Removing a Sulfur Odor from Clothing

13 years ago

Hey GardenWeb,

For the past three years, my clothes have smelled of a sulfuric type smell. I've (along with my mother) attempted to remove the smell using the popular solutions: vinegar, baking soda, Smellywasher, etc. None of it has worked, ever, at removing the smell although the vinegar solution has made my clothes smell great out of the machine. We've moved into three different apartments over these past few years, so I'm not sure if sulfuric water is the problem (or ever was).

I do know that I heard people say I smelled "gassy" and I do smell something sulfuric at random times. It's in all of my clothes, because people frequently have to breathe "away" or cover their noses. It's been a self-esteem killer and I barely have the ability to look people in the eye.

My work requires me to meet with random people (clients) and help them out, and it kills me inside (and makes me nervous, causing me to stutter, turn red, etc.) when they have to cover their noses or breathe away from me, or worse yet, when they get angry. I don't blame them, I just want to get the smell out.

I truly appreciate any help I receive because its ruining my life (already has) to the point where I socialize with only a small group of friends (who swear they don't smell anything, but friends are supposed to say that). I have gained a bunch of weight, and seem depressed (I can't be motivated for anything).

Comments (3)

eteinne
13 years ago
I'll take a stab at this, as I have had some experience with this. 15 years ago my X had a co-worker who smelled musty. Her entire office complained about Donna. This went on for 10 years. Donna did have many health problems so we all just figured it was her meds. She was at Rush in Chicago and the doc asked her if anyone told her, she smelled? Great bedside manner! LOL She told him that yes, it had been mentioned. He took a couple swab tests on her skin, and she had a fungal infection on her skin. He gave her some pills. 3 weeks later, she no longer had the smell. She has since passed away, so I am unable to ask her. This was not due to poor hygeine, it was just what it was. Donna was in a car accident and was in the hospital for 3 months. I went to her place and cleaned the fridge, threw out her garbage and took all of her clothes, bed linens, etc, back to my place to wash. I had them in garbage bags. I opened the first one and ran from the room. It smelled like sulfur. I was unable to get rid of the smell either. I did try something that worked. My grandmother had a cat who like to pee on her rug in front of the sink. She used to soak it in Washing Soda and wash it. U can find it in the laundry detergent aisle, in the store. It worked on Donna's clothes and there was no more smell.

Good luck!
Claire Buoyant
13 years ago
I don't want to alarm you, but when was your apartment built? Are you in an area where Chinese drywall was used? C.D. off gasses and smells of sulfur. We spent 6 months in a Florida condo rental with C.D. which did not smell of sulfur until the next season. Clothing, linens and towels absorb the odor.
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lazy_gardens
13 years ago
Certain uncommon skin bacteria can produce a sulfurous odor from things you eat. They aren't pathogenic, just hanging out in the pores and making smelly stuff.

1 - Shower, then apply a mix of baking soda and lemon juice all over, rubbing it in well and letting it sit a few minutes, then wash off. Repeat every couple of days.

2 - Minimize your intake of sulfur-containing foods, such as onions, broccoli and cabbage (there may be more)