it in the freezer overnight. When you check on your clothes in the morning, the stinky smell should be gone!^{[6]
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- It's thought that cold temperatures can kill odor-causing bacteria.

6

Air out your clothes.

Shake out stinky clothes and hang them out in the sunshine. If you've got sweaty workout clothes and no time to wash them, don't leave them wadded up in your gym bag! Sometimes, just taking them out and hanging them on a drying rack on a clothesline in the sunshine can work wonders.^{[7]
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- Give the clothes a few hours to air out before you check to see if they're still smelly.
- Sunlight can kill bacteria on clothes, but it can also fade fabrics so you may want to put vibrant-colored clothes in the shade or on a drying rack in your home.

7

Spritz storebought deodorizing spray onto the clothes.

Buy antibacterial spray designed for laundry if you need a quick fix. Take your smelly clothes and hang them up. Then, spray the clothes all over with the deodorizing spray. It should instantly freshen up your musty or stinky clothes.^{[8]
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- Toss one of these sprays in your bag if you're traveling or you hit the gym.

8

Use a baking soda paste to remove sweat smells

Stir a few spoonfuls of water into baking soda to make a thick paste. Turn your clothes inside out and rub the paste onto the stinky areas. This works really well for armpit odors, for instance. Once the paste dries, brush it off and turn your clothes right side out.^{[9]
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- You can probably brush off the dried paste by hand, but if it's not coming off easily wipe it with a dry brush.

9

Store your clothes with charcoal or a scented sachet.

Take a cloth bag and fill it with charcoal to absorb musty odors. This is super helpful if you're storing clothes for a while in a musty closet where not a lot of air circulates. If you don't have vegetable charcoal, fill the bag with uncooked rice and a few sprigs of herbs like rosemary or lavender.^{[10]
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- The uncooked rice can absorb moisture from the closet that makes your clothes smell in the first place.
- Although this isn't a quick deodorizing trick, it can really keep your clothes smelling fresh in between uses.

10

Make a sachet pouch for storing your clothes.

Pop a scented sachet into your drawers to keep your clothes fresh. This is also a great trick if you'll be traveling—just tuck a pouch into your suitcase. To make a scented sachet, pour all these ingredients into a cloth bag and seal it closed:^{[11]
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- 2 cups (420 g) of uncooked rice
- 40 drops of essential oils like lavender
- 1 cup (53 g) of dried rosemary