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Do you always have the smell of campfire lingering on your clothes? For most campers, this is a common dilemma, but this should not stop you from getting a memorable moment in the bonfire with your friends. In this article, I’ll teach you how to get campfire smell out of clothes effectively.
Although a great moment is shared around the bonfire, the smoke generated can make its way on your clothes and create an unpleasant aroma. Since I have experienced this problem myself just recently, I have done a lot of readings online to search for simple solutions. If you’re curious to know, check them out below.
Conventional Ways On How To Get Campfire Smell Out Of Clothes
1. Add White Vinegar
No, we’re not cooking here. As you probably notice on most smell problems, white vinegar is always a great option as it removes bad odors naturally. For this simple trick, all you need is 4 cups white vinegar and a bathtub.
To begin, hang your clothes with a hanger in your shower curtain rod. Next, fill your bathtub with hot water, then add the vinegar. The vinegar vapor will penetrate into your clothes and remove the smell, leaving you with fresh smelling clothes.Watch how this process is demonstrated in this video here.
For those without a bathtub, you can add the white vinegar directly into the washing machine. Add about 1/2 cup of white vinegar on the first cycle, then follow it with regular detergent. Make sure to use warm water to release the vapor of vinegar effectively.
2. Wash With Baking Soda
Just like white vinegar, baking soda is another household item which is considered as a natural deodorizer. Any strong odors can be removed by adding about 1/2 a cup of baking soda in the wash load. Silks and wool shouldn’t be soaked with baking soda because these fabrics are sensitive to alkaline.
To remove the campfire smoke effectively, the trick is soaking the clothes longer than 20 minutes. First, agitate the detergent and baking soda mixture quickly, then let it rest on a presoak cycle.
Another way of doing it to start a regular detergent wash cycle with the clothes and adding the baking soda within the initial five minutes of the cycle.
3. Dry The Clothes In The Sun
To remove all the unpleasant odors from your clothes, skip the dryer and opt for natural air drying outside. The sunlight and the open fresh air work together to help neutralize the campfire odor. As the breeze moves through your clothes, the odor, as well as the moisture, are swept off naturally.
Air drying on direct sunlight comes in handy if you notice that the campfire odor still remains on your clothes after all the white vinegar or baking soda has been added on your washer. If your clothes have come out smelling fresh from the washer, then air drying them in the sun can be skipped.
Spritz Away To Get Campfire Smell Out Of Clothes
1. Vodka Spray Mix
Yes, vodka is not only a good party drink but it can also be useful in removing unpleasant odors from your clothes. Just mix an equal portion (50/50) of vodka and warm water in a small spray bottle.
Spritz some of the vodka solution on the inner part of your clothes, then hang them to dry under the direct sunlight. As the vodka vaporizes, so as the campfire odor that sticks to your clothes.
2. Citrus Spritz
No wonder that lemons and limes are great fruits to stock in the kitchen because aside from their culinary versatility, they can be used as a fresh deodorizer for your clothes. The citric acid found in citrus fruits, like lemons and limes, can do well in removing any unpleasant odors. To prepare a citrus spritz, just combine one part lemon or lime juice with eight parts of warm water.
The zest of the peel can also be added into the citrus mix. To apply, just spray the whole exterior part of your clothes with the citrus mix until the whole are is adequately moist. In average, the odor can be removed for about 3-4 hours under the direct sunlight.
Final Thought
Having campfire smell all over your clothes is really a nightmare because it lingers for a very long time. Thanks to this article, I already know how to get campfire smell out of clothes easily without a trip to expensive dry cleaners. You can choose from various household items including baking soda, white vinegar, and even vodka.
This guest post was originally published in December 2016.
