Distilled Vinegar
Vinegar really is the best all-purpose household cleaner. If your clothes have a strong stench (think: mildew) try soaking your clothes in a 1-part vinegar and 2-part water mixture. Let them soak, fully submerged, for 15-20 minutes. Then throw them in the wash like you normally would. Vinegar also makes for a great additive to a regular load of laundry. Mix a half-and-half solution with vinegar and detergent, and say goodbye to pesky smells!
Hydrogen Peroxide
Most people associate hydrogen peroxide with cleaning up a cut or scrape on skin, but it also makes for a great laundry-boosting ingredient. Similar to vinegar, let your clothes soak in a hydrogen peroxide-water mixture, and those smells won’t stand a chance. Just make sure your clothing is colorfast, which means the color is dyed in and won’t wash out. (Pro tip: You can test this by dabbing a bit of peroxide in a spot that no one will see.) You can also use hydrogen peroxide to brighten your whites. It’s less harsh than bleach, can be used on most fabrics, and is a great disinfectant.
Baking Soda
Baking soda fixes everything. Seriously! By mixing half baking soda and half detergent, you’ll help your detergent work harder. In fact, you can even use mostly baking soda and add a splash of detergent and you’ll have a similar cleaning effect. Baking soda also works great in tandem with hydrogen peroxide and vinegar if you’re really wanting a deep clean.
Fabric Softener
Although fabric softener isn’t necessary to get your clothes clean and refreshed, it certainly makes them smell great! It works best with the items above, which are the ingredients that will make the biggest difference. Find one that matches your favorite scent profile and revel in the smell of a fresh t-shirt instead of that old mildew smell!