The only idea I have for the undies is to always use 100% cotton, not poly, not rayon. I have some "hi tech" long underwear with some branded patented fabric for skiing. They are toasty warm but if I don't wash them immediately upon returning home they seem to retain odors and NEVER let go.
Would also like to know if anyone could suggest something to help eliminate odors from undies? I've tried vinegar, soda, chlorox & freebeze with mom's underclothes but none of these have worked. Thanks!
I agree with tl on a lot of the "kitchen" products to use. I have found other than opening the windows for fresh air when you can to use a steam cleaner. I have a portable one and I clean everything with it. Saves on some laundry. Also Ihave a steam mop. Love them both. They are reasonably priced and easy to use. I like the idea of cleaning, sanitizing and leaving everything almost dry immediately! Makes everything smell so fresh and all you use is water. I'm not one for chemicals either so this does what it needs to do and santizes and easy to use and can use it everyday if I wish. Good luck!
My brother has a similar problem... He uses 3 mattress pads, high thread count cotton sheets and rotates them often. There is always a clean pad to put on the med and at least one in the laundry; often he puts two on the bed at once. We put cotton chintz slip covers on the furniture. Chintz feels sort of slick and the oils in his skin and perspiration seem to stay on top instead of soaking in and onto the furniture. Being cotton, they are also easy to toss into the washer and dryer. When washing, we use 1-2 cups of vinegar in the wash cycle and borax. This neutralizes odors and dissolves oils. He turns down the heat to 60 at night and sleeps with a fan on low to keep his room cool and thus reduce sweating. He often "airs" his home with open windows; even in winter he opens windows and runs bathroom vans for a few minutes a day.
He's disciplined about putting on clean clothes DAILY and showering daily. He also monitors bathroom towels closely, making sure there's adequate ventilation so they dry quickly and putting them in the wash after a couple days of use. Again, he uses the vinegar and borax in the washer.
It might seem odd to include this but my brother has also found that old fashioned Secret Solid is the very best anti-perspirant and deodorant. There is a definite increase in his sweating when he doesn't use it. He uses the fragrance free one to avoid smelling pretty. ;). He also swears by talc free powder - I think they substitute corn starch.. This is an issue that takes work and daily discipline. Good luck to him.
You'll probably get all kinds of recommendations for softener/dryer sheets, Febreeze spray, deodorants, room fresheners - all of these are chemicals and simply MASK smells, they don't eliminate them. They are also chemicals which can harm animals, aggrrevate allergies and cause harm to people with asthma, bronchitis or emphysema - he as allergies so that's why he sticks with the vinegar and borax.
He's disciplined about putting on clean clothes DAILY and showering daily. He also monitors bathroom towels closely, making sure there's adequate ventilation so they dry quickly and putting them in the wash after a couple days of use. Again, he uses the vinegar and borax in the washer.
It might seem odd to include this but my brother has also found that old fashioned Secret Solid is the very best anti-perspirant and deodorant. There is a definite increase in his sweating when he doesn't use it. He uses the fragrance free one to avoid smelling pretty. ;). He also swears by talc free powder - I think they substitute corn starch..
This is an issue that takes work and daily discipline.
Good luck to him.
You'll probably get all kinds of recommendations for softener/dryer sheets, Febreeze spray, deodorants, room fresheners - all of these are chemicals and simply MASK smells, they don't eliminate them. They are also chemicals which can harm animals, aggrrevate allergies and cause harm to people with asthma, bronchitis or emphysema - he as allergies so that's why he sticks with the vinegar and borax.