How to get rid of fabric softener smell?

[EnviroBecca]

I've been buying a lot of used maternity and baby clothes, and almost all of them reek of fabric softener. It doesn't come out when I wash them w/my usual (unscented, natural) laundry soap. I've tried soaking in vinegar before washing, but although that got rid of the cigarette-smoke smell in some clothes, it seemed to make the fabric softener even more intense! I really dislike that perfumey smell! Anyone know how to get rid of it?

[Meiri]

Multiple washings should do it. That's been my experience with secondhand clothes anyway.

[avakitty]

borax?

[girlndocs]

baking soda?

if i recall correctly, though, most fabric softeners contain waxes, which would explain why it's so freakin' hard to get out. sounds like multiple washes to wear the stuff off are your best bet.

[crunchymomma]

I second the borax suggestion. I have used it with my towels when dh leaves them in a wet pile on the floor and they smell all musty. They leave the towels feeling soft and smelling so fresh!

[cwaddick]

Sometimes it doesn't come out...

I try several things in succession to get rid of fabric softener smells..

(1) I wash it with baking soda once or
then
(2) I wash it with Bac-Out
then
(3) I hang it on the line outside to bake in the sun.

I also try white vinegar and Ecover hydrogen-peroxide bleach.

Sometimes the toxic smell doesn't come out.

-- Caitlin

[EnviroBecca]

Thanks for the tips! Using borax, baking soda, or Bac-Out, do you pre-soak or just throw some into the washing machine?

[crunchymomma]

I've always just thrown about 1/2 cup of Borax in with the regular cycle, along with my detergent. Borax is great if you have hard water, but it works well with soft water, too.

The author of Clean House, Clean Planet recommends presoaking with 1/2 cup of borax and a little detergent. Baking soda will deoderize and soften your clothes (no need for fabric softner, then!). If you use liquid detergent, add 1/2 cup BS at the same time as the liquid detergent. If you use powdered detergent, add 1/2 BS during the rinse cycle. Use less if you don't have a full load, or you may get the annoying white BS residue.

[NCMomworld]

I bought this detergent that people on the diapering forum use to get residue out of their diapers. It's called Sensi Clean. I don't know how natural it is, but it really gets smells out! My MIL gave us some clothing for the kids. They were so stinky (imagine fabric softener mixed with mildew - ugh!) One wash in Sensi Clean and they were just fine.

Good Luck!