How to Get Thrift Store Smell Off Clothes (6 Best Ways)

Today, we’re going to learn how to get that thrift store smell out of clothes.

As a budget hunter, reseller, and someone who loves fashion, thrift stores have become one of my best friends. There’s nothing like finding an affordable vintage piece of clothing that’s in fashion.

However, as a thrifter, I often run into the same stinky problem:

The thrift store smell. Yuck!

Nobody wants to wear smelly clothes, and surely nobody around you would like it either. 

But there is good news. There’s plenty of ways to get that pesky thrift store smell out of those clothes. 

The Best 6 Methods to Get Rid of Thrift Store Smells

There’s plenty of possibilities when it comes to removing the smell from clothing. But we’ve gathered some of the best and easiest methods that you can do at home. 

Let’s take a look at the six best methods of telling that “thrift store stink” to take a hike. 

• Vinegar
• Baking Soda
• Sunlight
• Vodka
• Charcoal Deodorizer
• Scented Detergent

You’ll find these methods easy and doable right at home. Utilizing household items is critical when it comes to ease-of-use and availability for these processes. There’s no need for some advanced chemical or expensive service when you can do the job yourself with just a little effort.

Vinegar

When you think of vinegar, you’re probably not expecting such a strong-smelling substance to be a great scent remover. 

You’d then be surprised to find out that it’s one of the top methods for clearing your clothes of strange odors. Vinegar is great for removing odors due to its acetic acid properties.

Utilizing the power of vinegar is an easy enough process. 

First, you’ll need to get your hands on some white vinegar. White vinegar can be purchased at your local grocery store. 

Second, you’ll simply need to add a ½ cup of said white vinegar in with your detergent when you go to do your laundry. 

And it’s that easy! Your clothes should come out refreshed and odorless thanks to the vinegar you added. 

Warning: You may have apple cider vinegar in your home as well. We recommended avoiding using this as you may run the risk of staining some of your clothing. 

If you find that your clothes are still a little smelly, simply repeat the process until they are no longer unpleasantly scented. 

Baking Soda

Baking soda is another common household item that you can use to your advantage. This common ingredient is also fantastic at removing odors from your thrift store clothing. 

There are two primary methods of utilizing baking soda as a deodorizer. 

The first method is merely sprinkling baking soda on the clothes you wish to freshen. Ensure that the clothing is well coated in the powder. Once this is done, just leave the clothes sitting for 1-2 hours then wash them as you usually would. 

Another method of using baking soda requires mixing baking soda with water and soaking your clothes.

Take 1 cup of baking soda and mix it in with 1 gallon of water. You can do this in a bucket or even your kitchen sink. Place the clothing you wish to clean into the mixture and stir it to ensure the clothes are soaked. Leave the clothes soaking overnight and then wash them in the laundry as you normally would. 

With either of these methods, you should find your clothes free of those thrift store smells. 

Sunlight

You might not have known, but sunlight can be a useful tool in removing the odor from clothing. And the best part about sunshine? It’s free!

The UV rays given off by the sun can serve you by killing the bacteria related to some smells that may be plaguing your new thrift store finds. 

Simply leave the clothing out in the sunlight for a while to get rid of these bacteria. Hanging your clothes on a traditional clothesline can be a great way to ensure your clothing is hit all over by the sun’s rays. 

Unfortunately, you can’t do this with every piece of clothing you may find. Some fabrics can be damaged by prolonged exposure to sunlight, and you may find some printed shirts end up fading.

Vodka

Next up on the list of great deodorizers is vodka. The strong alcohol content within this familiar spirit can prove to be a scent removing powerhouse. 

Now, don’t go pouring vodka all over your smelly clothes, this requires a more subtle approach. 

You’ll want to take a spray bottle, similar to the one you commonly find housing cleaners like Windex and pour some of your vodka into the container. Then, take your clothes and spray them with the vodka. Allow the clothing to sit for a while, and as the alcohol evaporates, it’ll take the odors out with it.  

Now you know, vodka isn’t just good for partying. 

Charcoal deodorizer

Of all the options so far, this is the least likely to already be in your home. A charcoal deodorizer is a small pouch of activated charcoal. This little pouch is used to absorb the odors from your clothes. 

You can easily find them online or at a local retail center, like Walmart. Using these robust little pouches is extremely easy. 

To use the pouches, you can:

• Place the pouches in the pockets of the clothing if applicable.
• Put the clothes in a bag with the deodorizer. 
• Hang your charcoal deodorizers with the smelly clothing in your closet. 

These and any other methods that allow the pouch and clothing to come into close contact are great uses of the charcoal deodorizers and will leave those thrift store clothes smelling fresh. 

Scented Detergent

A straightforward method of removing that thrift store smell from your clothes can come from merely laundering them with a scented detergent. 

Unfortunately, scented detergents aren’t the best option for everyone, as some people find themselves sensitive to artificial smells. Make sure to consider yourself before using scented detergents. 

Scented detergents can mask the smells clinging to your thrift store clothes and leave them smelling nice and fresh after a wash.

If you find that your skin is sensitive to the chemicals used in some popular scented detergents, you can opt for a more natural, plant-based scented detergent to hide those nasty odors. 

Although not for everyone, scented detergents can make that thrift store smell become something pleasant. 

Why Do Thrift Store Clothes Smell?

Your thrift store clothes could smell for any number of different reasons. 

Just think about it: 

These clothes used to belong to someone else. Who knows what those clothing items have been exposed to? Maybe it’s better not to think about that. 

But if we’re going to answer this question seriously, we have to think about these things. 

In a short study conducted by scientists at Tide, it was revealed that many vintage smells are derived from various bodily sources. 

Gross! 

Things like sweat, skin, and body oils are the common culprits of that vintage smell. External factors like cigarette smoke, alcohol, gasoline, and cleaners can also play a part in the odors. 

That doesn’t make you want to buy the clothes at all. But now you’re armed with a myriad of methods to remove those odors from your clothes thoroughly. If you decide to use them, you don’t have to miss out on that great jacket that smells a little too much like a campfire. 

Aren’t you glad we helped you learn how to sanitize clothes from a thrift store?

Are Thrift Store Clothes Safe?

In short, yes. If thrift store clothes were not safe, stores would likely not take them to sell. 

While general clothing is usually safe, there are still precautions to take and items to avoid. 

For instance, don’t buy underwear from a thrift store. The clothing at thrift stores is used. Just don’t. 

As the topic for today has been smelly thrift store clothes, it should be noted that you should always clean the clothes you buy from a thrift store before wearing them, especially if it’s smelly. An odor means bacteria, which could be harmful to the wrong person. 

If you take proper cleaning precautions and avoid items like underwear, then thrift store clothes are safe and should not be a cause of concern. 

Just please don’t wear that shirt with the unidentifiable stain before you clean it. 

Conclusion

There we have it. That was six of the best methods that you can use to remove that thrift store smell from your new clothes. 

From vinegar washing to charcoal absorption, you’ve got an entire arsenal of odor battling tools at your disposal.

Keep these in mind next time you’re thrifting, so you don’t have to pass on that great pair of pants that smells just a little too funky. And now you even know why they might smell that way. Isn’t that fun? 

Jokes aside, we hope that you find these methods useful and continue to expand your wardrobe with those killer finds.

If you’re looking for a place to sell your freshly cleaned thrift finds, check out our platform Sheepbuy. Unlike other online-selling platforms that nip away at your profits with pesky fees, we only charge a small monthly subscription fee and allow you to start out free.

What to look for at thrift stores to resell: Top 7 things to look for at thrift stores to resell.

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