How to Get a Musty Smell Out of a Bathing Suit

Removing a bathing suit and tossing it in the laundry seems like the appropriate thing to do when it's wet. Unfortunately, you will probably be left with a smelly suit unless you wash it right away. The smell emanating from the suit is the result of mildew, which forms when the suit is left in a place that is warm and not well-ventilated. The smell will persist unless treated with a cleaning agent. The solution is likely under your kitchen sink.

Toothbrush
Small bucket
White distilled vinegar
Laundry detergent
1 cup baking soda

Instructions

- 1
  Take the bathing suit outside and hang it up so it can finish drying. When it's dry, use a toothbrush to gently scrub any areas that contain spots of greenish-white fungus. This is the mildew.
- 2
  Fill a small bucket or sink with 2 parts white distilled vinegar to 1 part water. Agitate the water to mix. Saturate the suit in the mixture for 1 hour. Vinegar neutralizes smells and will help kill the bacteria causing the musty smell and mildew.
- 3
  Transfer the suit to the washing machine and set the cycle to "Normal." Add laundry detergent plus 1 cup of white distilled vinegar. When the cycle is complete, the suit will not smell like vinegar.
- 4
  Remove the bathing suit promptly when the wash cycle is complete. Do not allow it to sit in the moist air inside the washing machine. Transfer the suit to a well-ventilated area and hang it to dry. Acceptable areas include a bedroom or outside area.
- 5
  Rewash the suit if the smell persists. Instead of vinegar, add 1 cup of baking soda to the laundry in addition to detergent. Wash the suit on "Normal" and hang it up to dry.

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Laundry