Change of season for the wardrobe: how to remove unpleasant, musty smells from stored clothes

The change of season also means the change of the wardrobe (or, rather, the clothes within it). We have to put away swimsuits and short sleeved tops for the next summer and we have to dig out winter scarves and sweaters. But one major issue can be the musty smell that may have got into the clothes while they were being stored.

So, how can we eliminate this problem, along with the smell? Here are some simple tips you can try:

1. Aerate

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The first thing to do to eliminate the risk of our clothes smelling musty is to regularly air them out . Furthermore, when you need them, take all your winter clothes out and expose them in the open air for a few hours: when you put them back in the wardrobe they will be free of bad smells.

2. Baking soda

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Baking soda is also great for removing bad smells. You can use it in two ways:

1) As in the case of the refrigerator, keep a small bowl inside your wardrobe or sprinkle it on the surface of a shelf for a few hours and vacuum it up when putting away your clothes.
2) You can also create a mixture of water and baking soda with a few drops of essential oil and spray it on clothes when you hang them up outdoors. This will leave a pleasant scent on your garments.

3. Steam

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Steam is also useful to relax the fibers and remove any bad smells. When you take a shower, leave your clothes hanging up in the bathroom.

4. Newspaper

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Newspaper has a great absorbent capacity and can also be used to eliminate bad smells: crumple up a sheet and put it in the wardrobe for at least 4 hours to deodorize it!

5. The clothes dryer

If you don't want to wash your clothes but the previous steps weren't sufficient, you can try putting the clothes, along with a scented dryer ball, into the dryer: a great result will be guaranteed!

6. Wardrobe air fresheners

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You can also keep your clothes nicely scented while hanging in the wardrobe - simply use DIY perfumers/air freshners:

• Soap flakes: Marseille soap is excellent for removing bad smells; grate it into flakes and place it between the clothes in a pourous bag.
• Citrus peels: these too are excellent perfumers; let them dry out and place them in a closet inside a bag with cotton wool.
• Aromatic herbs: laurel, mint, eucalyptus and lavender are just some of the herbs that you can use as a perfume; choose your favorite and put it between the clothes in a cotton bag.

What if none of these remedies work? Well, in this case you just have to surrender and wash everything. Add some baking soda or white vinegar to your washing machine on a short cycle and your clothes will be like new again! Happy winter everyone!