How to Get Perfume Smell Out of Clothes

Updated August 14, 2026

Perfume, cologne, body spray, and other fragrances can linger on clothes even after the scent on your skin has faded. If a garment has been heavily sprayed or exposed to fragrance repeatedly, a normal wash may not remove all of the odor the first time.

The best approach depends on whether you can wash the garment, whether it has already been washed, and whether you are dealing with odor alone or an actual oily perfume mark.

Start with the least aggressive method that is appropriate for the fabric, follow the garment’s care label, and avoid putting the item in the dryer until you are satisfied that the fragrance is gone.

How to Get Perfume Smell Out of Clothes

For ordinary washable clothing, use this process first.

1. Air Out the Garment

If the perfume or cologne was recently sprayed, hang the garment in a well-ventilated area before washing it.

Fresh air can reduce some of the strongest fragrance before the item goes into the washer. This is also the safest first step for fabrics that may not tolerate aggressive soaking or pretreatment.

2. Check the Care Label

Before soaking, pretreating, or washing the garment, check its care instructions.

Cotton shirts, everyday synthetic clothing, towels, and many other washable fabrics can usually be treated more easily than wool, silk, rayon, structured garments, or items marked for special care.

3. Wash With an Appropriate Detergent

Wash the garment according to its care label using a suitable laundry detergent.

If the goal is to remove an unwanted fragrance, using a heavily scented detergent or fragrance booster can make it difficult to tell whether the original perfume smell has actually been removed. A low-fragrance or fragrance-free detergent can be useful in this situation.

If you need help choosing the right product for a load, see our guide to choosing a laundry detergent.

4. Give the Clothes Enough Room in the Washer

Avoid packing the washer too tightly. Clothes need enough room for water and detergent to move through the fabric.

If several heavily fragranced garments are being washed together, consider separating them from towels, bedding, or other items that do not already carry the odor.

5. Use an Extra Rinse if Appropriate

If your washing machine provides an extra-rinse option and the garment allows normal machine washing, an additional rinse can help remove detergent and fragrance residue left after the main wash.

6. Check the Smell Before Drying

Smell the garment after washing and before placing it in the dryer.

If a strong perfume or cologne smell remains, repeat a suitable washing or odor-removal step first. Avoid unnecessary high heat while you are still trying to remove the fragrance.

7. Air Dry While You Check the Result

Air drying lets you evaluate the garment without immediately exposing it to dryer heat.

Once the clothing is completely dry, check it again. Fragrance can sometimes be more noticeable after fabric has dried than while it is wet.

How to Get Perfume Smell Out of Clothes Without Washing

If you cannot wash the garment immediately, or the perfume was only recently sprayed, there are a few low-risk steps you can try first.

Use Fresh Air

Hang the item in a well-ventilated area and allow air to circulate around it.

Avoid placing delicate or dark clothing in prolonged direct sunlight unless its care instructions indicate that this is safe, since sunlight may affect some colors and materials.

Separate It From Other Clothing

Do not place a heavily fragranced garment back into a closed hamper or closet with clean clothing. Give it room to air out until the odor has decreased.

Use an Odor Absorber Nearby

An open container of baking soda or activated charcoal placed near the garment in a ventilated space may help absorb surrounding odors.

For delicate garments, keeping the absorbent material separate from the fabric avoids unnecessary direct contact.

Spot Clean Only When the Fabric Allows It

If most of the fragrance is concentrated in one washable area, such as a shirt collar or sleeve, follow the care label for appropriate spot cleaning.

Do not saturate delicate materials or use a household cleaner simply because it is effective on another type of fabric.

How to Remove Perfume Smell from Clothes After Washing

If a garment still smells strongly of perfume after it has already gone through the washer, do not simply add more scented products.

Instead:

1. Check the garment’s care label again.
2. Rewash it separately or with other similar fragrance-heavy items.
3. Use the proper amount of detergent rather than adding excess detergent.
4. Avoid heavily fragranced fabric softener or scent boosters.
5. Use an extra rinse if the washer and garment allow it.
6. Air dry and check the odor before using the dryer.

If laundry repeatedly comes out of the washer with unwanted odors, the issue may not be limited to the perfume itself. Our guide to why clothes still smell after washing covers other common causes.

How to Get Cologne Smell Out of Clothes

Cologne and perfume can be treated in essentially the same way when the problem is fragrance odor on washable clothing.

Air the garment out, wash according to its care label, avoid masking the scent with additional fragrance, rinse thoroughly, and check the result before drying.

The same general approach applies to body spray and other fragranced products that have been sprayed directly onto washable fabric.

What to Do If You Sprayed Too Much Perfume on Clothes

If you accidentally sprayed too much perfume or cologne directly onto an outfit, you may not need to wash it immediately.

First, move the garment into a ventilated area and let the most volatile fragrance dissipate. Avoid adding another scented product in an attempt to cover it.

If the odor is still overwhelming after airing out and the garment is washable, follow the care label and wash it normally.

If you can see a wet or oily mark where the perfume landed, treat it as a potential stain rather than an odor-only problem.

Perfume Smell vs. Perfume Stain: What If There Is an Oily Mark?

Perfume odor and a visible perfume stain are two different problems.

If the garment smells like perfume but has no visible mark, focus on airing, washing, rinsing, and avoiding additional fragrance.

If perfume or fragrance oil has left an oily-looking spot on washable fabric:

1. Blot excess liquid gently instead of rubbing it farther into the fabric.
2. Check the care label.
3. Apply a small amount of liquid laundry detergent or grease-cutting dish soap if the fabric permits pretreatment.
4. Rinse the treated area thoroughly.
5. Wash according to the garment’s care instructions.
6. Inspect the spot before drying.

For more detailed treatment of oily marks, see our guide to getting oil stains out of clothes.

Does Baking Soda Remove Perfume Smell from Clothes?

Baking soda can be useful as an odor absorber, but it does not need to be the first treatment for every garment.

For ordinary washable clothes, airing and a proper wash are simpler starting points. If you use baking soda directly on fabric or in a wash, make sure the garment and washing machine instructions allow it.

For delicate clothing, keeping an odor absorber near the garment rather than applying powder directly to the material is the more cautious approach.

Does Vinegar Remove Perfume Smell from Clothes?

White vinegar is sometimes used as a laundry rinse for unwanted odors, but it is not suitable for every fabric or washing machine.

If you choose to use it, follow the garment care label and the washing machine manufacturer’s instructions. Use it as a separate treatment rather than combining household cleaners.

Never mix vinegar with chlorine bleach.

Why Does Perfume Smell Stay on Clothes?

Fragrances can contain a combination of aromatic compounds, oils, solvents, and fixatives. Some residues may remain on fabric after the most volatile parts of the fragrance have evaporated.

The amount that remains can vary depending on:

• How much perfume or cologne was applied
• Whether it was sprayed directly onto the clothing
• The fabric type
• How often the garment has been exposed to fragrance
• The detergent and washing process
• Whether additional fragranced laundry products were used

That is why one lightly sprayed cotton shirt may air out quickly while a heavily fragranced synthetic jacket may need more than one cleaning cycle.

Perfume Smell on Delicate Clothes

Use extra caution with silk, wool, rayon, lace, embellished garments, structured clothing, and anything with special-care instructions.

Start with ventilation rather than soaking or aggressive cleaning.

If the garment’s label calls for a specific professional cleaning method, follow that instruction rather than experimenting with vinegar, baking soda, detergents, or other household treatments.

Common Mistakes When Removing Perfume or Cologne Smell

• Adding more fragrance: Scented fabric softener or fragrance boosters may mask the original odor rather than remove it.
• Overloading the washer: Crowded clothing has less room for effective washing and rinsing.
• Using too much detergent: Excess detergent can leave its own residue.
• Ignoring the care label: A method that is appropriate for a cotton shirt may not be appropriate for wool or silk.
• Mixing household cleaners: Use one treatment at a time and rinse as directed.
• Drying before checking: Evaluate the fragrance before applying unnecessary heat.

Need to Wash Fragrance-Heavy Laundry in Clarksville?

If you have a larger load of ordinary washable clothing to handle, The Dutchman’s Laundry offers self-service laundry in Clarksville as well as drop-off wash and fold.

For qualifying household laundry, you can also learn about our laundry pickup and delivery service.

Related Odor Removal Guides

• How to get campfire smell out of clothes
• How to get cigarette smell out of clothes
• Why clothes still smell after washing
• How to choose a laundry detergent

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get perfume smell out of clothes quickly?

Start by airing the garment in a well-ventilated area. If the smell remains and the item is washable, wash it according to the care label using an appropriate detergent, rinse thoroughly, and check the odor before drying.

How do you get perfume smell out of clothes without washing?

Air the garment out, separate it from other clothing, and allow time for the fragrance to dissipate. An odor absorber such as baking soda or activated charcoal can be placed nearby without direct contact with delicate fabric.

How do you remove cologne smell from clothes?

Use the same process as perfume odor: air the garment out, wash it according to its care instructions, avoid adding more fragrance, rinse thoroughly, and check the result before drying.

Why do my clothes still smell like perfume after washing?

Fragrance residue may remain if the garment was heavily sprayed, the load was overcrowded, rinsing was insufficient, or heavily fragranced laundry products were added during washing. Rewashing with enough room in the machine and checking the garment before drying can help.

What should I do if I sprayed too much perfume on my clothes?

Air the garment out first. If the smell remains and the fabric is washable, wash it according to the care label. If there is also a visible oily mark, pretreat the spot as a stain before washing.

Can baking soda get perfume smell out of clothes?

Baking soda can help absorb odors, but airing and proper washing are good first steps. Follow the garment and washing machine instructions before applying baking soda directly to clothing or adding it to a wash.

Can vinegar remove perfume smell from clothes?

White vinegar is sometimes used for laundry odors, but it is not appropriate for every garment or machine. Follow the relevant care instructions and never combine vinegar with chlorine bleach.

Can perfume stain clothes?

Some fragranced products can leave an oily or visible mark on fabric. If that happens, treat the mark separately from the odor by blotting excess liquid, pretreating washable fabric appropriately, and checking the stain before drying.

Should I use scented fabric softener to cover perfume smell?

If your goal is to remove an unwanted fragrance, adding another strong scent can make it harder to determine whether the original odor has actually been removed. A lower-fragrance washing approach is usually more useful for evaluating the result.