Second-hand clothes are some of life’s little pleasures. The fact that you can buy a shirt in pretty good condition for wayyy less is nothing short of a blessing. However, there’s one thing that stops even the thriftiest of us from partaking in this joy – the smell.
Second-hand, previously loved/previously owned clothing, thrift store clothing, no matter what you want to call it, have a smell. It’s like that ‘okrika’ smell that lingers after you shop at the ‘bend down select’ spots in Yaba. Almost everyone knows the smell and this deters people from buying second-hand even though it’s most times cheaper. So what’s the solution? Well, we have some amazing tips that will help get rid of that pesky smell and have your clothes looking good as new.
Try these:
Use activated charcoal
(Photo: Amazon)
Activated charcoal is great at absorbing smells. So if you want to get rid of that second-hand clothes smell, you need to have this handy. Start by placing the clothes in a nylon bag, and placing that bag in a plastic container. Add the activated charcoal to the plastic container and seal shut for 3-4 days. The charcoal will absorb the smell, leaving your clothes smell-free. If you notice the smell still lingering, place back in the container for a few more days.
Steam your clothes
(Photo: Style Domination)
A great way to get rid of bad smells is to use steam. This process has a way of getting rid of bad smells, causing them to disappear into thin air. Get a clothes steamer and run it through the clothes several times making sure you don’t stay in a spot too long.
Clean the clothes with white vinegar
(Photo: Amazon)
Acidic white vinegar is a must-have in your laundry room. It helps with stains and eliminates smells effectively. Dabbing a few drops of the white vinegar on your clothes will cancel out the smell, leaving it smell-free. We advise you only use this with newer white clothes, as delicates may not handle the acidity well.
And that’s it – easy and practical ways to get rid of the smell in your second-hand clothes. If you’re a thrift lover like us share how you care for your second-hand clothes. We’d love to hear all about it.
(Featured image via Free Images/Anton Malan)