TOP 13 remedies and methods to get rid of fishy smell on clothes
When cooking or carelessly using fish dishes, particles of the product settle on clothes, leaving a smell that is difficult to remove both by traditional methods and by special means. To remove foreign odors from clothes without going through a dry cleaner, you need to know a few tricks and use household chemicals correctly.
Characteristics of fish aroma
All fish, to a greater or lesser extent, have a characteristic aroma, which appears for the following reasons:
- The fatty acids contained in the product are quickly oxidized, which causes an unpleasant odor.
- Many species of fish are predators. There are special enzymes on their body that make it easier to digest when they come to a larger individual. When fish is caught, enzymes remain on the fish's body, accelerating spoilage and triggering the release of unpleasant odors.
- Fish proteins break down much faster than similar elements in other animals. The cold does not slow down this process, so after a few hours a characteristic aroma will emanate from the carcass.
All this leads to the fact that when in contact with chilled fish, the unpleasant smell permeates clothes faster, but it is not easy to get rid of it. As soon as mucus or pieces of fillet settle on the shirt or pants, measures should be taken to eliminate the specific aroma.
General breeding rules
It is important to remember that improvised means and household chemicals will not always give a positive result in the fight against fishy odor. It can be removed independently from cotton fabrics. If outerwear, silk, satin, lace or fine synthetic material has been stained, you will need to take it to a dry cleaner. At home, when using folk methods, the clothes described above are easy to ruin, so it is better not to risk it and entrust the work to professionals. In other cases, you should try to get rid of the smell yourself.
It's important to remember that products like citric acid, baking soda, and vinegar can discolor brightly colored items.
The main ways to get rid of odors
The most popular methods are soaking and boiling. After such exposure, it is important to rinse your clothes well and then machine wash them on a suitable cycle with powder and a scented fabric softener.
Soak
You can remove a specific fishy smell by soaking items:
- With bleach. A chlorine-free product is fine. A little product is diluted in water, put the clothes in the resulting solution for an hour.
- In vinegar. For 4 liters of water take 4 tbsp. I. essences, things are soaked in the resulting solution for half an hour.
- In cold salt water. Dissolve some salt in water and let things soak for several hours.
- In soapy flakes. Rub 20 gr. laundry soap on a fine grater and dissolve in warm water. Dirty clothes are immersed in the resulting solution and left for 45 minutes.
Pre-soaking will help remove the slight fishy aroma.But if it is very strong and there are pronounced stains on wardrobe items, you will have to resort to more effective methods.
Boil with laundry soap
Regular laundry soap will help remove the fishy smell. It should be grated on a medium-sized grater. Things are placed in a large saucepan, poured with water, grated soap is added and boiled for no more than an hour. As the water evaporates, you need to add fresh water to get things covered in soapy water.
Additional methods
If the usual soaking or boiling did not help, or such an effect is contraindicated in things, then it is worth using folk methods. The products listed below are available in almost every home, so getting rid of the smell of fish will not be difficult.
lemon acid
Pour lukewarm water into a large basin and dissolve 2 tbsp. I. citric acid. Soak the soiled objects in the solution obtained and leave to act for 60 minutes. After that, the clothes are thoroughly rinsed and washed.
Baking soda
This method works well for clothes with an old fishy smell. 200 g are poured into the compartment of the powder machine. soda and wash clothes as usual.
Saline solution
A solution saturated with salt perfectly removes not only odors, but also fatty stains from fish. A full tablespoon of salt is taken in a glass of water, things are soaked in this solution for 90 minutes, then washed.
The vinegar
To remove an unpleasant smell, you need to dissolve 300 ml of vinegar in 10 liters of warm water and soak dirty things for half an hour. The garment is then machine washed with a scented fabric softener.
Vinegar, rubbing alcohol and water
All ingredients are taken equally. In the resulting mixture, you need to soak the clothes for half an hour, rinse well and wash.
Ammonia and dishwashing detergent
Pour warm water into a basin, dilute a little ammonia and saturated dishwashing detergent in it. Immerse things, gently wipe away stains. After that, wash the clothes and dry them.
When using the above methods, it is important to remember that they can deteriorate not only the color, but also the structure of the fabric. It is not recommended to leave clothes for too long exposure, after several times it is necessary to rinse them with clean water.
Use of special tools
If you do not want to bother with folk recipes, then professional household chemicals will come to the rescue. Due to the large amount of surfactants and strong fragrances, such products not only remove stains, but also give things a delicate and pleasant aroma.
They are used in small quantities, thereby reducing the likelihood of accidental damage to clothing due to the aggressive effects of household chemicals.
Reach
You can use the powder of the same name. It is better to wash clothes in hot water, additionally setting the double rinse mode.Be sure to use an air conditioner.
Dosya Dishwashing Detergent with Citrus Scent works well to remove odors. It is dissolved in warm water, the items are soaked for half an hour, after which they are washed by hand. Clean clothes are rinsed thoroughly and hung to dry.
Comet-gel
Dissolve a little product in water, immerse things for 15-20 minutes, then wash. "Comet" will not only remove the smell, but also remove greasy stains.
Tikkurila
Tikkuril's white spirit is able to remove the stubborn smell of fish. A small amount of the product is applied to the dirt, after which the clothes are washed in the machine in an appropriate mode. It is necessary to carry out the manipulation in a well-ventilated place.
Amway
The SA8 range contains concentrated liquid and powder detergents which are used to wash dirty or smelly items. They are added to the dispensing compartment of the washing machine, after which the clothes are washed. If the fish left greasy stains, a pre-wash spray will help.
Calgon
It is used to wash things in a typewriter. The product softens the water, so the powder has a better effect on dirt. In addition, "Kalgon" neutralizes unpleasant odors, so clothes and the drum of the machine will not smell of fish.
Tips & Tricks
Here are some tips to get rid of the bad smell faster and easier:
- If work activities involve constant contact with fish, it is recommended to collect bad smelling clothes and wash them at the same time to save energy and detergents.
- The following trick will help reduce the fishy smell slightly: Each item should be wrapped in newspaper before processing. The paper will absorb some of the smell, so it will be easier for the hostess to store her favorite clothes.
- After washing, dry the wardrobe items in a well-ventilated area or outdoors. This trick will help to refresh the fabric additionally, give it a subtle pleasant aroma.
- When cleaning, boiling or frying fish, the hostess should wear an apron and ventilate the room well so that as little smell as possible is absorbed into the fabric.
Getting rid of fishy aroma is not easy, but possible. It is worth using both folk and special means. If they do not help you, you will have to entrust the cleaning of things to professional dry cleaners.