Looking for ideas on how to get oil smell out of clothes? In this post, I’ve listed four effective solutions to take oil/grease smells out of clothes.

Greasy odors on clothes can be difficult to remove. Fortunately there are easy and effective ways to get rid of them (that won’t require you to run the washer over and over again!). Oil can be a common source of unpleasant odors in clothing. It may come from cooking, bacteria, or even from the body’s natural oils.

Below, I’ve gathered the best solutions to remove old smell from clothes! If you need help getting rid of greasy smelling clothes instantly, I’ve also listed an easy, helpful tip to stop clothes from smelling like oily food without washing!

Let’s get started!

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How To Get Oil Smell Out Of Clothes

Below, I’ve gathered the best methods on how to get the smell of oil out of clothes. Oil odors on clothes can be annoying and difficult to wash. Thankfully, there are many effective and easy solutions to help get rid of grease smells.

Under some tips, I’ve also recommended a helpful product I felt had the most value for the cost. For people in a rush, I’ve also listed a method to help you take smelly scents out of clothes without washing.

For long term results, it’s important to pinpoint and eliminate the odor from its source. Below, I’ve listed several likely reasons your clothes smell like oil in the first place.

Here are my best tips on how to get grease smell out of clothes!

What Is Causing Grease Smells In Your Clothes?

Grease oil smells can linger on fabric and be difficult to remove. To understand how to stop clothes from smelling like oil, let’s talk about why your clothes ARE greasy in the first place.

This smell can be caused by a variety of different sources such as cooking, sweat, and oil. Unwashed garments can also accumulate bacteria and fungi that produce odors. Washing with a strong detergent and hot water will help remove both the grease and any associated odors.

The oil smells from clothes can be caused by several ways:

• Grease and oil smells from cooking can cling to fabrics if the air circulation is poor.
• Sweat and moisture is trapped inside your clothes, causing mold and mildew to thrive.
• You left wet clothes in the washing machine for too long.
• Your closet is too humid and dark (the perfect condition for odor-producing bacteria to thrive).
• Your washing machine is dirty and contains mold or mildew.

Pinpoint the root of your smelly clothes. Moisture and poor circulation is a huge contributor to unpleasant odors. In order get rid of oil smells from your clothes, you’ll need to kill off odor-producing bacteria to further growth.

Below, I’ve listed the best ways to get rid of oil and grease smell from your clothes, as well as, your washing machine and closet. Here’s how to effectively remove grease smells from clothes!

1. Use An Odor Eliminating Laundry Detergent

The easiest method on how to get grease smell out of clothes is to use an odor eliminating laundry detergent. This type of laundry detergent is formulated to eliminate odors, not just mask them with strong fragrances. Swapping your current laundry detergent for an odor eliminating one is an easy way to take oil smells out of clothes and prevent them from forming again.

Odor forms in clothes when sweat and moisture gets trapped inside, causing odor producing bacteria to form. To order to completely get rid of clothes odor, you’ll need a strong laundry detergent to eliminate odors and kill off mild/mildew.

If you struggle with oily, unpleasant smelling clothes, I highly recommend using a strong odor eliminating laundry detergent (like this highly effective Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator). If you have pets or workout often, I recommend this type of detergent to help you achieve clean, fresh smelling clothes every time!

Best Odor Eliminating Detergent

Looking for an effective odor eliminating detergent to remove grease smell from clothes? I highly recommend this Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator! Not only does this detergent smell amazing, but it effectively removes odors caused by oils.

If you can’t seem to stop clothes smelling greasy with your current detergent, this is a great product to swap from your traditional laundry detergent. This odor eliminating detergent is powerful and will remove strong unpleasant odors in one wash (not just mask them with fragrances).

2. Remove Oil Smell From Clothes Fast With An Odor Eliminator Spray

Need a quick and easy solution on how to get oil smell out of clothes? An odor eliminator spray is a highly effective method to remove grease smell from clothes instantly.

An odor eliminator spray (like this Fresh Wave Odor Eliminator Spray), is an excellent instant clothes and home deodorizer. This is a great product to use when you don’t have time to throw smelly clothes in the wash. A good odor eliminator spray effectively removes odors from fabrics, not just masking them with fragrances.

I recommend having an odor eliminating spray at home if you own pets. It’s a quick way to get rid of unpleasant odors from your clothes without loading them in the washer. For long lasting freshness, I still recommend using an odor eliminating detergent.

Best Odor Removing Spray For Clothes

Need help finding an odor eliminator spray? I highly recommend this Fresh Wave Odor Eliminator Spray! This is a great product to stop clothes from smelling like oil, as well as, remove other types of odors caused from pets, smoke, etc..

This spray contains natural ingredients so you can safely use this odor removers on your clothes or around the home! Since this odor eliminating spray contains no harsh chemicals, this is a great product for households with pets and young children.

I recommend using this product to quickly remove oil smells from clothes. It’s a great way to also kill off mildew and odor producing bacteria safely without washing.

3. Got A Closet That Smells Like Grease? Use A Moisture Absorber To Remove Odors Causing Your Clothes To Smell

Take a whiff inside your closet and clothes storage. If your closet smells like oil, this is 100% causing your clothes to smell the same. Grease smells can be caused by mildew and mold growth. In order to take this smell out of clothes completely, you’ll need to get rid of the culprit: a bacteria filled closet.

If you have oily smells coming from inside your closet or clothes storage, your closet is too humid. Darkness and moisture are the perfect breeding ground for odor-producing bacteria. To get rid of these unwanted guests, remove excess moisture from your closet.

One easy, inexpensive method to get rid of humidity is to use a hanging moisture absorber bag, like this one from DampRid. This is an easy tip on how to prevent and remove grease smell from clothes straight from your closet without washing your clothes over and over again.

Best Moisture Remover For Closets

Looking for a quality moisture remover for your closet? I highly recommend this hanging bag moisture absorber from DampRid in lavender vanilla (other scents and fragrance free options available!).

This closet moisture absorber comes in a pack of 3 for a great price! It’s an effective, simple solution to stop clothes from smelling greasy or musty by killing off mildew and mold growth. Damp air is huge culprit for oil smells. To prevent and remove grease smell from clothes, I highly recommend placing a pack of moisture removers inside smelly closets.

4. To Stop Clothes From Smelling Like Grease, Get Rid Of The Bacteria In Your Washing Machine

Not only will a smelly washing machine make all your clothes smell unpleasant and oily, but it’ll also cause a smelly odor to linger throughout your house. If you have this problem, I highly recommend using a washing machine cleaner (like these highly effective washing machine cleaning tablets) to remove odor producing oil and grease smells from your washer.

Although washing machine cleaners will help remove oil smells from both your washer and clothes, proper washer maintenance is important to prevent unpleasant odors. After every wash, I recommend leaving the washer door open to allow the inside to dry. Moisture is a huge reason for bacteria growth.

To keep your washing machine smelling fresh, wash your washer with a cleaning tablet once a month. If you have a smelly washer, this is a great method to stop clothes from smelling like grease.

Best Quality Washing Machine Cleaner

If you struggle with a smelly washer, my best tip how to get the smell of oil out of clothes and your washer is to use a washing machine cleaner (like this these cleaning tablets from Affresh). This pack comes with 5 cleaning tablets for a great price!

To use, simply drop one tablet into an empty washing machine and select the “clean washer” cycle option on your washer. After the cycle is complete, use a rag to wipe down any residue that might be left behind. If the smell persists, run the cleaning cycle 3 times consecutively.

This product is an easy solution to take smells out of your washing machine and clothes. However, regular maintenance is important to keep your washing machine clean and odor free. I highly recommend running your washer with a tablet once a month to prevent bacteria growth. It’s a low cost to pay for clean clothes!

Summarized: How To Get Oil Smell Out Of Clothes

In this post, I’ve listed several clever ideas on how to get grease smell out of clothes. Below, I’ve summarized the most important tips from this post.

Reasons Your Clothes Smell Like Oil & Grease

Prevention is important to stop odor producing bacteria from forming on your clothes. Once again, here are the reasons why your clothes smell like grease in the first place:

• Grease and oil smells from cooking can cling to fabrics if the air circulation is poor.
• Sweat and moisture is trapped inside your clothes, causing mold and mildew to thrive.
• You left wet clothes in the washing machine for too long.
• Your closet is too humid and dark (the perfect condition for odor-producing bacteria to thrive).
• Your washing machine is dirty and contains mold or mildew.

How To Get The Smell Of Oil Out Of Clothes

Here are the best ways to remove oil smells from clothes:

• An easy and highly effective way to prevent and remove greasy smells from clothes is to swap to an odor eliminating laundry detergent. Compared to traditional detergents, this type of laundry detergent effectively eliminates odor instead of masking them with strong fragrances.
• Looking for a method to remove oil smells from clothes without washing? An odor eliminating spray gets rid of greasy odors instantly.

How To Prevent + Remove Grease Smells From The Source

To take oil smell out of clothes for good, it’s important to get rid of the source:

• Got a closet or clothes storage that smells like grease? A damp closet can cause mold and mildew to form, making your clothes smell unpleasant. Get rid of this odor by absorbing excess moisture with a closet moisture absorber.
• If you have a washing machine that smell like oil, chances are, your clothes smell just as bad. To save your washing machine (and your clothes), clean out the oil smell with washing machine cleaning tablets.

Conclusion

In this post, I’ve listed several effective ideas on how to get grease smell out of clothes. Oil-smelling clothes can be annoying and difficult to remove. However, using the right methods and products, it’s possible to prevent and remove grease smell out of clothes!

To stop clothes from smelling oily, it’s important to pinpoint what is causing your clothes to form these unpleasant odors. In order to completely get rid smells from your clothes, you’ll need to kill off odor producing bacteria, not just mask off the odor with fragrances.

In this post, I’ve listed several solutions to get rid of greasy clothes odor (including one that won’t require you to wash your clothes). I hope this post gave you some helpful ideas on how to get oil smell out of clothes!

Good luck!