How to Get Rid of Perfume Odor

How to Get Rid of Perfume Odor
Published: Sep 14, 2009
Updated: Jul 18, 2019
2 minute read
Flower Perfume Bottle
marrakeshh/iStock/Getty Images

Women have been using perfume to change the way they smell for at least 4,000 years. They're hoping for a more appealing scent, but sometimes it doesn’t work that way. Just because something comes in a pretty bottle doesn't mean it has a pretty smell. And just because it smells good doesn't mean you should saturate yourself in it. If you're trying to get rid of perfume odors, there are several ways to remedy the problem.

Perfume on Clothes

Hang the garment outside to air out for two or three hours; the sunlight will help reduce the smell.

Launder the garment, adding 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. White vinegar kills odors; it also softens fabrics, so it serves two purposes.

Place the garment in the dryer with a scented dryer sheet. If the garment cannot be machine dried, hang it outside again until all the moisture is gone.

Add 1 cup baking soda to a bucket of water and place the garment in it, if the smell persists. Leave the garment overnight in the bucket to soak and rinse it well in the morning. Hang to dry.

Perfume on Skin

Make a paste of baking soda and water and apply it to the skin with a clean cloth. Scrub gently and allow the paste to sit for at least 10 minutes before washing it away.

Apply vodka to a clean cloth and wipe it all over the affected area. After it has been on your skin for five or 10 minutes, wash with warm, soapy water.

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Mix equal parts white vinegar and olive oil and dip a clean cloth into it. Rub the cloth over the affected area and allow it to soak for at least 10 minutes before washing it away with warm, soapy water.

Perfume in the Air

Cut up an onion and place it in a bowl of water. Leave the bowl setting out overnight and discard the onion in the morning after it has absorbed lingering odors.

Place a bowl of white vinegar or baking soda in the middle of the room to help eliminate odors.

Open doors and windows and use a fan to push the perfumed air out and to clear the air of residual odors.

Photo Credits

marrakeshh/iStock/Getty Images

Melynda Sorrels

Melynda Sorrels spent 10 years in the military working in different capacities of the medical field, including dental assisting, health services administration, decontamination and urgent medical care. Awarded the National Guardsman’s…

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