How do you get the old people smell out of your laundry and home?

Try Bamboo Charcoal. It comes in odor absorbing bags and also can be found in soaps. It's especially good for "old lady smell", which as Joann said, has something to do with chemicals on the skin of some elderly women and isn't a result of bad hygiene. (Although opening the windows is always a good idea!)

I swear by using white vinegar and baking soda along with laundry soap to get rid of body odors. I clean with a recipe of half white vinegar, half water and the juice of a fresh lemon. Keep a spray bottle of this for quick clean ups. If soiled clothes got to the dryer with a bad odor unfortunately it gets baked in. Some clothes may have to be thrown out.

OMG that phrase!! I had to laugh, because I know it is a real thing,, but that phrase has caused one of the biggest rift in my hubs and his brothers lives! When my BIL and his family moved in with my hubs parents, my niece stated she now hated to visit her parents because of the "old people smell".. and she was in her mid 20s... no filter! And of course my lovely tactful SIL told my in laws... who repeated it to my hubs,,, And hubs still about spits on her when he sees her... (but he is polite) Luckily we don't have this problem yet with my mom.. She is about to be 90, showers every other day, wears depends.. so I guess I am just lucky

I have read there is a particular soap that will help it contains Persimmon oils.
Pretty sure you can order it or you could try a health food store or if you have an Asian market near you it might be found there. (It is a Japanese soap)

Hospice told us to put a tray, like a soda case box, under the bed with kitty litter in it to help obsorb the odor.

I would use borax in the washer and vinegar in the rinse cycle.

I am sensitive to fragrance, but I can use essential oil diffusers as air fresheners without any adverse reactions. Love lavender, orange, grapefruit and bergamot, clean, relaxing and long lasting. Lemon and may chang is a really vibrant one, energizing and clean.

"Nonenal, a chemical compound that people develop as they age, is the culprit behind the smell, which has been described by the National Institutes of Health as an “unpleasant greasy and grassy odor.” It is often hard to self-detect, but will linger on fabric such as shirt collars and pillow cases. Nonenal odors thrive in confined spaces"

I used a mild deodorant soap on Mom. Vinegar may help but you may want to try drying outside. Urine smells tend to come back when dried in a dryer. Vinegar smell will dissipate. I have done the vinegar in a bowl and it works. I saw a difference in just a couple of hours. I was using Arm and Hammer detergent thinking the baking soda in it would help but it didn't. Went back to Tide. I used the scent boosters but found it was too much "scent".

I have this same issue with my mothers clothes. I use a laundry detergent that has an odor and stain remover and that works well.

There is a scent booster by Gain you can put into your washer when washing your laundry. It smells lovely.

For her bedroom, I would open her windows as much as weather permits to air it out. To me, there is no other better sanitizer and clean scent smell than wiping and cleaning everything down with pine sole.

Then you can use candle melts or whatever, if you prefer.

The key to her bedroom is you got to "clean" the scent out.

Try white vinegar in the wash about a cup per full load. In the house set a small open bowl of white. Keep away from pets and children.