Want to know how to get sweat smell out of clothes, perhaps even how to get the smell out of workout clothes that still smell after washing? Below you’ll discover how to remove the sweat smell from shirts and other gym clothes super easily!
It’s no secret that workout gear makes for super smelly clothes. All that body odor trapped with those sweat stains is sure to make a stink! The simple tips below are some of the top tips for getting the best results. It’s time to give your workout clothing and your gym bag some good news and get rid of that sweaty smell.
This post is sponsored by EnviroKlenz but opinions are my own.

Sweat Smell is a Stubborn Odor
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Over Memorial Day weekend, my husband went paintballing with some friends, hunkering down in jeans, a face mask, and a hat, in sweltering 95-degree heat and sun. And he forgot to pack his deodorant and borrowed mine instead.
When he came home he not only came home with the nastiest paintballing bruises I’ve ever seen (the paintballs were not breaking), his clothes also had some nasty sweat smell.
We live in Texas now and while I love that I don’t have to deal with the frigid Wisconsin winters of my youth, I don’t always love the crazy heat either.
I especially didn’t love the crazy Texas summer heat when I was dealing with a summer pregnancy with no AC in our car.
I don’t love it lately as I’m trying to get back into running postpartum and pretty much have to go before noon or it is just too hot and sweaty and gross.

Over the years, my husband and I have dealt with a lot of sweaty clothes. Sweat happens, especially when you like to be active and helpful. But, we certainly want to know how to get sweat smell out of clothes!
This Is Why You Should Wash Gym Clothes Separately
We’ve discovered through the years, to our chagrin, that washing our workout clothes full of sweat smell along with our regular wash is a very bad idea. Because often my gym clothes smell even after washing and now so did all of my non-gym clothes too. Yuck! Nothing like putting on a clean shirt that smells like sweat. We now had that task of learning how to remove odor from clothes.
It’s taken some trial and error over the years to figure out. We already figured out the best way to remove yellow armpit stains now we just had to figure out how to get rid of sweat smell in clothes.
Adulting is fun, huh?
Anyway, we stumbled across a product a couple of years ago that really, really makes it easy to remove sweat smell from clothes without scrubbing or soaking or anything time-consuming, and it works perfectly.
Keep reading to learn what it is and how to use it properly.
How to Get Sweat Smell Out of Clothes
The secret weapon we use to combat gym clothes smell is a laundry enhancer liquid from EnviroKlenz.
The Best Laundry Product for Stubborn Sweat Smells
EnviroKlenz is in the business of odor removal and their laundry enhancer can remove chemical odors, toxic vapors and other stubborn odors like workout clothes smell. We also use it to remove mildew smell from towels.
The EnviroKlenz laundry enhancer liquid is made from earth minerals and non-toxic ingredients, is fragrance-free, and safe to use on all machine types including HE machines.
It is safe to use on these fabrics:
- cotton
- delicates
- nylon
- polyester
- spandex
- washable lace
- washable rayon
- washable wool
- and many other washable fabrics
It shouldn’t be used on dry-clean-only fabrics, leather, satin, silk, or suede (but who is gonna work out in any of those materials?!).
You can pick up the EnviroKlenz laundry enhancer in a liquid version or a powder version. I have only ever used the liquid version. Use code FAGANS15 to save 15% off your order!

Now here’s how to use it to remove sweat smell out of clothes.
Materials Needed to Get Sweat Smell Out of Clothes
- Sweaty Work Out Clothes
- Washing Machine
- EnviroKlenz Laundry Enhancer Liquid
- Liquid Laundry Detergent
- Water
- Small Bowl
- Measuring Cup
How to Get Rid of Sweat Smell in Clothes Instructions
1. Separate the sweaty clothes. Separate all of your sweaty gym clothes from your regular wash.
2. Add EnviroKlenz to the washing machine. Add 1/4 cup for a small load or 1/2 cup for a medium or larger load of the EnviroKlenz Laundry Additive.
For top load washers, first partially fill the tub with water, add your normal detergent, and then add the Laundry Additive (make sure to shake it well before use), then your smelly gym clothes as the water continues to fill.

For an HE washer and front loader washer, simply add the shaken Laundry Enhancer along with your regular detergent in the designated detergent slot; or mix the required amount first into a small bowl of warm water, mixing it together gently, and then pouring it directly into the washer. Then add your detergent to the regular slot, and add your clothes into the washer.
Do NOT use in combination with bleach, vinegar, or other additives.

3. Wash a small load. Make sure you do not overload your washer with smelly workout clothes! The product needs to be able to move freely within the wash and the dosage may not be enough if overloaded too.

4. Use the right settings. Set your washing machine settings to use more agitation (heavy soil), warm water instead of cold, and use an extra rinse at the end of the cycle. Do not use any prewash or presoak cycles. Start your washer.
5. Dry your clothes like normal. Dry your clothes as you normally would.
6. Enjoy! That’s it! They will come out fresh and odor-free!

The Best Hack for Stubborn Under Arm Odor in Clothes
This product works even if your gym clothes still smell after washing normally. It’s a great product to keep in your laundry room for musty towels, sweat odor removal, chemical smells, urine smells, or whatever nasty stink attacks your washable items in your home. Use discount promo code FAGANS15 to save 15% on your order at EnviroKlenz!
My husband’s sweaty clothes from his paintball excursion and my running workout clothes no longer smell like sweat, and yours don’t have to either.
Easy Tips To Get Rid of Laundry Odor
Don’t give up on getting those odors out of your performance fabrics. They’re a breeding ground for the smell of sweat and dirty clothing. Those stinky workout clothes can be cleaned the right way following the tips above.
However, you can also get rid of that awful musty smell quickly by using some fabric softener as well in your laundry cleaning process. This can work for sports bras and is a great way to get rid of body odour. Just toss in dryer sheets to your gym bag to help offset some of the smell. It’s such a simple first step to take and use until you can get home and start a load of laundry.
Also, be sure that one of the first things that you do is to NOT pile your wet clothes into the laundry hamper. That’s a lot of sweat that is just sitting there, asking for mold growth potential. You need to put the damp clothes right into the washing machine!

More Laundry Tips and Hacks
For more laundry and odor removing tips check out the following:
- How to Remove Gum from a T-Shirt
- 4 Easy Ways to Remove Baby Poop Stains on Clothes
- How to Remove Lip Gloss Stains from Fabrics
- How to Remove Dried Set-In Blood Stains from Clothes
- The Age-By-Age Guide to Teaching Kids How to Do Laundry
- How to Get Rid of Vomit Smell in Car
- How to Deodorize and Clean Your Garbage Disposal
Lotje says
is this available in aruba?