How To Get Sweat Smell Out Of Police Uniforms For Good

Short answer: To get sweat smell out of a police uniform, wash it soon after your shift, turn it inside out, avoid overloading the washer, and add a laundry odor eliminator like the Arrest My Vest Laundry Booster alongside your detergent. Make sure the uniform is completely dry before you store it. For your vest carrier, duty belt, and boots, use an odor eliminating spray instead.

A twelve hour shift in a uniform shirt and a vest is going to produce sweat, and that's just part of the job. The frustrating part is when you wash that uniform and the smell is still there the next time you put it on. Detergent removes dirt, but stubborn sweat odor can hold on through wash after wash. Here's why that happens and how to fix it.

Why Do Police Uniforms Still Smell After Washing?

Sweat on its own doesn't smell like much. The odor comes from bacteria breaking down that sweat, and synthetic uniform fabrics are good at holding on to it. A few common habits make the problem worse.

• Uniforms often sit in a duty bag or locker for hours before they get washed.
• An overloaded washer doesn't give each garment enough room to rinse clean.
• Uniforms that go back in the closet slightly damp give odor a chance to build.
• Regular detergent is built to clean, and it isn't always designed to target lingering odor.

How Do You Get Sweat Smell Out Of A Uniform?

Follow these steps every wash day, and your uniforms will stay fresher from shift to shift.

1. Wash your uniform as soon after your shift as you can.
2. Turn shirts and pants inside out so the side that touched your skin gets the most contact with the water.
3. Give the load room to move by keeping the washer about three quarters full or less.
4. Add the Arrest My Vest Laundry Booster with your regular detergent, following the directions on the bottle.
5. Dry your uniform according to its care label and make sure it is completely dry before you hang it up.

The Laundry Booster is a dedicated odor eliminator, so it handles the part of the job your detergent wasn't built for. Your detergent cleans, and the Booster goes after the odor.

What About Your Vest Carrier, Duty Belt, And Boots?

Some of your smelliest gear can't go in the washer at all. Ballistic panels should never be machine washed, and duty belts, boots, and helmets don't belong in there either. For those, use Arrest My Vest odor eliminating spray. It uses OAM Technology, or Odor Absorbing Molecules, to neutralize odor at the molecular level instead of covering it up. It works instantly on contact and is safe for body armor, so you can spray your carrier and get right back on shift.

Which Laundry Booster Size Should You Get?

The Laundry Booster now comes in two sizes, so you can pick what fits your routine.

If you want to cover your laundry and your gear at the same time, our bundles pair the Laundry Booster with our Laundry Detergent Sheets and our odor eliminating spray. That gives you a complete laundry kit for everything you wear on duty.

Who Makes Arrest My Vest?

Arrest My Vest was created by Paul C. Anderson, a chemical engineer with more than 40 years in consumer products, including two decades leading fabric care. Officers and their families have trusted Arrest My Vest with more than one million bottles sold.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I wash my police uniform? It's best to wash your uniform after every shift you sweat in. The longer sweat sits in the fabric, the harder the odor is to remove.

Can I put my vest carrier in the washer with the Laundry Booster? Only if the carrier's manufacturer says it is machine washable, and only after you remove the ballistic panels. Never machine wash the panels themselves.

Will the Laundry Booster cover up the smell or get rid of it? The Laundry Booster is made to eliminate odor in the wash, not just add fragrance on top of it.

Shop the Laundry Booster in 16 oz and 64 oz