Clothes that are dried in the shade smell bad... See here for quick deodorization methods →

Review expert: Peng Guoqiu, deputy chief physician of the Fourth Medical Center of the General Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Since the flood season in Beijing, dry weather has gradually been replaced by hot and humid weather. If you encounter continuous rainy weather after washing clothes, or accidentally put clothes that are not completely dry in the closet, then these wet clothes can only be dried in the shade.

Some netizens complained that clothes dried in the shade always have a bad smell, like smelly feet, or something rotten. Even if you are far away, you can still be hit by this indescribable smell...

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Why do clothes that are dried in the shade smell so bad? How can we get rid of this bad smell? Let’s talk about it in detail today.

Why do clothes smell when dried in the shade?

Clothes that are dried in the shade often have a bad smell, which is related to the growth of microorganisms.

After washing, there are usually 20% stains left on the clothes, including bacteria and sebum. In an environment with dry air and plenty of sunshine, the clothes can be dried quickly and the bacteria will not grow exponentially.

It is different on warm, humid and rainy days. Clothes with residual stains are like natural culture dishes for bacteria. The bacteria hidden in the cracks and corners of clothes will multiply in large numbers under the right humidity and temperature, and will produce acidic substances such as propionic acid, which will make the clothes have a sour smell.

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In addition, among the many bacteria and fungi that grow on clothing, **"Oslo Moraxella" is particularly special. Unlike other common bacteria, it is an aerobic bacteria with strong resistance to drying and ultraviolet rays. **

If exposed to sunlight from time to time, bacteria such as E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus can be killed, but Moraxella osloensis can still survive. When the clothes finally dry in the shade, as the moisture content of the fabric decreases , the growth of most bacteria and molds will stop, but Moraxella osloensis will still be active.

What's even more frustrating is that this bacterium produces many unpleasant substances during the metabolism process, such as intermediate alcohols, aldehydes and various acids. Among them, 4-methyl-3-hexenoic acid, which smells similar to stinky feet, is the main source of the strange smell.

Why can’t clothes be washed clean?

Why do 20% of the stains remain on washed clothes? Is it because they were not washed thoroughly?

In fact, no matter how carefully we soak, how long we wash, or even use high-efficiency laundry detergent, it is difficult to completely remove all residues and microorganisms from clothes.

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Studies have found that various microorganisms adhere, grow and secrete extracellular matrix on the surface and gaps of textiles to form biofilms. Although regular cleaning can maintain hygiene, it cannot remove microorganisms that have already formed biofilms.

****Among all types of textile materials, natural fibers such as wool, silk, and cotton are more difficult to wash clean and are more likely to breed bacteria and fungi and cause odor. Synthetic fibers are slightly less likely to stink.

Wash clothes you haven't worn for a long time.

Whenever the seasons change, many people will put away out-of-season clothes and take out other clothes at the bottom of the box. These clothes have clearly been washed before packing, so why can they still smell?

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In fact, the odor produced by clothes after being stored for a long time may be the smell of the wardrobe itself, or it may be that the environment is too humid or the clothes are not dried before being folded, causing the growth of microorganisms on the clothes.

Not only the smell, but also the clothes that have been stored for a long time will mix with various dirt in the air (such as dust, bacteria, mold, etc.), which is very easy to breed dust mites. If children, people with low immunity, allergy patients and other people come into contact with dust mites for a long time, it may cause bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis, and it may also cause skin itching, acne breeding, erythema, papules, etc.

Therefore, it is recommended to wash the clothes before wearing them.

How to remove odor from clothes?

01 If you need to wear the clothes in a hurry, put them in a bag and blow them with a hair dryer on cold air for 15 minutes to remove the odor.

02 If you need to wear the clothes in a hurry, you can also put the clothes in a place with plenty of steam, such as the bathroom where you have just taken a shower. The steam can quickly penetrate into the inner layer of the clothes and effectively remove the odor on the clothes.

03 If the odor on the clothes is stubborn, you can wash them again and air them. For mildew stains on clothes, you can use different methods to remove them, such as soaking the clothes in rice water or scrubbing them with alcohol solution, hot soapy water, etc.

04 In case of damp and rainy weather, you can choose high temperature drying. High temperature drying can effectively kill bacteria and fungi to a certain extent. At the same time, drying can greatly shorten the drying time of clothes and effectively remove odors caused by microorganisms.

05 You can find a special long-lasting antibacterial detergent, so that even if the clothes are dried in the shade, it is not easy to produce odor.