How to Get the Sulfur Smell from Clothes: 9 Steps

The smell of sulfur on clothing is very unpleasant. Some people compare this smell to rotten egg, and it can be very difficult to remove from clothes, even after washing and aerating several times. Fortunately, it only takes a few homemade items to remove this terrible sulfur stench.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Using baking soda

Remove the Odor of Sulfur from Clothing Step 1

Step 1. Soak the garment in a baking soda solution before washing it

Baking soda is a very common household product used for many things. It is commonly used to remove terrible smells and stains, so this is the perfect product to use in this case. Baking soda is a deodorizer as it chemically neutralizes odors.

Do not wash clothes before soaking them in baking soda.
Add 1 cup of baking soda to a large bucket or sink, or add 1/2 cup to a small bucket or sink. Soak your clothes overnight – for eight hours longer.
If the fabric can be machine washed, this method will work normally. If it is a dry cleaning suit, you should avoid trying and take it to a professional laundry.

Remove the Odor of Sulfur from Clothing Step 2

Step 2. Wash clothes

To better remove bad smells from clothing, add 1/2 cup of baking soda to your regular laundry detergent. Doing so will help neutralize the odor, leaving you with a fresh, clean laundry smell.

Wash clothes in water at the temperature as indicated on the label. Some fabrics and colors should be washed in hot water, and others are better in cold water.
Hang clothes to dry outdoors. You can hang it indoors or outdoors. Do not dry it in a dryer.

Remove the Odor of Sulfur from Clothing Step 3

Step 3. Put the clothes in a bag with baking soda if the smell is too strong

If you've tried soaking your laundry in a baking soda solution but the smell still lingers, try this before washing it. Place dry clothes in a plastic bag with 1/2 cup of baking soda. Leave the bag sealed for a day or two before soaking the garment in a baking soda solution. After doing so, wash it again.

Part 2 of 3: Using Vinegar

Remove the Odor of Sulfur from Clothing Step 4

Step 1. Soak the garment in vinegar

There are many different types of vinegars: To remove the sulfur smell, use regular white vinegar. White vinegar is commonly used in home remedies, as a cleaning product and to remove strong odors. It is usually inexpensive and can be found at any grocery store or convenience store.

Add 1-2 cups of vinegar with water to a bucket or tank. Add the garment to the mixture and let it soak for 30 minutes to an hour. Avoid doing it for more than a few hours

Remove the Odor of Sulfur from Clothing Step 5

Step 2. Wash clothes with vinegar

Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the laundry detergent when you machine wash clothes to help remove any odor that tends to stick. This includes the smell of sulfur.

Wash clothes in water at the temperature as indicated on the label. This prevents the clothes from staining or shrinking. If the label indicates that the laundry should be dry cleaned, take it to a professional laundry instead of doing it yourself.
Vinegar also works well as a fabric softener.

Remove the Odor of Sulfur from Clothing Step 6

Step 3. Rinse clothes

To remove the vinegar completely, wash the clothes again using only regular laundry detergent. Vinegar has a very strong smell too, especially when used to soak clothes. It may be necessary to wash the garment again to remove its smell.

Hang clothes to dry indoors or outdoors. Repeat this process if the sulfur smell remains after drying.
Do not dry clothes in a dryer until the sulfur smell has been completely removed.

Part 3 of 3: Drying Outdoor Clothes

Remove the Odor of Sulfur from Clothing Step 7

Step 1. Hang the laundry to dry

Put a clothesline on your porch or backyard. Hang the laundry on it and allow it to air dry. The odor is best removed when clothes are dried on a clothesline, especially in an open, airy place. Fresh air is great for removing odors.

Do not hang clothes in very cold temperatures, or in rain.
To prevent color fading, do not hang vibrant or dark colored clothing directly in direct sunlight. If the clothes are white or have a pastel shade, then sunlight will not be a problem.
If you live in a cold area, you can hang your clothes indoors.

Remove the Odor of Sulfur from Clothing Step 8

Step 2. Hang the laundry above a bowl of vinegar

Vinegar is great for absorbing bad odors, so keep clothes close to it to get rid of bad odors. Pour 2 cups of vinegar into a bowl of hot water and hang the laundry above it to dry after washing.

Remove the Odor of Sulfur from Clothing Step 9

Step 3. Do not dry clothes in a dryer

This will make the whole house smell like sulfur. Clothing may need to be soaked or washed a few times to remove the sulfur smell, so avoid using the dryer unless you are sure the smell has passed.