Stinky barn clothes

[just_shoot_me]

Hi, I tried a search but didn’t get very far. Sorry if this has been talked about before. I am switching laundry detergent. I need suggestions that will get stink out of barn and workout clothes. I was using Hex pods but they suck and if I cut the pods and put the soap in the dispenser it wouldn’t all make it to the wash drum.

I have a HE front load Whirlpool. I was thinking of trying Nellie’s Washing Soda. Is a powder a good choice for a front load? Will powder dissolve in so little water?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions?

[Redlei44]

We use Tide free and clear (the extra strength stain removal stuff I’ve only found at Target, not the plain f&c).

The main thing I’ve noticed is that cold water won’t cut the grease and stink. So I wash everything in at least warm water, even if the tag says cold (like sunshirts, which I still do on delicate, just not cold).

[Simkie]

We use All free and clear–probably a lot like the Tide free and clear. No stink coming out of the wash. Oxyclean and/or borax in reeeeally dirty loads.

Are you having problems with cotton fabrics, or the fancy sports synthetics? Those technical fabrics can really hold on to funk, but the borax seems to really help with that.

[Woodsperson]

Persil Pro Clean. Also wash your clothes immediately after you take them off.

[AltersAreUs]

One thing I’ve found that cuts the workout odor is to add a cup of white vinegar to the “pre-wash” part of the cycle. I have a front load HE washer and there is a cup in the detergent area labeled “pre-wash”. The vinegar does a great job of getting rid of icky smells and it gets rinsed out well enough that my clothes don’t smell of it.

[Scribbler]

Yes, warm or hot water. I honestly haven’t found much difference between the major brands of laundry detergent, but I live in soft water country and can use much less than the recommended amount.

That said, my barn clothes are not that stinky. We don’t have real mud at my facility,so while I do all my own chores in self board, the dirt on my clothes tends to be human sweat, horse dust/danger, traces of feed, hay dust, etc.

I remember though as a teen, wearing flared 1970s jeans in muddy conditions, that I would get soaked to the knees with water and filth. These days I either wear breeches all the time or work pants with tapered legs.

[4LeafCloverFarm]

My husband’s running clothes are way stinkier than my clothes after doing barn chores (but his are synthetic and mine are cotton), and using warm water is definitely better than cold. I use All Free and Clear or Tide Free and Clear (I have allergies and can’t use soap with perfumes - makes me sneeze and itch). And I use powdered detergent, not pods or liquid. Pods are just too expensive, and don’t let you adjust how much detergent to add for really muddy/dirty clothes.

If you have hard water (like we do) you may find using more soap is needed. Add Calgon Water Softener to help get things clean. Great stuff.

[rockonxox]

I use All Free and Clear pods or the liquid… depending on what is on sale. Sometimes I switch to Tide, but always free and clear type as I have sensitive skin.

[EmilyM]

For really stinky stuff, i put white vinegar in the fabric softener part of the washing machine

[SolarFlare]

I’ve got these pods that you add in with detergent: https://tide.ca/en-ca/shop/type/laundry-booster/tide-odor-rescue-with-febreze-odor-defense

I find with the synthetic wicking fabrics, they tend to hold stink in. I still prefer these fabrics to cotton though in hot humid weather as they definitely breathe better and don’t get soggy (and stay wet while you’re wearing them).

[trubandloki]

@just shoot me

Hi, I tried a search but didn’t get very far. Sorry if this has been talked about before. I am switching laundry detergent. I need suggestions that will get stink out of barn and workout clothes. I was using Hex pods but they suck and if I cut the pods and put the soap in the dispenser it wouldn’t all make it to the wash drum.

I have a HE front load Whirlpool. I was thinking of trying Nellie’s Washing Soda. Is a powder a good choice for a front load? Will powder dissolve in so little water?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions?

Do you not like the Hex because the pods do not work correctly or do you not like the detergent?

None of the pods work right in my front loader using cold water. It is very frustrating because I love the pods.

I have had good luck with the Hex liquid in the bottle getting stinky clothes smelling OK again.

[222orchids]

Downy “Unstoppables” are little pellets; Put a capful of them right in the front loader with your clothing, and shut the door, then fill your dispenser and start the machine. They make your clothes smell great.

[yaya]

I have an HE front loader, and I use the Tide Sport that has Febreeze in it.

[Jo]

With horses, dogs, and a teenage son, I add a glug of apple cider vinegar to each load of laundry. It’s a miracle worker.

[bip]

Mine stopped stinking when I stopped using fabric softener, which was really hard because I LOVE soft, static-free clothes. But I also like not smelling like ass, so there you go. The fabric softener was making the clothes waterproof so they wouldn’t get clean.

[just_shoot_me]

@trubandloki

Do you not like the Hex because the pods do not work correctly or do you not like the detergent?

None of the pods work right in my front loader using cold water. It is very frustrating because I love the pods.

I have had good luck with the Hex liquid in the bottle getting stinky clothes smelling OK again.

Thank you for confirming pods not working with front load machines. I love Hex just not their pods and my grocery store doesn’t sell anything but Hex pods.

[DMK]

Mine is a no agitator top loader, and stinky performance fabric was the bane of my existence.

I used All free and clear plus Downy with febreze and Downy unstoppables, which was kind of funny… All the dyes/perfumes removed from one and added back with others, but it mostly worked

Since then I’ve discovered an oldie but goodie; borax. It gets the stink out, I add it to just about every load except delicates or whites (use bleach). I still use Downy with febreze because I like fabric softener, but it wasn’t solving the problem before so I’m pretty sure it’s the borax solving the problem now

[DinkyDonk]

Sport Wash by Atsko

[Peggy]

@DinkyDonk

Sport Wash by Atsko

This is what I have been using most recently. Maybe I got the recommendation here. Anyway, I use it combined with apple cider vinegar in the fabric softener slot and I’ve noticed a big improvement, especially after stuff has been washed with it a few times.

The Persil ProClean made me sneeze. I used it once, ended up re-washing everything I had washed with it, and haven’t used it since.

[clanter]

@AltersAreUs

One thing I’ve found that cuts the workout odor is to add a cup of white vinegar to the “pre-wash” part of the cycle. I have a front load HE washer and there is a cup in the detergent area labeled “pre-wash”. The vinegar does a great job of getting rid of icky smells and it gets rinsed out well enough that my clothes don’t smell of it.

marathon runners around here use this vinegar trick … daughter has been a distance runner for many years and has used the white vinegar to remove all stink

I use it on the wonder horse’s flysheet, he often…no very often, lays down where he pees