How to Remove a Fishy Smell and Stains From Clothing

By
Sarah Aguirre
Sarah Aguirre
Sarah Aguirre is a housekeeping expert with over 20 years of experience cleaning residentially and commercially. Over that time, she has been writing about tips and tricks for housekeeping and organizing a home for national publications.
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Updated on 02/09/23
How to Remove Fishy Smells from Clothes

The Spruce / Michela Buttignol

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 15 - 30 mins
  • Total Time: 8 hrs - 1 day
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $5 to 10

Of all the odors that can stink up your clothing, a fishy smell is one of the worst. It seems to lurk just below the surface so that you don't notice it right away. But when it's there, it's there, and detergent fragrances never quite seem to cover it up. Therefore, the solution is to get it completely out of the fabric. There are some simple home remedies that are easy and cheap, but be aware that a serious odor problem can take a little time and might require repeated treatments.

Whatever you do, never wash fishy-smelling clothes with other pieces of clothing as the smell will transfer over to them. Plus, if you wash them before taking steps to tackle the odor, the fish smell can attach to the washer itself. Line-drying the clothes after treating the stained area will help get rid of the fishy smell, and it won't set the odor stain—like the dryer will—if some of it lingers. Don't dry the clothes in the dryer until there is no trace of the odor. The dryer's high heat can bond the smelly substance to the fabric. Also, as with the washer, the odors can spread to other clothing in the dryer.

After a fun day on the water fishing, removing a fishy smell and stains from your clothing just comes with the territory. Fortunately, it only takes a few steps to effectively get your clothes smelling clean again.

Stain type Food stain
Detergent type Laundry detergent with enzymes
Water temperature Hot
Cycle type Normal

Before You Begin

If you won't be laundering your clothes right away, you can let the waiting time work for you. Place the clothes in a paper bag and sprinkle them liberally with baking soda. Set the bag aside until you have a full load to wash or you want to soak several items. The baking soda will be absorbing odors the whole time the clothing is in the paper bag.

When it's time to wash, simply throw the clothing into the washer. You don't have to worry about shaking off the baking soda powder. It's actually a safe cleaner that will rinse right out.

Another option is to hang up the clothes on a clothesline in direct sunlight. This exposes the fabric to ultraviolet rays, which can be very effective at breaking down odor-causing substances that cling to fabric. Leave them out for a day or more, if possible, to help fade the odor before trying pretreatment and washing.

person placing the smelly garment into a paper bag

The Spruce / Michele Lee 

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What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Bucket

Materials

  • Baking soda
  • Laundry detergent

Instructions

materials for removing fish odors

The Spruce / Michele Lee 

How to Remove a Fishy Smell From Clothing

  1. Soak in Baking Soda

    • Mix one-half cup of baking soda in a bucket or sink full of warm water, or add one cup of baking soda to a washing machine filled with warm water.
    • Submerge the smelly clothing in the solution for as long as possible, preferably overnight.
    the affected garment being submerged in a baking soda soak
    The Spruce / Michele Lee

  2. Wash as Warm as You Can

    Wash the clothing in the hottest water temperature recommended for the fabric, using your favorite laundry detergent (a formula with enzymes, or "bio" detergent, is best, but others should work, too). Hot water—or at least very warm water—can make a big difference when removing a fishy smell.

    Warning

    Check the care label to confirm that the fabric can handle soaking in hot or very warm water.

    person pouring the garment into the washing machine
    The Spruce / Michele Lee

  3. Give It a Stretch

    Give the fabric a gentle tug while it's still wet to stretch the fibers a bit, as this will minimize shrinkage after a hot or warm wash. You will be line-drying the clothing, but be aware that some fabrics shrink in hot or warm water, whether they're line-dried or not.

    person stretching out the washed garment
    The Spruce / Michele Lee

  4. Line-Dry

    Hang the item on a clothesline in direct sunlight. It's safe to line-dry clothes even if they still have some odor.

    Repeat the treatment, if necessary, until the odor is completely gone.

    washed garment on a drying rack
    The Spruce / Michele Lee

How to Remove a Fish Oil Stain on Clothing

If you have a fish oil stain in addition to a fishy smell, there are some additional steps you need to take before washing.

  1. Treat the Stain: Option 1

    Rub or brush the stain with an enzyme-powered laundry detergent, and let it sit for 15 minutes before washing.

    Using enzyme-based detergent to remove odors

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  2. Treat the Stain: Option 2

    Soak the clothes in a solution of oxygen bleach (not chlorine bleach) and cool water; let it soak for eight hours, then wash.

    Using oxygen bleach to remove fish odors

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  3. Proceed with the same steps for washing, stretching and drying.

    person pouring the garment into the washing machine

    The Spruce / Michele Lee

Additional Tips for Handling a Fishy Smell

If the clothing still smells fishy, you may have to try a more intense soaking.

  • Fill a large bucket with very warm water, and add baking soda, laundry detergent, or a commercial laundry odor-eliminator product.
  • Place the clothing in the bucket and cover it with a clean white towel to keep the clothing submerged.
  • Soak for 30 minutes to one hour.
  • Wash the clothing as usual, then line-dry it in direct sunlight.

Some fish odors can be hard to completely eliminate, which is why people who fish a lot tend to have certain pieces of clothing they wear only for fishing. If you still smell a slight fishy smell, then just delegate them as your special fishing clothes.

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