How to Get Perfume Out of Clothes

Different methods for getting rid of strong perfume smells from fabric

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 8 hrs
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $10

It's relatively easy to get the perfume smell out of clothes by neutralizing them with items you likely have in your kitchen pantry. If you notice a lingering perfume smell in your clothing, it is the preservatives and other additives like alcohol and petroleum chemicals that give that odor staying power.

Laundry stripping is an extreme way of removing the fragrance, but first try these simple, less invasive steps to eliminate an intense and persistent perfume or detergent smell.

How to Remove Fragrance Odors from Clothes
 The Spruce
woman spraying perfume

The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Washing machine
  • Soaking basin or sink
  • Clothesline (Optional)
  • Sealable container (Optional)

Materials

  • Water
  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Baking soda
  • Unscented heavy-duty laundry detergent

Instructions

Odor type Perfume chemicals
Detergent type Unscented liquid laundry detergent
Water temperature Warm
materials to remove perfume odors

The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu

How to Remove Excessive Perfume Odor From Clothes

Some scents are much more difficult to remove from laundry than others. Scents marked "eau de parfum" will always be more concentrated than "eau de toilette." Body sprays are the least concentrated scents. Meanwhile, fabric softeners and dryer sheet odors are the hardest to eliminate since the product uses a silicone formula that coats every fiber. This makes fabrics feel smooth and soft, but the scent can also be overwhelming.

The following method may not remove all the odor on the first try, but it is the most economical and reliable way to attack unwanted scents.

  1. Air Out the Clothes

    Hang the scented clothing—even newly purchased—in the open air. If you cannot hang the item outside, hang it up in a breezy (you can use a fan), warm, sunlit room filled with lots of green leafy plants. Plants can also help absorb the odors.

    The time the clothing needs to air out depends on how saturated it is with scent. It may take as little as a few hours or as long as a couple of weeks.

    hang the affected garment in a well-ventilated area
    The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu 
  2. Soak the Clothes Before Washing

    Soak your clothing in a sink or washing machine filled with warm water and one cup of baking soda before washing. Be sure the soaking vessel is large enough to submerge the smelly garment completely.

    Overnight is usually a sufficient amount of time, although some suggest as long as a few days. Rather than a long soak, it is probably more effective to repeat the airing–soaking–washing–drying cycle several times, if necessary.

    liberally sprinkle baking soda on the garment
    The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu
  3. Wash the Clothes

    After soaking, wash the clothing as usual, following the care label guidelines, either in a clothes washer or by hand with unscented laundry detergent. Add at least 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle and stop the cycle.

    Let the laundry soak for an hour before completing the rinse cycle. The vinegar will help cut through perfume residue in the fibers. Add an extra rinse cycle to ensure all the detergent is rinsed from your clothing.

    woman hand-washing a garment and adding vinegar
    The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu
  4. Dry and Air Out the Clothes Again

    Dry the freshly washed clothes on a clothesline or drying rack in the fresh air and sunlight. Sunlight will help remove the odors, but bright sunlight can also cause dyes to fade, so hang dark colors in the shade. The line drying will also provide a final opportunity for clothes to air out.

    If you must use a clothes dryer, use a low-temperature setting like the permanent press option. Excessively high temperatures can cause remaining odor molecules to adhere more deeply to the fabric.

    woman hanging the garment on a clothesline
    The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu
  5. Store the Clothes Properly

    If the season changes, do not store clothes away with a strong perfume odor.

    If you don't have time to clean them, place the fragrant garments in a sealed plastic tub or heavy-duty plastic bag with a box of baking soda. The baking soda will absorb the odors, just like it does in your refrigerator.

    place the garment in a sealed container
    The Spruce / Ana-Maria Stanciu
  6. Repeat as Necessary

    Generally, one pass through this process will effectively remove smells and irritants in most clothing. If your clothes still have bothersome odors or are chemically irritating, repeat the process as often as necessary.

Additional Methods for Removing Perfume Odors

These natural, homemade remedies can remove perfume odors. These methods predate expensive scent-busting commercial products.

  • Castile soap laundry solution: This old-school cleaning solution washes laundry without adding chemicals and the many perfumes found in store-bought detergents.
  • Lemon juice and water: Use a half-and-half solution of lemon juice and water to eliminate odors, using the mild acid in lemon to break up the scent molecules.
  • Alcohol or vodka spritz: Spray vodka (or rubbing alcohol) directly on a spot with a heavy perfume odor. This potent, odorless alcohol neutralizes the smell.
  • Scent absorber: A box of baking soda works wonders on a fridge with smells and can also remove scents from clothing. Put the item in a sealed container with an opened box or bowl full of baking soda. You can also try a commercial "scent eliminator" product.
  • Essential oils: Cover up an artificial smell on your clothes with a natural fragrance using essential oils.

Removing Perfume Odors from Clothes That Are Dry Clean Only

If your clothing is labeled as dry-clean-only, air it as you would for washable clothes. You may find that a fabric refresher like Febreze, which comes in both scented and unscented formulas, may remove odors with great success.

Take the clothing to an outside area, spray it lightly, and let it air out. Febreze traps odor molecules and keeps them suspended until the garment can be cleaned.

Tip

When you take the items to a dry cleaner, tell them about any fragrance sensitivity you may have. Some dry cleaning chemicals can also contain perfumes.

FAQ
  • What neutralizes the smell of perfume?

    Alcohol in the form of vodka or rubbing alcohol is a natural neutralizer for heavy perfume scents. Use vinegar and baking soda as other effective remedies to neutralize odors.

  • Can perfume damage clothing?

    Perfume sprayed directly on clothing can damage the fibers by staining and discoloring them.

  • How long does it take for the smell of perfume to leave clothing?

    The time for perfume to leave clothing depends on how much perfume is sprayed on it and how concentrated it is. Generally, a lightly fragranced item of clothing can take several hours to several weeks. Airing out the item speeds up the process.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Oyabu T, Sawada A, Onodera T, Takenaka K, Wolverton B. Characteristics of potted plants for removing offensive odorsSensors and Actuators B: Chemical. 2003;89(1-2):131-136. doi:10.1016/s0925-4005(02)00454-9

  2. Dry cleaning chemicals hang around - on your clothes. Environmental Working Group.