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Let’s face it, everyone wants to smell great, so why not take the extra steps to make it happen? And if your clothes seem to just have an unpleasant lingering odor, no matter what you do, don’t worry, there’s nothing wrong with you. As explained to us by Kim Romine, a Fabric Care scientist at Procter & Gamble, “The human body on average produces a liter of sweat, 40 grams of sebum, 10 grams of salt, and 10 grams of skin cells a day,” so it’s really unsurprising that your clothes may smell less than fresh after wearing them.
Romine adds that, “Body soils on fabrics are often the culprit for odors left behind on fabrics – and because of their complexity, it often requires a multi-technology approach to tackle odors”. She notes that going further means the usage of things like enzymes designed to break down body soils and chelants to remove things that cause odor in the water. Fortunately, odor removal-specific detergents will often implement more than one of these approaches to ensure that pesky odors are dealt with in a single wash.
Sounds like a lot of info, no? Don’t worry, you don’t have to understand all of the science for the detergent to keep you smelling fresh. We compiled a list of our favorite products, including a few that we tested, to help handle the more stubborn odors that your clothes may be clinging to!
Tide Ultra Oxi with Odor Eliminators
- Description
You can’t go wrong with a classic! This powerful door-eliminating formula strips away any lingering dirty sock, teenage boy and dog smells from your garments while leaving them with a scent fresher than fruit trees in a flower field.
The fragrance isn’t too overpowering, but you’ll know you just had a wash day. And be ready — your friends will start asking for your laundry routine STAT!
Gain+Odor Defense Super Fresh Blast Flings Laundry Detergent Pacs
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Three in one! These mighty pods may be small, but they sure do the trick.
Not only do they clean and remove stains, but they prevent odor from building up in your fabrics in the first place. The combination of Oxi Boost and Febreeze is brilliant, if you ask Us, and is nearly guaranteed to keep your clothes smelling fresh!
Plus, a little goes a long way. You can use one pod for your large loads and have every piece come out smelling hand-washed!
Active Wear Laundry Detergent & Soak
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Designed for your stinkiest, sweatiest garments, this laundry detergent deep cleans your clothes without stripping the material and causing fading or pilling. Harsh chemicals can be damaging for your sporty apparel, so this scoopable formula is simply made without them!
It’s gentle yet effective as a pre-soak or as your main laundry detergent.
Loni Bio Laundry Detergent
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Meet your new favorite eco-friendly detergent that’s so advanced it probably skipped some grades. Without using any harsh chemicals, artificial fragrances or dyes, this clean formula works magic to remove odors that never seem to come out.
Tide Febreze Sport
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You don’t have to be an athlete to enjoy the Olympian-level stink-fighting capabilities of this bestseller. It cleans, freshens, whitens, brightens and fights odors before they even sink in.
\Febreeze gives the detergent its “active fresh” scent, a scent so clean it could be a luxury French perfume. It battles your toughest stains, too!
Dirty Labs Bio Enzyme Laundry Detergent
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How chic is this detergent bottle? Five-in-one enzyme cleaning technology sets this vegan and non-toxic formula above the competition in more ways than one.
Its Phytolase technology targets stains and odors while keeping it extra gentle on your skin, clothes and the planet, making it suitable for the sensitive skin folks of the world. This detergent is also septic-safe, biodegradable, recyclable, BPA-free and contains no dyes, chlorine bleach, parabens, preservatives or dyes.
It’s a win for the clean household enthusiasts of the world!
Nature’s Miracle Laundry Boost In-Wash Stain and Odor Remover
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Go the extra mile with this in-wash stain remover and hard floor cleaner duo that makes owning a pet actually smell good! The stain and odor remover contains enzymes to break down the smell of urine, feces, dander and any other inevitable pet odors.
This formula is safe for pet beds and blankets, too! Floor cleaner is just a bonus.
Arm & Hammer Deep Clean Odor Liquid Laundry Detergent
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When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a tried-and-true brand like Arm & Hammer. This deep-cleaning formula is the brand’s “most powerful odor formula” yet, penetrating deep into the fibers of your garments and scrubbing the stench out of your undies and socks — for good.
It leans on baking soda, a powerful and welcome addition to any laundry formula given its stain and odor-prevention abilities.
Downy Light Laundry Ocean Mist Scent Beads
- Description
Get ready to have your clothes smell like a luxury Italian villa on the Amalfi Coast. While this pick isn’t a detergent, the in-wash scent-boosting formula is guaranteed to leave your clothes smelling fresh, clean and summery until the next wash.
Heck, you might even forget your clothes need cleaning!
