Mystery stink in laundry!?

Question

Ok, so I have quite a quandary!

My husband's t-shirts have a persistent stink. It smells like mildew and dirt. I cannot get rid of the rank odor! Here are the details:

-I do our laundry together
-The only things that stink are his shirts (not my clothing, not his pants or underwear, not socks, nothing! just his t-shirts!)
-The stink isn't always apparent immediately after washing; sometimes it comes out after he wears the shirt (we think his body warmth "brings out" the smell)
-The shirts in question are both often-worn shirts and infrequently-worn shirts
-I have used baking soda in the wash, followed by vinegar.

What the heck is going on????

I've never heard of napisan. Is this a British thing, or can I get it in the US?

Work environ is home, husband telecommutes

I will try the sunning ideas and the oxy...but keep the ideas coming! I need all the ammo I can get on this one...

Oh, yes, i forgot to add that I have tried some different detergent already, but I'll do it again, just in case.

Answer 1

Interesting - maybe one of the fabric components could be interacting with his deodorant or something? You could try washing the shirts in napisan.

Yes, the name napisan might not be used in the US - perhaps, as someone else mentioned, it might be oxyclean or something similar. It's a white powder that you add to water. The active ingredient is usually listed as sodium percarbonate.

Answer 2

Before you wash your husband clothes soak them into a detergent water n soak for 1hour. Don't not soak in the hot water. After one hour of soak than put in the washing machine to wash at last you must some Soften to help the clothes feel fresh. Put under the sun to dry. This can help to get away the smell. when it dry put something there can help inside the waredore to suck all the bad odour. Help u and your husband clothes will not have the smell. When you make the laundry together don't mix with socks n underwear because will make our clothes more sink smell.

Answer 3

I would question the work environment. Try using a detergent with bleach, like tide w/bleach foe color if the are colored if not, was then in bleach.
If this doesn't work I might recommend, purchasing some new white t-shirts, let him wear and see what happens.
It's possible that it might be the fabric of the shirts he's wearing, or something he's doing in the day.
Or, it might be a medical issue that requires him seeing a doctor about hyperhydrosis.

Answer 4

1] soak the washer, empty, overnight in bleach and hot water.
[ maybe put a sign on it to remind people ].
2] then wash JUST husb SHIRTS in the warmest water recommended, detergent, and vinegar.
3] Wash again with warmest water recommended, detergent, and baking soda.
[ the vinegar and soda work different ways, and do a better job separately. ]
4] do a sniff test - if still stinky, throw them out and start over!
5] if better, dry thoroughly.
You husband's clothes are of different materials, fabic combos, and brands than yours. His may be more susceptible to odors.
My husband decided to disinfect our underwear one day while I was at work. He added Lysol to the whites.
This is great if you wear cotton underwear, but not if you wear a bra and pantyhose [ nylon, rubber ]! I got more and more 'pungent' throughout the day - I could take your breath away.
That was about 25 years ago - he still isn't allowed to wash my clothes!

Answer 5

Try drying them outside in the sun on a breezy day
Changing detergent
Changing deodorant
Wash 2 times in HOT WATER before 1st wear
Try each change 1 at a time to see what did/didn't work

Answer 6

if nothing else works, wash hubby's shirts alone, with ammoia. it was used extensivly before bleach was in home laundry and my dear old aunt taught me that trick. I don't think his body heat brings out the smell or it would be apparent out of a warm dryer.

why don't you try wearing one of hubby's shirts after it is laundered and see if the smell returns then. it may be a reaction to cologne, deoderant or bath soap or a combo of these things. try changing bath soap,and other things.

Answer 7

try using bleach to his whites and oxy clean, for the colored garments, with the warmest water the garmets can handle and let them soak a bit before starting washer. dry them in dryer till they are fully dry, or hang them up outside in the sun till fully dry, you dont want to hang them somewhere damp, it will prolong drying and encorage that mildew smell to come back.

If the smell seems like they are coming from the arm pit area, tell him to get another type of deodorant, the deodorant's not doing its job, if this is the case.

Answer 8

I've had some luck with using granulated dishwasher detergent mixed with a good laundry soap. Hope it helps.

Answer 9

napisan is the best..i use it for everything and anything that happens to "go wrong" in my laundry.

umm..you could also try leaving his shirts in the sink overnight with really hot water.