How To Stop Your Uniforms From Smelling Like Food 

Your uniform can carry work home with you in more ways than one. The cloth is vulnerable to stains as well as smells. Your chef uniform can absorb strong odors from the kitchen – and retain them even after a wash. Clean clothes can still smell like grease, oil, and food. Luckily, there are simple ways to eliminate stubborn odors from your uniform after every shift. Try these proven cleaning methods to smell fresh on the job. 

Pre-Treat Major Stains 

Food smells embedded in the fabric of your uniform can come from spills and stains. Eliminating the odors, therefore, is often possible when you eliminate the stains. Pre-treat spots on your uniform where you spilled grease or food. Wash your clothes in warm water with an enzyme laundry detergent, while following your garment’s instructions. Then, wash the uniform like you normally would. Pre-treating tough stains can help prevent the odors from soaking into the fabric. 

Use Dryer Sheets 

One of the easiest ways to get stubborn odors out of clothing (especially musty smells) is to use dryer sheets; not in the dryer, but between your layers of folded clothing. When you fold and put away your work uniforms, put a dryer sheet between each layer to eliminate food scents. If you’re pressed for time before a shift at work, rub a dryer sheet on your clothes. 

Absorb Odors 

Your chef’s uniform may have absorbed odors, but something else is even more absorbent – newspaper. Try balling up old newspapers and stuffing it in the sleeves, pants, and pockets of your chef’s clothes. Leave it overnight before your shift. The newspaper will absorb stinky food odors before morning. Bonus: balled up newspaper also works for smelly shoes. 

Hang on a Clothesline 

Nothing beats the fresh smell of outdoor air. Use an outdoor clothesline to hang your wet chef’s clothes to help with foul odors. Air drying your clothes on a line can leave them smelling fresher than a typical dryer. For the best results, hang in bright sunlight for several hours to kill germs. The sunlight can bake out any lingering smells. Just make sure you’ve already treated and removed stains before hang drying, as the heat could set them. 

Soak in a Neutralizer 

If you’re still having trouble getting your chef’s uniform to smell clean and fresh, try pre-soaking the fabric in an odor neutralizer. Vodka, baking soda, lemon juice, and white distilled vinegar are all odor neutralizers. Put the liquids in a spray bottle and spray your uniform down before washing. Or use a stiff brush to spoon a baking soda and water mixture over your item or stain. Then, wash the uniform like normal. The neutralizer should be strong enough to eliminate even the toughest food odors. 

Try Calcium Carbonate 

Finally, try sprinkling calcium carbonate crystals or activated charcoal generously over your chef’s uniform. You can purchase these items online or in most health food stores. Sprinkle the coat with the crystals and then let air dry in an open container for four hours. Then, wash the uniform normally or shake it out and wear. Calcium carbonate can eradicate smelly food odors for good.

Shop Fiumara Apparel Now!

At Fiumara Apparel, our priority is to secure complete customer satisfaction. Our work defines the benchmark for exceptional quality and impeccable service. We will always remain committed to ensuring that all our products fulfill customer expectations in terms of quality, durability, and style. We carry a variety of different products including shoes, coats, pants, aprons, shirts & accessories for both men & women. We also offer custom embroidery for those interested in personalizing uniforms. We invite you to shop our store for apparel today.