Removing Paint Odors, Tackling Mystery Stains

The Work Shirt Stained

When it comes to doing laundry, there are some stains that are more difficult to eliminate than others. Some stains leave behind an unpleasant odor, which is equally difficult to remove. And there are even some stains whose origins are a bit of mystery. The good news is that there is a way to make all those odoriferous stains fade away.

The problem with paint is that even though the color may be removed from your clothing, the chemicals still manage to seep in. The chemicals are made up of compounds that attach to the fabric of our clothes. Those compounds are so strong that something is needed to break them down. A similar premise applies to other types of mystery stains that continue to have a funky smell.

First and foremost, it is important not to use any kind of bleach when removing paint odors or other chemicals from clothing. The combination of bleach and other compounds could create fumes that are hazardous.

The initial step in ridding those odors is to give your clothes a thorough rinsing in cold water. Then, it is time for the age-old remedy of baking soda. Add a cup of baking soda along with a heavy-duty detergent and this combination will attempt to break down those compounds. For stains that are more severe, try using ammonia in place of the baking soda and wash in warm water.

Also, be sure to leave plenty of room in your washing machine. You want water to penetrate the stains from all angles and fully inundate the clothing. And to be on the safe side, let those clothes air dry. You don’t want to inadvertently start a fire by having some chemicals go up in flames while on high heat.

Once the clothes are dry, drop them into a bucket of cold water. Add a cup of baking soda and let them sit out overnight. And if the clothes still have an unpleasant odor, drop them into a sealable bag with some baking soda and set them out in the sun for a few days. This will allow the baking soda time to absorb all those nasty little compounds that are the source of those unpleasant odors.

And last but not least, one of the oldest solutions is to wear some old clothes when you are painting and then discard them when you are done.