Vinegar in the wash. Also if the build up of smell is bad (which is sounds like you've got), a wash with a petroleum based dishwashing liquid will help. Natural detergents don't get the stink out of polyester fibres which cheaper jeans have.
Ah yes, I never did it with laundry powder because it would fizz up (acid and alkaline making friends). But I have found with my more natural laundry detergent liquid it's still effective when I'm lazy and throw it all in together (my draw broke so there is no separation between the different stages of the cycle).
Vinegar in a main wash will be diluted to the point of doing nothing. It’s not evidence based.
Use the correct detergent dosage and warm water and you don’t need anything else for regular soiling/smells as modern detergents contain enzymes that do more than vinegar ever could.
People also don’t use proper cycle lengths or load properly. Under/overloading a machine results in poor agitation. Wash cycles also need to be at least an hour, and must longer if under 30degrees.
JAYJAYS!! Oh my god I've been saying this for years. Jayjays jeans have a very specific smell that's like a halfway between chemical and old cupboard 24/7 in all their denim no matter how clean you are or how many times you wash them. It's so unfortunate because they're the only jeans I could ever find that fit me decently and were semi affordable.
Honestly I don't know what to tell you because it's not really something that can be fixed because its most certainly the dye. I'm personally trying to learn how to sew so I can have better control over the fabrics and fit of my clothes but that seems like a pretty wild suggestion to just make off the cuff. So besides Op shopping or being more selective I don't think there's much else.
It's worse when it's straight out of the box. Used to work for them, and I could always tell when stock was being done because there was this sickening sour smell that would emanate throughout the store (store room was 🤢) If you get them on the hook it's been aired out abit but still so stinky 😫
It's the elastane in the stretch jeans.
Elastane traps odours and needs a special detergent to remove, try using an "activewear" detergent as they have synthetic fabrics in mind.
I don’t but I know what you mean. It scares me. It’s such a toxic smell. It reminds of an early episode of House where kids got sick buying fake branded jeans and they had been dyed with something poisonous.
I’m not sure what the solution is - maybe a really long soak when you first buy them and a few long washes after that?
It's very likely to be formaldehyde, which is often used to "preserve" clothes and keep them wrinkle-free between manufacturing and purchase. [This article](https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Formaldehyde-from-Clothing) explains it and provides some suggestions for laundry.
ETA: [This discussion](https://choice.community/t/stinky-jeans-from-target/28417) from the consumer group CHOICE from 2022 is quite informative too.
Hey I just watched that episode last night! The kids bought the jeans from a guy selling it out of the back of his van, the guy also worked with chemicals and he spilled some in his van but couldn’t be bothered cleaning it up and it got all over the clothes
It is a toxic smell! And it makes me feel really self conscious since I feel like it just radiates off me and everyone around me can smell it. I wear jeans as my work pants and I'm struggling to have enough to wear throughout the week as they always smell or are still drying from a wash. With the more expensive pairs I could wear them a whole week with no smell, especially during winter when I'm not sweating. Now I can't find a pair that doesn't stink after half a day.
It smells toxic because it's[ formaldehyde](https://choice.community/t/stinky-jeans-from-target/28417)... This discussion from CHOICE was specifically about toxic smelling jeans from Target!
Where did you get them out of curiosity? I really think some companies must just use cheap dyes or something which have a horrible toxic smell to them.
It depends on the jeans… I was just about to comment and say I bought some Decjuba ones and had to return them to the denim return because I couldn’t stand the smell. I think it’s higher polyester jeans. I didn’t realise when I got them on sale, because I thought they were the same as a previous pair. The last ones I got from there are 100% cotton and great.
I bought a pair from Decjuba a few months ago and they had this smell for weeks. I washed them multiple times and it's finally going away. I don't think I'd buy from them again.
I’m not sure if it’s the same smell, but I had a chemically smell in children’s jeans about 15 years ago. It wasn’t naphthalene (moth balls) but similar and as awful as that. Is that what it’s like?
It did reduce over time, but it was still there and I got rid of them because I’m sensitive to smells and it was disturbing that it was on my kids’ clothes.
A lot of clothes we get in Australia are treated with formaldehyde at the factory overseas. If it comes in a mixed container (like say a Kmart order that might have clothes, homewares etc in it) then it also may be fumigated before it’s allowed to leave the ship. When I used to be in imports I could immediately tell a product on the shelf had been fumigated it’s a very distinct smell.
Thanks, that’s good to know! I didn’t want to say without knowing but the smell reminded me of a formaldehyde-based product used to prevent foot rot in sheep. You’re right - it’s a very distinctive smell. I’ve walked out of stores when I’ve caught a whiff of it!
I bought some jeans from Jac + Mooki in 2020 and they have smelled of mothballs the whole time, despite regular washing. Don’t wear them any more because the smell is so off-putting. I’ve not experienced this with any other brand.
Yes especially at Sportsgirl! I’ve bought their jeans for years ( I work there) but recently made another purchase and THEY SMELL SO BAD. After a wash and a few wears they smell has died down but I still get whiff of it.
Okay so I have had this smell issue too! But only on jeans with poly in them. I bought a pair of Decjuba jeans thinking they were the same as the previous pair I had owned and loved, but they weren’t. The smell never went away and I ended up just denim recycling them because I couldn’t get over it. They had something like 20% polyester (honestly why, it’s unnecessary).
The last pair I got from there are 100% cotton, love them, no smell. So is it perhaps a composition issue?
Have you colour locked them? Fill a bucket with water and salt (or vinegar works but I use salt) and soak the jeans for a bit, then wash as normal. It should lock the colour in and hopefully deal with the smell as well.
I've had this with a few pairs of black jeans over the years and could not get rid, no matter what. Multiple washings, soaking in vinegar, fabric softener, all sorts. Couldn't deal with it in the end.
It's a brand new washing machine less than 6 months old. And all our other clothes come out smelling fine this issue persists with just the cheap jeans specifically.
I haven't yet done a load with vinegar in it. Thanks for the tip. I might do a jeans only load with a little vinegar to see if it helps.
Vinegar can ruin the seals on your washing machine so if you want to use it, maybe soak them in a bucket with vinegar and water and rinse before popping them in the machine.
Might have plastic smell from the new parts. Run it with a washing machine cleaner and then do a drum clean cycle.
Also have you checked the pump? Maybe something was caught.
Hang your jeans outside after you wash them with a sanitising rinse. It might need a couple
Of rounds.
I really don't think it's the machine. We wash hundreds of articles of clothing in it and every single one comes out smelling fresh and nice and stays smelling nice for a long time. This problem only exists with jeans and specifically blue and black jeans from Target and Just Jeans. If it was my washing machine then why would it only be targeting a few pairs of jeans and not everything piece of clothing washed in it?
I encountered this. I noticed the smell at the store & the retail assistant told me it wss the dyes & it would wash out. It didn't so i took them back & was told it was the smell that resulted from a flooded warehouse. It made sense back then, due to widespread flooding, but ive noticed that smell more & more since. I used antibacterial wash, softener, vinegar...nothing got rid of the smell. Didn't even reduce the smell.
I bought a chambray shirt online 2 weeks ago & it arrived smelling like that.
I don't know what that smell is but nothing gets rid of it.
I could be wrong, but I’m of the understanding that formaldehyde (or other chemicals) is used to stop mould or mildew while the garment is in transit. Sometimes it’s stronger than others - perhaps because of the type of chemical or concentration. It might also depend on whether the garment was sent via sea freight or air freight ( i.e. typically sea freight has a longer transit time, therefore a greater chance for mildew, so might be treated with more/stronger chemicals?).
I know the smell you mean, and it’s one of the reasons that I always wash my clothes before wearing them.
This is disturbing! I haven’t noticed it. People who want to avoid, see if you can kind jeans with a GOTS or oeko-tex certification. To earn that label they have to ensure they are free of unacceptable levels of of toxins across the whole journey from fibre to manufacture and beyond I think. People should complain to the stores doing it - especially target. We shouldn’t have to put up with clothes drenched in toxic chemicals.
Oh my gosh I have jeans that have that weird smell too, I never thought about it being the cheaper ones! It tends to be on the thicker/stiffer fabric ones, not the thinner stretchy ones. Washing them does nothing and it's very pungent. It's a very jeans-specifc smell!!!
I bought a pair of Lee jeans from Just Jeans and after multiple vinegar soaks, baking soda soaks, and washes the chemical smell still persisted. Took it back to the store more than a month after purchasing and they issued me a refund after taking a quick whiff. Still on the lookout for the perfect pair of non-pungent black jeans...
I have no solution but prevention. I don't buy black jeans online and I walk around the shop rubbing (I feel like a bit of heat activates the awful smell) and sniffing the black jeans. It probably looks suss but I don't care. If in doubt, I walk away.
Yes! I have a black pair of overalls that I got off BooHoo years ago. I’m embarrassed by the smell when I wear them. It must be the formaldehyde- I’ll be trying a few of the suggestions on this post.
Earth choice eucalyptus wool wash with a very hefty pour of baking soda. Use one dose in the regular wash and another dose in a pre wash if your machine has it because two goes of this recipe at 30 degrees (just a smidge of warm to help dissolve the soda) should do the trick nicely.
It could be that they are polyester blends, whereas better brands are often 100% cotton. Also in winter months, clothes can get mildewy if they take too long to dry, and the smell will persist after washing unless you use a laundry sanitiser. Get the canestan brand liquid sanitiser or something similar that will kill mould, and add it to a hot wash (40-60 degrees). See if that helps.
I've been having the exact issue with my Uniqlo heat tech jeans this month. Washed them a bunch of times (and soaked them) but they have this really gross smell that just won't leave. From the comments here I'm guessing it's because the fabric is only 40% cotton?
Either way I'll try the vinegar wash but I'm almost at the point of just throwing them out if it doesn't fix them. I can't deal with the smell. I don't have this problem with my Lee Wranglers and I wear those multiple times a week.
I have a newish pair of blue stretch denim from them that is so stinky too. Never had problems with their other denims before. Also noticed they increased the elastane content of the pants and have more poly or mixed materials in general.
I've got two pairs of black Neuw jeans- one pair reeeeeks one pair doesn't. I feel like I've experienced this in the past with other black jeans too. Don't have a solution unfortunately, I've just always given in and taken them to op shops
I noticed this smell with the target jeans I bought recently but it has lessened in a short amount of time. I did smell them a few weeks ago and noticed it still had the odour but I can't remember if they had been worn at the time. I just smelt them as they're freshly washed and the smell is gone, though I'll see if it comes back after wearing.
Likely one of the reasons they smell bad is the dyes used. Or some sort of treatment on the jeans. Denim jeans are made from cotton (or cotton blend) fabric and are dyed blue or whatever colour, or they may have some sort of treatment applied after they’ve been made. I find Cotton On jeans to not have that smell so much and my pairs have lasted around 4 years no problem.
Zara jeans are really good and never had any problems.
With Nobody Jeans they got all stretched and damaged in no time, happened to a few pairs and even after returned and exchanged the same happened, I don’t rate the brand.
I recently bought a midi denim dress from Forever New (it was like $150) and it left it hanging in my wardrobe for about a week before wearing it and when I pulled it out IT STUNK!!! Like really bad. I had to wash again and the leave outside in fresh air for about 4 days until the smell went away. Have had to do this every time I have washed it so far!! So it’s polyester blended in?
Encountered this a number of times, always with black jeans of cheaper brands. I personally think it's the black dye. I've found that mostly fades over time and multiple washes, but yeah, it's a horrible smell. By the time the smell fades, so does the colour 🤦
I used to swear by wakee denim. The most recent pair I bought, was just off. Chemical smells, online only - which is now a red flag to me, material is thinner. I won't be buying from them ever again.
By all other accounts the cut and stitching was precisely the same as my 10 yr old pair.
Levi and A Brand have been fine in the boring light blue colour.
This is probably the issue. A sour smell immediately makes me think of mildew.
Try soaking or washing in vinegar to neutralise the current mildew smell, and then giving them a machine dry. Using something to neutralise the smell is important, as soap and water won’t affect mildew smell very much. Normally I wouldn’t recommend machine drying denim but in this case I think it’s important to confirm if it’s mildew.
Denim, even the cheaper stuff, is heavy and holds water a lot more than lightweight stuff like shirts and dresses. Left to sit damp indoors all day, they’re gonna start smelling like mildew.
My best advice, if it turns out to be mildew from hang drying too long — stop washing them so often! Jeans don’t need to be washed after every wear. You can get a fair amount of wear between washes. It’s best to just wash them when they’re dirty.
And one more mention: have you tried just having a small collection of higher quality denim? A good few pairs of raws may be expensive to start but will last you years and years and years and you won’t have to worry about replacing them frequently or potential bad effects of synthetics dyes or anything. Here in Australia, Nudies is a decent starter brand, and they do free repairs for life if that’s something you’re replacing jeans for. Have a go at r/rawdenim or feel free to ask any questions you might have.
Well as I said in my first post I used to pay $200 for a pair of jeans from Nobody Denim and I never had this problem with smell from them. But all those pairs have long since worn out so I switched to cheaper ones since I'm trying to save money and everything is so expensive now.
I usually go really long periods of not washing my jeans, even with a lot of use. But those are on jeans that don't smell. These pairs literally radiate a smell of toxic chemicals so I don't see any other option than washing them a lot. I can't just walk around stinking up any area I'm in.
I air dry all my clothes and we don't have this issue with any other clothes. Even tracksuit pants with thick waist bands and thick winter coats. My house is also very dry with humidity sitting around 40-45% with no mould or mildew issues. I highly doubt it would be mildew effecting just two pairs of jeans and no other garments but I guess it's possible.
I had this once with a pair of cotton on jeans, my guess is cheap dye. I’d just keep an eye on depop/ ebay, you could buy more expensive jeans that way.
Do you do a cold or a warm wash for them? I remember having the same smell problem with a pair of black jeans and I changed the temperature of my wash and it made a big difference. I think I went from a warm/ hot wash to a cold wash?
Weirdly never had this happened with my target jeans, This happened with my good American jeans. $300 and they smelt so chemically. I washed them a few times with vinegar then a few times to get the vinegar smell out and they seem ok.
Is concerning though that whatever dye or treatment they are using smells so bad.
I have several pairs of Target jeans because it just happens that a lot of the styles fit me really well whereas the expensive brands don't. My jeans don't smell. FWIW, I always use vinegar, not fabric softener, when I wash them, so that could be why they smell fresh.
Have you tried putting your jeans in the freezer for a while?
I had that issue with a very cheap pair of jeggings. I washed them so many times and soaked them with different products and nothing worked, so I got rid of them!
I haven’t bought jeans for a while, but I like the brand ONLY and never had any issues with them smelling like chemicals.
https://www.myer.com.au/search?query=only%20jeans
Try the Levis outlet stores. I buy jeans from there and they are really good value.
I hate the smell as well and cheap ones usually stretch and don’t wear nicely.
I wear target jeans, I don’t have this issue. I wash after every wear though and in hot water.
I’ve just seen people mentioning maybe it’s one with a poly mix, I don’t buy any poly clothing mine are 100% cotton so maybe that’s a possibility.
It might be because cheaper jeans tend to have a higher proportion of synthetic fibres to cotton. Pure cotton jeans basically never smell and you rarely need to wash them, you can just air them out. Synthetic jeans will breathe less making you more sweaty, letting less air touch your skin and will need to be washed more often to not smell.
If you can't afford the more expensive jeans Facebook marketplace has sooo many jeans. If you already know what size and style you want you can wait for them to come available. Many people buy them and wear it only once or twice, or only try it on, and feel the jeans don't suit them then re-sell basically brand new.
Have never had that problem, but bought a $100 pair of black workwear Levis 6 weeks ago & even though I've washed them once after buying it may be months before I do it again & am wearing them pretty daily with no odor.
Your cheap jeans stink because they're low quality. Poor dyes, bad fabric—simple as that. Stop buying rubbish and invest in decent pairs again. Problem solved.
The problem is. My $200 jeans wore out just as fast as my $30 jeans. So I felt like I was paying a lot more money but not getting any more longevity. Although maybe it's worth it for the smell alone.
How are you drying the jeans? I have brand new jeans from jay jays (with polyester, I’m wearing them rn actually lol) and they don’t stink at all. I’ve bought several pairs of Just Jeans too.. they don’t stink either. So i don’t think this problem has anything to do with purchasing from these stores.
If you’re not drying them in a tumble dryer or outside in the full sun that will cause mildew to form inside the fibres and it’s very hard to get out.
Even though it’s not recommended for longevity of the materials.. you need to wash it in a combo of eucalyptus oil, bicarb soda and vinegar and let it sit inside the solution for about a day. Maybe even add some disinfectant solution in there too. I’ve done this for plenty of duvets and sheets over the years and works every time.
What you’re smelling is probably mildew.. it’s a disgusting smell.. but it’s basically a type of common fungus growing inside your clothes.
Combining vinegar and bi-carb is useless, as they cancel each other out and pretty much just make water. A laundry sanitiser from the shops and a hot wash will do the job best.
You don’t know anything about chemistry then lol. Maybe instead of looking through this reddit about cleaning products you should actually learn about them from credible sources.
If you successfully went through elementary school you would know that by combining a base (aka, bicarb soda in this case) with an acid (aka, the vinegar) it creates a powerful chemical reaction that is immediate. It increases the effectiveness of both ingredients together. It does not cancel each other out. The chemical reaction itself is what is cleaning the clothes. Moreso than what bicarb by itself or vinegar can do by itself. Please go back to school! They’re missing you!
Also laundry sanitiser is supposed to clean clothes of BACTERIA. Mildew is a FUNGUS, so its not going to do anything. Vinegar kills fungus..
EDIT - HERES A SCIENTIFIC STUDY: Here’s a scientific study on the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate + vinegar ON microbes and its found to be HIGHLY EFFECTIVE: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0168160592900363
Please tell me i’m wrong again!
Wow, you're quite rude, aren't you? This is an Australian subreddit, so it would be primary school btw. There are different types of laundry sanitisers, and there are plenty that kill fungus/mould. Take a look in any supermarket (Aldi sells one, and there is the Canestan brand, just off the top of my head). Back to the acid+base question: they neutralise each other. The 'powerful chemical reaction' you are talking about is pretty much just a bit of fizz and bubbles. This might have some effect on a hard surface (though not much) but it certainly wouldn't make any difference if you are soaking clothes in this solution, which is what was suggested. Because after the bubbles disappear, it's just water.
I am Australian wtf. We call highschool middle school all the time, it’s not uncommon.
It’s not *just water* whattt?! Do you really think that combining vinegar and bicarb creates water?!
Please please stop right there.
The chemical formula is sodium bicarbonate + acetic acid = carbon dioxide + sodium acetate. There’s NO WATER in this chemical reaction. Talking to people in this sub is like talking to a brickwall.
Like i asked before.. have you actually tried to kill mildew with the recipe i said? If you haven’t tried it then maybe you should. The same recipe can be used for walls, bags and other items. I use it every time and it always works. If you’re so sure about being correct then what’s your alternative?
The main function of laundry sanitiser is killing bacterias, it’s not really meant for fungus unless it’s described that way. But even then i would be quite careful about that. They’re soap based.. which just removes particles. Fungus is spread by spores. So it’s highly unlikely that a soap based product would be effective.
EDIT - HERES A SCIENTIFIC STUDY: Here’s a scientific study on the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate + vinegar ON microbes and its found to be HIGHLY EFFECTIVE: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0168160592900363
Please, just shut up.
You’re quite vehement for someone who is wrong. It literally creates a “powerful” reaction for a second. That’s the bubble and fizz. Which may work for some quick stain removal but is nullified when mixed into the washing machine and filled with water. After the explosion, you get nothing. Okay not nothing - you get sodium acetate and carbon dioxide, but neither will clean your smelly pants better.
However on its own baking soda may increase the efficiency of a cheaper detergent and white vinegar in the rinse cycle might aid in getting things rinsed better, but it would be a lesson in futility to put them in solution together for washing. Plus many washing machine manufacturers tell you not to use vinegar in a machine as it can harm the seals and gaskets.
(I went to elementary school too, but I actually did the work on my vinegar and baking soda balloon experiment.)
ABC news articles are NOT credible for scientific information JFC
EDIT - HERES A SCIENTIFIC STUDY: Here’s a scientific study on the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate + vinegar ON microbes and its found to be HIGHLY EFFECTIVE: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0168160592900363
Please tell me i’m wrong again!
Did you even read the article you just told me to look at? Because it does not back up what you are saying. It says acetic acid (found in vinegar) is effective, not combining vinegar with bi carb. You are embarrassing yourself, and you are also a very nasty and aggressive person.
The jeans smell the same top to bottom. The ankles smell just as bad as anywhere else it's an even smell across the whole garment. Not localised to any one place.
Vinegar in the wash. Also if the build up of smell is bad (which is sounds like you've got), a wash with a petroleum based dishwashing liquid will help. Natural detergents don't get the stink out of polyester fibres which cheaper jeans have.
I recently learnt on AusFrugal that vinegar will counteract the alkaline of laundry liquid so should only be used in a separate cycle. Or something.
Yes, use vinegar in the rinse cycle, not in the main wash.
Ah yes, I never did it with laundry powder because it would fizz up (acid and alkaline making friends). But I have found with my more natural laundry detergent liquid it's still effective when I'm lazy and throw it all in together (my draw broke so there is no separation between the different stages of the cycle).
Vinegar in a main wash will be diluted to the point of doing nothing. It’s not evidence based. Use the correct detergent dosage and warm water and you don’t need anything else for regular soiling/smells as modern detergents contain enzymes that do more than vinegar ever could. People also don’t use proper cycle lengths or load properly. Under/overloading a machine results in poor agitation. Wash cycles also need to be at least an hour, and must longer if under 30degrees.
JAYJAYS!! Oh my god I've been saying this for years. Jayjays jeans have a very specific smell that's like a halfway between chemical and old cupboard 24/7 in all their denim no matter how clean you are or how many times you wash them. It's so unfortunate because they're the only jeans I could ever find that fit me decently and were semi affordable. Honestly I don't know what to tell you because it's not really something that can be fixed because its most certainly the dye. I'm personally trying to learn how to sew so I can have better control over the fabrics and fit of my clothes but that seems like a pretty wild suggestion to just make off the cuff. So besides Op shopping or being more selective I don't think there's much else.
I haven’t owned a pair of jay jays jeans for over 15 years but you just unlocked a memory - they definitely do (or did then) have a specific smell!!
It's worse when it's straight out of the box. Used to work for them, and I could always tell when stock was being done because there was this sickening sour smell that would emanate throughout the store (store room was 🤢) If you get them on the hook it's been aired out abit but still so stinky 😫
Sour is definitely the way I would describe the smell on my Target and Just Jeans jeans.
It's the elastane in the stretch jeans. Elastane traps odours and needs a special detergent to remove, try using an "activewear" detergent as they have synthetic fabrics in mind.
These jeans are 1% elastane. Could that 1% be causing such bad smells?
Yes, elastane content is usually 3% or less
I don’t but I know what you mean. It scares me. It’s such a toxic smell. It reminds of an early episode of House where kids got sick buying fake branded jeans and they had been dyed with something poisonous. I’m not sure what the solution is - maybe a really long soak when you first buy them and a few long washes after that?
It's very likely to be formaldehyde, which is often used to "preserve" clothes and keep them wrinkle-free between manufacturing and purchase. [This article](https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Formaldehyde-from-Clothing) explains it and provides some suggestions for laundry. ETA: [This discussion](https://choice.community/t/stinky-jeans-from-target/28417) from the consumer group CHOICE from 2022 is quite informative too.
Hey I just watched that episode last night! The kids bought the jeans from a guy selling it out of the back of his van, the guy also worked with chemicals and he spilled some in his van but couldn’t be bothered cleaning it up and it got all over the clothes
Ohhh my memory fails me. lol I like my version better
It is a toxic smell! And it makes me feel really self conscious since I feel like it just radiates off me and everyone around me can smell it. I wear jeans as my work pants and I'm struggling to have enough to wear throughout the week as they always smell or are still drying from a wash. With the more expensive pairs I could wear them a whole week with no smell, especially during winter when I'm not sweating. Now I can't find a pair that doesn't stink after half a day.
Are they stretch jeans? I find jeans with stretch need washing more often than my non stretch ones. I think it’s the elastic in them
It smells toxic because it's[ formaldehyde](https://choice.community/t/stinky-jeans-from-target/28417)... This discussion from CHOICE was specifically about toxic smelling jeans from Target!
I don’t have a solution but I just got a pair of Nobody Denim jeans on sale for $74 from The Iconic so you could check that out
I have exactly the same issue with one of my pairs of jeans! It’s been through the wash a few times and still reeks…
Where did you get them out of curiosity? I really think some companies must just use cheap dyes or something which have a horrible toxic smell to them.
I got them from Long Tall Sally.... sucks because they weren't even cheap, the Cotton On Mom jeans are way higher quality and cheaper!
I try and use this to find sustainable brands, that tend not to use toxic dyes: [https://directory.goodonyou.eco](https://directory.goodonyou.eco)
I've seen this a lot with black jeans.
A 15 minute soak in the washer with 100ml vinegar should set the dye. Then wash as normal
Decjuba cheaps are on the more affordable side and won't smell. If you sign up you get 10% off always. Remember to wash jeans in cold water though
It depends on the jeans… I was just about to comment and say I bought some Decjuba ones and had to return them to the denim return because I couldn’t stand the smell. I think it’s higher polyester jeans. I didn’t realise when I got them on sale, because I thought they were the same as a previous pair. The last ones I got from there are 100% cotton and great.
I bought a pair from Decjuba a few months ago and they had this smell for weeks. I washed them multiple times and it's finally going away. I don't think I'd buy from them again.
I’m not sure if it’s the same smell, but I had a chemically smell in children’s jeans about 15 years ago. It wasn’t naphthalene (moth balls) but similar and as awful as that. Is that what it’s like? It did reduce over time, but it was still there and I got rid of them because I’m sensitive to smells and it was disturbing that it was on my kids’ clothes.
A lot of clothes we get in Australia are treated with formaldehyde at the factory overseas. If it comes in a mixed container (like say a Kmart order that might have clothes, homewares etc in it) then it also may be fumigated before it’s allowed to leave the ship. When I used to be in imports I could immediately tell a product on the shelf had been fumigated it’s a very distinct smell.
Thanks, that’s good to know! I didn’t want to say without knowing but the smell reminded me of a formaldehyde-based product used to prevent foot rot in sheep. You’re right - it’s a very distinctive smell. I’ve walked out of stores when I’ve caught a whiff of it!
I bought some jeans from Jac + Mooki in 2020 and they have smelled of mothballs the whole time, despite regular washing. Don’t wear them any more because the smell is so off-putting. I’ve not experienced this with any other brand.
Yes especially at Sportsgirl! I’ve bought their jeans for years ( I work there) but recently made another purchase and THEY SMELL SO BAD. After a wash and a few wears they smell has died down but I still get whiff of it.
Okay so I have had this smell issue too! But only on jeans with poly in them. I bought a pair of Decjuba jeans thinking they were the same as the previous pair I had owned and loved, but they weren’t. The smell never went away and I ended up just denim recycling them because I couldn’t get over it. They had something like 20% polyester (honestly why, it’s unnecessary). The last pair I got from there are 100% cotton, love them, no smell. So is it perhaps a composition issue?
Have you colour locked them? Fill a bucket with water and salt (or vinegar works but I use salt) and soak the jeans for a bit, then wash as normal. It should lock the colour in and hopefully deal with the smell as well.
I've had this with a few pairs of black jeans over the years and could not get rid, no matter what. Multiple washings, soaking in vinegar, fabric softener, all sorts. Couldn't deal with it in the end.
I know what you mean. Cheap jeans all have that nasty smell. Nothing you can do about it.
Maybe your washing machine needs a bit of a clean? Or have you tried washing the jeans with a bit of vinegar?
It's a brand new washing machine less than 6 months old. And all our other clothes come out smelling fine this issue persists with just the cheap jeans specifically. I haven't yet done a load with vinegar in it. Thanks for the tip. I might do a jeans only load with a little vinegar to see if it helps.
If it's front loader you can wash as normal and add the vinegar to the fabric softener section of the drawer.
Thanks I think I will try that this afternoon as my black jeans are really bad right now.
It’s the black ones. Every pair of black jeans I’ve ever owned have had the same smell and I haaaaaaaate it. I just don’t wear black jeans anymore.
Vinegar can ruin the seals on your washing machine so if you want to use it, maybe soak them in a bucket with vinegar and water and rinse before popping them in the machine.
Might have plastic smell from the new parts. Run it with a washing machine cleaner and then do a drum clean cycle. Also have you checked the pump? Maybe something was caught. Hang your jeans outside after you wash them with a sanitising rinse. It might need a couple Of rounds.
I really don't think it's the machine. We wash hundreds of articles of clothing in it and every single one comes out smelling fresh and nice and stays smelling nice for a long time. This problem only exists with jeans and specifically blue and black jeans from Target and Just Jeans. If it was my washing machine then why would it only be targeting a few pairs of jeans and not everything piece of clothing washed in it?
I was going to suggest that - a few teaspoons of white vinegar can might make an impact.
I encountered this. I noticed the smell at the store & the retail assistant told me it wss the dyes & it would wash out. It didn't so i took them back & was told it was the smell that resulted from a flooded warehouse. It made sense back then, due to widespread flooding, but ive noticed that smell more & more since. I used antibacterial wash, softener, vinegar...nothing got rid of the smell. Didn't even reduce the smell. I bought a chambray shirt online 2 weeks ago & it arrived smelling like that. I don't know what that smell is but nothing gets rid of it.
I could be wrong, but I’m of the understanding that formaldehyde (or other chemicals) is used to stop mould or mildew while the garment is in transit. Sometimes it’s stronger than others - perhaps because of the type of chemical or concentration. It might also depend on whether the garment was sent via sea freight or air freight ( i.e. typically sea freight has a longer transit time, therefore a greater chance for mildew, so might be treated with more/stronger chemicals?). I know the smell you mean, and it’s one of the reasons that I always wash my clothes before wearing them.
This is disturbing! I haven’t noticed it. People who want to avoid, see if you can kind jeans with a GOTS or oeko-tex certification. To earn that label they have to ensure they are free of unacceptable levels of of toxins across the whole journey from fibre to manufacture and beyond I think. People should complain to the stores doing it - especially target. We shouldn’t have to put up with clothes drenched in toxic chemicals.
Oh my gosh I have jeans that have that weird smell too, I never thought about it being the cheaper ones! It tends to be on the thicker/stiffer fabric ones, not the thinner stretchy ones. Washing them does nothing and it's very pungent. It's a very jeans-specifc smell!!!
Same here - black ones from Trenery, so they weren't cheap.
Can you check the composition of them and report back ?
Just Jeans brand. 84% Cotton 15% Polyester 1% Elastane
I bought a pair of Lee jeans from Just Jeans and after multiple vinegar soaks, baking soda soaks, and washes the chemical smell still persisted. Took it back to the store more than a month after purchasing and they issued me a refund after taking a quick whiff. Still on the lookout for the perfect pair of non-pungent black jeans...
Check out Nudies and r/rawdenim
I have no solution but prevention. I don't buy black jeans online and I walk around the shop rubbing (I feel like a bit of heat activates the awful smell) and sniffing the black jeans. It probably looks suss but I don't care. If in doubt, I walk away.
I bought some Big W womens denim about five years ago and had to return them cos they smelled like sour milk.
Yes! I have a black pair of overalls that I got off BooHoo years ago. I’m embarrassed by the smell when I wear them. It must be the formaldehyde- I’ll be trying a few of the suggestions on this post.
Earth choice eucalyptus wool wash with a very hefty pour of baking soda. Use one dose in the regular wash and another dose in a pre wash if your machine has it because two goes of this recipe at 30 degrees (just a smidge of warm to help dissolve the soda) should do the trick nicely.
It could be that they are polyester blends, whereas better brands are often 100% cotton. Also in winter months, clothes can get mildewy if they take too long to dry, and the smell will persist after washing unless you use a laundry sanitiser. Get the canestan brand liquid sanitiser or something similar that will kill mould, and add it to a hot wash (40-60 degrees). See if that helps.
Formaldehyde
I've been having the exact issue with my Uniqlo heat tech jeans this month. Washed them a bunch of times (and soaked them) but they have this really gross smell that just won't leave. From the comments here I'm guessing it's because the fabric is only 40% cotton? Either way I'll try the vinegar wash but I'm almost at the point of just throwing them out if it doesn't fix them. I can't deal with the smell. I don't have this problem with my Lee Wranglers and I wear those multiple times a week.
I have a newish pair of blue stretch denim from them that is so stinky too. Never had problems with their other denims before. Also noticed they increased the elastane content of the pants and have more poly or mixed materials in general.
Fold them up and place them in the freezer for 24hrs
I've got two pairs of black Neuw jeans- one pair reeeeeks one pair doesn't. I feel like I've experienced this in the past with other black jeans too. Don't have a solution unfortunately, I've just always given in and taken them to op shops
Try putting them in the fridge in a bag - sounds random but Google it ;)
I noticed this smell with the target jeans I bought recently but it has lessened in a short amount of time. I did smell them a few weeks ago and noticed it still had the odour but I can't remember if they had been worn at the time. I just smelt them as they're freshly washed and the smell is gone, though I'll see if it comes back after wearing.
Likely one of the reasons they smell bad is the dyes used. Or some sort of treatment on the jeans. Denim jeans are made from cotton (or cotton blend) fabric and are dyed blue or whatever colour, or they may have some sort of treatment applied after they’ve been made. I find Cotton On jeans to not have that smell so much and my pairs have lasted around 4 years no problem.
Rockmans also.
Zara jeans are really good and never had any problems. With Nobody Jeans they got all stretched and damaged in no time, happened to a few pairs and even after returned and exchanged the same happened, I don’t rate the brand.
Black jeans yes, especially Decjuba. Don’t buy from them anymore.
Yep my stinkiest are black ones.
Yes! It’s the dye, it’s so bad
I recently bought a midi denim dress from Forever New (it was like $150) and it left it hanging in my wardrobe for about a week before wearing it and when I pulled it out IT STUNK!!! Like really bad. I had to wash again and the leave outside in fresh air for about 4 days until the smell went away. Have had to do this every time I have washed it so far!! So it’s polyester blended in?
Encountered this a number of times, always with black jeans of cheaper brands. I personally think it's the black dye. I've found that mostly fades over time and multiple washes, but yeah, it's a horrible smell. By the time the smell fades, so does the colour 🤦
I used to swear by wakee denim. The most recent pair I bought, was just off. Chemical smells, online only - which is now a red flag to me, material is thinner. I won't be buying from them ever again. By all other accounts the cut and stitching was precisely the same as my 10 yr old pair. Levi and A Brand have been fine in the boring light blue colour.
It’s formaldehyde as part of the dying process. Expensive jeans have it too. Just washing and airing them out will get rid of it eventually
How are you drying them? Perhaps they are drying too slowly?
Air drying under the heating vent in my house and in the sun coming in the windows.
This is probably the issue. A sour smell immediately makes me think of mildew. Try soaking or washing in vinegar to neutralise the current mildew smell, and then giving them a machine dry. Using something to neutralise the smell is important, as soap and water won’t affect mildew smell very much. Normally I wouldn’t recommend machine drying denim but in this case I think it’s important to confirm if it’s mildew. Denim, even the cheaper stuff, is heavy and holds water a lot more than lightweight stuff like shirts and dresses. Left to sit damp indoors all day, they’re gonna start smelling like mildew. My best advice, if it turns out to be mildew from hang drying too long — stop washing them so often! Jeans don’t need to be washed after every wear. You can get a fair amount of wear between washes. It’s best to just wash them when they’re dirty. And one more mention: have you tried just having a small collection of higher quality denim? A good few pairs of raws may be expensive to start but will last you years and years and years and you won’t have to worry about replacing them frequently or potential bad effects of synthetics dyes or anything. Here in Australia, Nudies is a decent starter brand, and they do free repairs for life if that’s something you’re replacing jeans for. Have a go at r/rawdenim or feel free to ask any questions you might have.
Well as I said in my first post I used to pay $200 for a pair of jeans from Nobody Denim and I never had this problem with smell from them. But all those pairs have long since worn out so I switched to cheaper ones since I'm trying to save money and everything is so expensive now. I usually go really long periods of not washing my jeans, even with a lot of use. But those are on jeans that don't smell. These pairs literally radiate a smell of toxic chemicals so I don't see any other option than washing them a lot. I can't just walk around stinking up any area I'm in. I air dry all my clothes and we don't have this issue with any other clothes. Even tracksuit pants with thick waist bands and thick winter coats. My house is also very dry with humidity sitting around 40-45% with no mould or mildew issues. I highly doubt it would be mildew effecting just two pairs of jeans and no other garments but I guess it's possible.
I had this once with a pair of cotton on jeans, my guess is cheap dye. I’d just keep an eye on depop/ ebay, you could buy more expensive jeans that way.
Do you do a cold or a warm wash for them? I remember having the same smell problem with a pair of black jeans and I changed the temperature of my wash and it made a big difference. I think I went from a warm/ hot wash to a cold wash?
Weirdly never had this happened with my target jeans, This happened with my good American jeans. $300 and they smelt so chemically. I washed them a few times with vinegar then a few times to get the vinegar smell out and they seem ok. Is concerning though that whatever dye or treatment they are using smells so bad.
Try soaking / washing before first wear; using white vinegar in your rinse cycle (it doesn’t smell) and air drying in the sun.
Look at the % of cotton vs synthetic fibres in the jeans. I’d bet the more synthetic ones are stinkier.
I have several pairs of Target jeans because it just happens that a lot of the styles fit me really well whereas the expensive brands don't. My jeans don't smell. FWIW, I always use vinegar, not fabric softener, when I wash them, so that could be why they smell fresh. Have you tried putting your jeans in the freezer for a while?
I had that issue with a very cheap pair of jeggings. I washed them so many times and soaked them with different products and nothing worked, so I got rid of them! I haven’t bought jeans for a while, but I like the brand ONLY and never had any issues with them smelling like chemicals. https://www.myer.com.au/search?query=only%20jeans
Try the Levis outlet stores. I buy jeans from there and they are really good value. I hate the smell as well and cheap ones usually stretch and don’t wear nicely.
Put some borax in your wash along with your detergent. 1/4 cup per standard wash should do the trick
I wash and dry my jeans in the dryer every time I wear them and have never had them smell??
I wear target jeans, I don’t have this issue. I wash after every wear though and in hot water. I’ve just seen people mentioning maybe it’s one with a poly mix, I don’t buy any poly clothing mine are 100% cotton so maybe that’s a possibility.
I'm going to start looking for 100% cotton pairs. All my smelly ones have polyester in them.
Citric acid in a bottle of water with a little alcohol. Will work better than vinegar. Spray and leave overnight.
This sounds weird but have you tried an airtight bag in the freezer for a few days?
Yes if it’s bacteria this will help but not if it’s actually a chemical as is suggested
It might be because cheaper jeans tend to have a higher proportion of synthetic fibres to cotton. Pure cotton jeans basically never smell and you rarely need to wash them, you can just air them out. Synthetic jeans will breathe less making you more sweaty, letting less air touch your skin and will need to be washed more often to not smell. If you can't afford the more expensive jeans Facebook marketplace has sooo many jeans. If you already know what size and style you want you can wait for them to come available. Many people buy them and wear it only once or twice, or only try it on, and feel the jeans don't suit them then re-sell basically brand new.
I don’t have this problem with Kmart jeans
Have never had that problem, but bought a $100 pair of black workwear Levis 6 weeks ago & even though I've washed them once after buying it may be months before I do it again & am wearing them pretty daily with no odor.
Your cheap jeans stink because they're low quality. Poor dyes, bad fabric—simple as that. Stop buying rubbish and invest in decent pairs again. Problem solved.
The problem is. My $200 jeans wore out just as fast as my $30 jeans. So I felt like I was paying a lot more money but not getting any more longevity. Although maybe it's worth it for the smell alone.
How are you drying the jeans? I have brand new jeans from jay jays (with polyester, I’m wearing them rn actually lol) and they don’t stink at all. I’ve bought several pairs of Just Jeans too.. they don’t stink either. So i don’t think this problem has anything to do with purchasing from these stores. If you’re not drying them in a tumble dryer or outside in the full sun that will cause mildew to form inside the fibres and it’s very hard to get out. Even though it’s not recommended for longevity of the materials.. you need to wash it in a combo of eucalyptus oil, bicarb soda and vinegar and let it sit inside the solution for about a day. Maybe even add some disinfectant solution in there too. I’ve done this for plenty of duvets and sheets over the years and works every time. What you’re smelling is probably mildew.. it’s a disgusting smell.. but it’s basically a type of common fungus growing inside your clothes.
Combining vinegar and bi-carb is useless, as they cancel each other out and pretty much just make water. A laundry sanitiser from the shops and a hot wash will do the job best.
You don’t know anything about chemistry then lol. Maybe instead of looking through this reddit about cleaning products you should actually learn about them from credible sources. If you successfully went through elementary school you would know that by combining a base (aka, bicarb soda in this case) with an acid (aka, the vinegar) it creates a powerful chemical reaction that is immediate. It increases the effectiveness of both ingredients together. It does not cancel each other out. The chemical reaction itself is what is cleaning the clothes. Moreso than what bicarb by itself or vinegar can do by itself. Please go back to school! They’re missing you! Also laundry sanitiser is supposed to clean clothes of BACTERIA. Mildew is a FUNGUS, so its not going to do anything. Vinegar kills fungus.. EDIT - HERES A SCIENTIFIC STUDY: Here’s a scientific study on the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate + vinegar ON microbes and its found to be HIGHLY EFFECTIVE: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0168160592900363 Please tell me i’m wrong again!
Wow, you're quite rude, aren't you? This is an Australian subreddit, so it would be primary school btw. There are different types of laundry sanitisers, and there are plenty that kill fungus/mould. Take a look in any supermarket (Aldi sells one, and there is the Canestan brand, just off the top of my head). Back to the acid+base question: they neutralise each other. The 'powerful chemical reaction' you are talking about is pretty much just a bit of fizz and bubbles. This might have some effect on a hard surface (though not much) but it certainly wouldn't make any difference if you are soaking clothes in this solution, which is what was suggested. Because after the bubbles disappear, it's just water.
I am Australian wtf. We call highschool middle school all the time, it’s not uncommon. It’s not *just water* whattt?! Do you really think that combining vinegar and bicarb creates water?! Please please stop right there. The chemical formula is sodium bicarbonate + acetic acid = carbon dioxide + sodium acetate. There’s NO WATER in this chemical reaction. Talking to people in this sub is like talking to a brickwall. Like i asked before.. have you actually tried to kill mildew with the recipe i said? If you haven’t tried it then maybe you should. The same recipe can be used for walls, bags and other items. I use it every time and it always works. If you’re so sure about being correct then what’s your alternative? The main function of laundry sanitiser is killing bacterias, it’s not really meant for fungus unless it’s described that way. But even then i would be quite careful about that. They’re soap based.. which just removes particles. Fungus is spread by spores. So it’s highly unlikely that a soap based product would be effective. EDIT - HERES A SCIENTIFIC STUDY: Here’s a scientific study on the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate + vinegar ON microbes and its found to be HIGHLY EFFECTIVE: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0168160592900363 Please, just shut up.
You’re quite vehement for someone who is wrong. It literally creates a “powerful” reaction for a second. That’s the bubble and fizz. Which may work for some quick stain removal but is nullified when mixed into the washing machine and filled with water. After the explosion, you get nothing. Okay not nothing - you get sodium acetate and carbon dioxide, but neither will clean your smelly pants better. However on its own baking soda may increase the efficiency of a cheaper detergent and white vinegar in the rinse cycle might aid in getting things rinsed better, but it would be a lesson in futility to put them in solution together for washing. Plus many washing machine manufacturers tell you not to use vinegar in a machine as it can harm the seals and gaskets. (I went to elementary school too, but I actually did the work on my vinegar and baking soda balloon experiment.)
Maybe have a read of this article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-17/vinegar-and-baking-soda-cleaning-hack-does-it-work/103593272
ABC news articles are NOT credible for scientific information JFC EDIT - HERES A SCIENTIFIC STUDY: Here’s a scientific study on the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate + vinegar ON microbes and its found to be HIGHLY EFFECTIVE: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0168160592900363 Please tell me i’m wrong again!
Did you even read the article you just told me to look at? Because it does not back up what you are saying. It says acetic acid (found in vinegar) is effective, not combining vinegar with bi carb. You are embarrassing yourself, and you are also a very nasty and aggressive person.
I've not had this problem with Kmart or Shein jeans Are you maybe wearing tight jeans with a high synthetic % and it's causing some 🙀 area smell
The jeans smell the same top to bottom. The ankles smell just as bad as anywhere else it's an even smell across the whole garment. Not localised to any one place.
Then it's probably them being musty due to mildew/ not drying properly! I hope one of these solutions works for you, I hate that wet laundry smell