For the past three years, my clothes have smelled of a sulfuric type smell. I've (along with my mother) attempted to remove the smell using the popular solutions: vinegar, baking soda, Smellywasher, etc. None of it has worked, ever, at removing the smell although the vinegar solution has made my clothes smell great out of the machine. We've moved into three different apartments over these past few years, so I'm not sure if sulfuric water is the problem (or ever was).
I do know that I heard people say I smelled "gassy" and I do smell something sulfuric at random times. It's in all of my clothes, because people frequently have to breathe "away" or cover their noses. It's been a self-esteem killer and I barely have the ability to look people in the eye.
I bathe at night and in the morning, am a very clean person who washes his hands about a dozen times a day, brush teeth 4-6x a day (after each meal). I'm not being very "informative", but is there any hope whatsoever of removing the smell considering the big two (vinegar + baking soda) didn't work in helping people be around me.
My work requires me to meet with random people (clients) and help them out, and it kills me inside (and makes me nervous, causing me to stutter, turn red, etc.) when they have to cover their noses or breathe away from me, or worse yet, when they get angry. I don't blame them, I just want to get the smell out.
By godsgift2dagame from Champaign, IL
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I'm sorry to hear that you are having a hard time with this. It is a mystery indeed. Have you tried changing detergents? Perhaps you could go to a laundromat and see if you still have the problem there. When I have really smelly clothes, I add about a cup of vinegar to the washing machine right after I put the clothes in.
I don't want to sound mean, but are you sure it is your clothing and not your skin or breath? I would go see a naturopathic doctor if I were you. You and your mother may have a medical condition. It could also be your diet. There are foods that contain sulfur.
I know you said you moved several times, but I also wondered if you have the same washing machine you did when this all started. It could be coming from the machine.
I wish you the best of luck in finding out what the problem is. It must be really hard to live with.
It's the dyes in the clothing.
You mentioned feeling uncomfortable in social situations; are you on any prescribed medications like Venlafaxine or Efflexor? Googling them brings up a few user boards discussing a sulfur-like odor in the urine and also in perspiration. Other meds and physical conditions could also possibly cause it.
If your water source isn't where the sulfuric odor is coming from, you may want to have your doc take a look.
None of that is going to help and throwing out your clothes etc is nuts. It's a chemical problem that is either in your water itself or from your water heater. Just search how to remove sulfur from your water and does it smell the same whether hot or cold (water) Lastly, take your clothes somewhere else to wash until you solve it (sometimes easy -just some bleach will slove it, but not in your washer!) Resolve to solve it, not feel bad and not let this common water problem affect your life!
It took a lot of tries but All detergent counteracts the smell of silver on the laundry
I also wondered if it might be some chemical reaction between the clothes and you. Do the clothes smell in the closet? Fresh out of the washer? Or only when you wear them? Does your bedding smell? Do they smell if you wash them somewhere else? Do they smell if someone else wears them?
If it is only your clothes and you, I think it would be a medical condition you need to consult a doctor about.
hello original poster,
I've been working on removing these odors from my clothing for the past two months and I have had the same problems socially but only recently have I become aware, since I have been on a medication which, believe it or not, heightens my sense of smell. I've read the most obvious stuff about vinegar, baking soda, etc. and you're right, it doesn't work. The smell only gets masked.
Sulfur has seemed to be impossible to remove fully. However I have not lost hope and I believe I will be able to salvage my wardrobe which I love. I have had to go into some chemistry just to get a handle on it.
Sulfur will change to a gas when it is in the dryer. But not not smell due to the masking by detergent smell. It will also change to a gas when you wear the clothes as a result of body heat. This may take a few hours or many hours. The gas will also penetrate and ruin your shoes as a result of the socks getting warm in side the shoes. So if you have a strong sulfur content you may want to wait till you gain a handle on it then get new shoes socks all at once.
I can at least tell you some things I am sure you have never heard but that I know will help you.
First of all you should figure out how bad your clothes are sulfured and if it would be best just to start over with new everything(bedding included). For me this was my first resort. It worked well and I reduced the sulfur in my life dramatically. However after a couple weeks I slipped and allowed a source to contaminate my wardrobe again. If by any chance you don't know what is your source is, I would suggest it might well have been your water supply or a face acne treatment made by proactiv which contains sulfur.
From the reactions you are getting from people it sounds like you have a very high content in your clothing. You may want to start new. But here is something I bet you wont find anywhere on the internet. If you boil your clothing(that which isn't too delicate) in a stock pot and with a grate to hold them down well submerged under the water than the sulfur will rise to the top of the water. If you can do this, most of the sulfur will be removed. If you have high sulfur content you will see the film floating atop the water. Scoop it out and dispose of it before taking your clothing out from the pot. Use lots of vinegar with dark clothing, it will save them from bleeding tremendously.
When you wash them in the dryer maker sure your mothers load didn't just gas up the dryer. If you want you could take a fan and suck the gases out. And make sure to not use dryer sheets and use only a small amount of detergent so you will be able to smell the sulfur gas easier and get an idea of the progress you are making.
I am working on some other methods involving chlorophyll and conversion of the gasses while in the dryer which I will post the results on later. Good luck!
Well, these are old posts except for a prior reply - there is a genetic disorder that causes an enzyme deficiency - because of which a person cannot break down certain chemicals - this disorder is extremely rare, which is probably why no one above has heard of it - but it will cause a person's body to put off these type of odors. Research it and find out what foods you cannot eat, that is foods that your body cannot break down a specific ingredient (just read about it last night) - I understand one of the foods is broccoli.
Extemely rare genetic condition Trimethylaminuria that causes this smell - your body to not be able to produce an enzyme that breaks down certain foods, like broccoli, resulting in this embarrassing odor.
Are you SURE it is not the water? Do not use chlorine tabs in the back of your toilet tank for a few months and check the back toilet tank, any black or red sediment? Do you get red rings in the sink around the drain? If so, it is the water and/or iron pipes that are causing the problem. If there is no sulpher smell in your water and no sign of the sediment it could be that the problem followed you from a previous home.
I have known people who have this problem with newer low-water-use washing machines. That smell can be caused by a bacteria living in the clothes. If you live with it for a long time, the same bacteria can live in your furniture and bedding as well. The front loader type washing machines with a rubber seal allow a lot of bacteria to thrive, while an old fashioned high water top loader can be left open between washes so that it completely airs out. I would wash EVERYTHING in hot with vinagar in a top loading machine. And as soon as the load is done, get it into a dryer on hot setting. Don't let anything sit in the washer! Drying clothing all day in hot sun in summer can also work wonders, the UV will kill bacteria. All of this can be very hard on colors, but if you are able to completely eradicate the bacteria you will be ahead off the problem. Do the same with all bedding and possibly use a waterproof all around matress cover to isolate any bacteria imln your mattress. Couches and carpet could be part of the issue but less likely as they arent typically moist. Your body can harbor the same bacteria as well, so using soap and shampoo with Tea Tree oil can be a big help. It has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It has a stronh oder itself which can take time to get used to, but it is better than sulphur for sure!
I realize this topic is pretrlty old so hope you have found a solution long ago! We dealt with this after living in a place with a well that smelled bad. All of the above solutions helped!
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