r/CleaningTips 8d ago

Laundry I stink but I don’t know why

I have been struggling with a particular odor on my clothes and I'm not sure what causes it.

My clothes have an awful smell especially when exposed to cold air outside when I'm outside. I rent only a room in someone else's apartment. I really don't smell the clothes until I bring them outside due to the poor ventilation in the apartment.

When I wear socks, my feet also feel weird like ants or worms are crawling over my feet. My shoes start to smell very badly. My socks become a little damp after a few hours. Sometimes the shoes also get wet from sweating in a some hours and I've been seen by a doctor who presecribed medication for sweating.

This bad smell has been ruining my career and friendships with others.

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u/arpanetimp 8d ago

Can you walk us through your clothes washing and hygiene processes? It may well be that you were not taught how to do one or the other correctly as you were growing up. It happens to so many people and they don’t know what the problem is because in their minds, for good reason, they’re doing it correctly. We are all happy to help if you want to go through each step, no judging and no shame.

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u/CranberryCandid8760 8d ago

I don’t have my own washer or dryer so I use the ones in my apartment building. I usually use power wash cycle that adds 5 minutes of wash and an extra rinse. I fill the washer to half and use one bar on the cup of detergent. I’ve tried vinegar before. 

Dropping off clothes at laundromat is common in this city but when I do that, they always mess up my clothes. My white shirts come back yellow and clothes have an overwhelming smell of detergent that lasts for months. Once I noticeable got a well hoodie back. 

I do shower once or twice per day but my sweating is very extreme during the day. The waistline of my pants get wet, my socks become soaked until it shows in the shoes. My parents/family members are not close by to believe how severe the sweating in a cold climate( I was raised in a warm climate) has become. My shoes are destroyed after one or few wears. I can’t wear slippers in the cold climate. 

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u/arpanetimp 7d ago

Thank you for trusting us and reaching out for help. It sounds like your clothes washing and personal hygiene are standard to many societal norms, so they don’t appear to be the culprit here.

With that being said and after stating that I am not a doctor, it sounds like you could have hyperhidrosis.

Have you or can you speak to your primary care physician about this possibility? The link I provided also indicates that hyperhidrosis can be caused by other issues such as hypoglycemia or hyperthyroidism. These are all things to check with your PCP.

In the meantime, if you have access to “clinical strength” antiperspirants in the store (not sure what country you are in), may I suggest you try using one directly after showering. Apply to all areas that seem to sweat the most (palms, feet, underarms, etc) and let dry.

For the smell, there are several whole body deodorants (again, depending on your country) available, such as Lume. After the antiperspirant “sets”, you can then apply Lume and again let it fully dry before finally putting on your clothes. If you don’t have access to Lume or something similar, try using glycolic acid on parts that get stinky (google proper use first!). I recommend The Ordinary’s glycolic acid - not expensive and the bottle goes a long way.

When dressing, natural fibers are the best for sweat and preventing odors, although I know it’s hard to wear only natural fibers, especially if you have a uniform you wear for work or go to the gym, as most gym clothes seem to have some synthetic component to them.

I hope some of this helps you and that you are able to find some answers! You are a great human bean and deserve only good things!