How to wash items from Second Hand?

Very often in Second Hand stores you can find really high-quality items for a ridiculous price. The seller makes a huge discount on used branded clothing, which greatly attracts buyers. However, textiles do not always look decent; you can find stubborn stains on the products and smell an unpleasant odor. Let’s figure out how you can rid clothes of such unnecessary “add-on weight” and provide them with a presentable appearance. Let's talk about how to properly wash items from Second Hand stores to make them look like new.

Will regular washing help?

In some cases, simply washing second-hand clothes will not be enough. Regular spinning in an automatic washing machine will not remove old dirt and sweat stains. Also, bacteria, mold, and fungi multiply on used items. Harmful microorganisms will not be removed with a standard cycle; more serious cleaning is required. To restore the original appearance of second-hand clothes, you will have to resort to pre-treatment and only then start a regular wash.

Neglecting basic hygiene rules can lead to adverse consequences, because it is not clear who wore the item before you and where it was stored.

An equally pressing topic is the unpleasant smell emanating from the item. "Odor" can occur due to heavy soiling of the fabric or improper storage conditions. By stuffing unwashed second-hand clothes into your closet, you risk infecting your entire wardrobe with dangerous mold, the spores of which can be found on used items. Therefore, it is very important after purchase to immediately clean the product and subject it to antibacterial treatment.

However, there are also many stores that comply with all sanitary requirements. When making a purchase in such Second Stores, you don’t have to worry about germs. All items are disinfected; bacteria and fungus can no longer be found on the fibers. But you may encounter another problem - before going on sale, clothes are treated with special chemical compounds that destroy harmful microorganisms left on things by previous owners. Typically, the product is treated with compounds containing formaldehyde and bromine. These components emit an unpleasant aroma, so the so-called “second-hand” smell is felt from clothes.

In addition, formaldehyde is dangerous to human health. According to accepted standards, the residues of these substances must be completely neutralized, but not all entrepreneurs comply with these requirements in full. Therefore, it is better to take care of this problem yourself and take all measures to protect the sweater or dress purchased in a used store. Let's look at the main aspects of washing second-hand clothes, and tell you how to proceed in order to put on a clean and safe item.

General rules for odor removal

It is much easier to add freshness to clothes made from natural fabrics than to synthetic items. It also matters what kind of wardrobe item it is. For example, chunky knit sweaters and cardigans, down jackets, and warm winter coats will require a lot of labor and time to cope with the terrible aroma. Usually, in such a situation, a set of regular detergent and conditioner will not cope.

The following can help remove second-hand smell: vinegar, ammonia, salt, oils, baking soda, flavorings.

An iron with a steamer option and street air will also be indispensable friends in this problem. The battle against the aroma of second-hand items is carried out in 4 stages.

1. Elimination of the causes of odor (old stains or remnants of sanitary treatment).
2. Washing clothes with a special detergent and conditioner.
3. Dry your new clothes on the balcony for a couple of days.
4. Ironing items at the highest possible temperature for a particular material.

The first step is to remove the smell by using one of the previously mentioned products. Afterwards, the product must be loaded into an automatic washing machine or washed manually. Next, the clothes should be rinsed well. Drying must be carried out in fresh air, this will help eliminate the odor. Final ironing will help completely eliminate the unpleasant aroma.

There is an opinion that it is enough to simply wash the item and air it outside. However, this measure does not always allow you to refresh the product. Usually after such manipulations a slight odor is still felt. Therefore, in order for you to feel comfortable wearing your new clothes, it is better not to ignore any of the four cleaning steps.

How to wash a purchase?

So, let’s take a closer look at how to properly wash items from Second Hand stores. By following basic recommendations, you can quickly and easily deal with stains. Before the main wash, the item of clothing should be soaked in a special way, and only then start the cycle.

The water temperature will depend on the type of material. It is preferable that the heating reaches at least 60°C. If you bought children's clothing, it is recommended to wash it two or three times to remove any remaining chemicals and other contaminants from the fabric fibers.It is advisable to use a detergent that has a disinfecting effect for washing. Don't forget to turn on the "Extra rinse" option. It is better to run the machine mode so that the machine washes in the largest volume of water.

After the product is washed and rinsed, you need to dry it and iron it on both sides. Only after these steps can you put the item on or put it in the closet with the rest of your wardrobe.

10% ammonia will help

The easiest way to neutralize the smell emanating from second-hand clothes is to use ammonia. This solution completely removes formaldehyde from fabrics. The item must be soaked in ammonia; the time spent in ammonia will depend on the material. For cotton and linen, one hour of soaking is enough. Mixed fabric should be placed for 3 hours, synthetics and items made of thick materials should be kept in water with ammonia for 5-6 hours.

Let's look at a specific example of how to quickly remove the smell from ordinary denim trousers from Second-hand stores. You will need a bottle of 10% ammonia solution. The algorithm of actions will be as follows:

• fill a deep basin with five liters of water;
• pour 20 ml of ammonia;
• soak your pants in the resulting solution;
• after the allotted time, take out the jeans and wring them out;
• dry your pants in the fresh air;
• after complete drying, wash the item in an automatic machine or manually using your usual detergent;
• When rinsing, be sure to use conditioner;
• dry the jeans;
• iron the product with a steam iron.

Be sure to dry the item after treating it with ammonia in the fresh air, and only after it has completely dried, start washing.

During natural drying, the smell of ammonia will completely disappear along with the remaining formaldehyde particles. If you need to refresh something made of thick fabrics, then you need to pour more water, and accordingly, proportionally increase the dose of ammonia. If you need to soak warm clothes, you can dilute 100 ml of ammonia in ten liters of water.

Don't worry that ammonia will damage the product. The ammonia solution is completely safe for all types of fabrics, different shades. In addition, ammonia has a positive effect on wool, giving knitted sweaters tenderness and softness.

Prepare hydrochloric acid solution

A mixture of water, table salt and vinegar can help remove bad odors. The recipe is simple: dissolve 2 tablespoons of ordinary salt and one hundred milliliters of nine percent acetic acid in 5 liters of water. The algorithm will be like this:

• prepare the solution;
• pawn clothes;
• remove the product from the basin and squeeze it out;
• dry outside.

When the clothes are dry, wash them in the machine on a suitable cycle. This method is suitable for products that have a weak second-hand scent. Too strong a smell will not be removed this way.

Iron the item thoroughly

The easiest way to deal with the specific smell of clothes is to iron them. It is necessary to have a good iron that has a steam function. The heating temperature of the iron soleplate should correspond to the type of fabric being ironed, so be sure to read the information on the product tag. Synthetic and silk items should be ironed using an iron.

After the clothes have been soaked in an odor neutralizing solution, dried, washed, rinsed and dried again, you can begin ironing.Treat clothes at the highest steam supply and maximum permissible heating of the iron sole.

Ironing will be most effective for natural materials. During the steaming process, the smell and particles of harmful substances will gradually disappear along with the steam.

Reader comments

• Share your opinion - leave a comment