Scent free-caught between the horns of a dilemma!

[Captain*Kirk]

We all know the old adage...never, never wash or dry your clothes in your household washing machine and dryer where modern scented detergents, fabric softeners and dryer sheets get used. Wash by hand in a bucket or similar using scent free or outdoor scented specialty detergents. Air dry outdoors, then hang your clothes outside in the breeze to air out days before season opener, etc.
But we also know that after hunting all day, especially in warmer weather, your clothes are gonna reek like human scent, even to the point where we can smell ourselves sitting in the stand.
Generally, I walk in to my stand in a regular Tee-shirt, and when I get to my stand, strip it off and put it into a quart-sized Ziploc and stuff it in my backpack; the same Ziploc where I have a damp cloth waiting so I can wipe off the sweat with before donning my camo shirt and climbing onto the stand or ground blind. So far, so good.
So what happens when you come home after dark, tired, sweaty and smelly and want to go hunting the next day?
Washing the clothes by hand (at least the shirts) and hanging them out overnight guarantees you they will be stiff as a board, and still wet in the morning. Outside of buying multiple sets of clothing, how do you get away without giving in and using the appliances?
Inquiring minds want to know what works for you!

[rastaman]

I just put mine outside overnight where they won’t get wet from dew fall.  It works for me. If you want to put them in a scent free bag with some fresh pine needles I’ve done that before and play the wind.

[blacktailbob]

My wife quit using scented soaps and uses vinegar as a fabric softener. No lingering scents left behind.
Baking soda works great for washing clothes and sprinkled in my boots. I also use Sportmans Wash as well. But I also do have a few pair of pants and many long sleeve t-shirts. Hunting in Florida requires a lot of sweating.

[Tim Finley]

It doesn't matter if they get down wind of you they are going to smell you !

[blacktailbob]

But you want them to think you are much farther away than gagging close.

[BAK]

I quit worrying about all that years ago.  I only worry about the wind currents.

[PrimitivePete]

I agree, I get home my clothes go in the wash and I use non scented and dye free soap, once done in the dryer they go. I had a Doe standing 5 feet from me while I sat at a base of a tree on opening week. She didn't smell anything.

[Bowguy67]

I air my clothes out in my yard. I don’t have one set so if they dew up I don’t care. I also do not believe we can’t use a clothes washer. Don’t use detergent or at least real mild stuff. Air out afterward. I used to place in bags with leaves, pine branches whatever but haven’t done any of this in years. The reason I refrain from too much washer it fades hunt clothes. Half the time I don’t wear camo. I was a full time taxidermist and shot decent bucks wearing boots I had on earlier skinning bears. Key is wind direction. Hunt the wind. Remember biologists think deer can smell dead skin cells, don’t think they can smell your coffee breath or sweaty hands? Your rubber boot stink if you use rubber boots? Wind is key. So is cold. The colder it is the harder is is to be detected it seems.

[Bowguy67]

Bear in mind, the baking soda theory should be understood it’ll fade your clothes like crazy. I’d never do that unless you wanna keep buying gear

[GCook]

Years ago I convinced my wife scent free, hypoallergenic, detergents were better.  It helped with her dry skin itching.   Or so she says but it's a win/win for me so I don't argue.
Still, before washing a load of hunting clothes I was a regular load in the scent killer detergent.  Then my hunting clothes.  I'm fortunate to be over stocked on hunting clothes.  So normally i dont have to hunt in sweaty, smelly clothes.  I also hang them out in the open between hunts.  Also like to use cedar bows in my clothes tote. 
As said, scent free is not totally possible but the minimizing if scent and dilution of scent can cause whitetail deer to have a lowered reaction when they get the scent.  Some areas deer are so pressured it helps less.  Some pressure is not high and deer less spooky.
Pigs, I've never fooled. 
Exotics seem to be good with a bee smoker and wood chip smoke covering scent.  Whitetail not as much here in Texas but better at our area in Missouri.
No absolutes.  Do what works for you in your hunting scenario. 
Dry cold air holds less scent.  Beagles have harder time tracking in that weather than days just over freezing with some moisture in the air.  Many factors.  Control what you can.  Find a good process and adhere to it.  But still be smart about stand sets and selection,  routes in to and out from, hunt good winds as often as you can. 

[2wfstlhunting]

I hate to be the guy to say it, but having more than one shirt is the answer.  I have banned perfumed soap or dryer sheets from the house, splurge on the commercial brand laundry soap like" Dead Down Wind" etc, and use the drier when needed.  I try to avoid the drier for shrinking purposes and prefer to hang wet clothing outside on a drying rack whenever possible.  I agree that the wind is the thing and to a deer we smell clear as can be regardless of efforts otherwise.  I am a proponent of keeping clothes as odorless as possible but I have given up worrying too much.  My Catquiver hangs in the garage and I just don't see a difference.  Now I do have to say that I live in a rural woodsy area but there are plenty of people around and the smell of humans is not unusual for these deer.

[toddster]

Beginning of each season, I wash my clothes in scent free soap with baking soda, in washer/dryer.  Wool hand washed in same.  Then hang them in my breeze way, and fire up the smoker and smoke something for dinner.  After each hunt they stay in the breeze way.  Every few weeks, I smoke something.  I feel that this helps, but nothing better than playing the wind.

[Mint]

My wife uses All Free Clear detergent so use the machine and dryer and I can't smell anything afterwards and that's all I'm looking for as far as scent free.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Deer can smell on the ground where you walked 2 days ago.  What soap you use on your clothes isn't going to matter if they get downwind.

I wash my hunting clothes when they get too dirty or bloody, right in with everything else in the washer/dryer.  Having something soft like a sweater in there with em helps....gives the cockle-burrs somewhere to land!

 

R

[TooManyHobbies]

I'm with Ryan, if they get bloody, they get washed. I may go the entire season without washing my outer clothing. I still change my underwear once in a while. Set up with wind in your face and hope they don't come from behind.

[The Whittler]

Your breath has a lot of odor and it will travel especially to a deers nose. You ride in your car/truck and it carries a lot of odor. You can only eliminate so much but even that will pick up odor.

The wind is the best thing for you.

[Captain*Kirk]

Your breath has a lot of odor and it will travel especially to a deers nose. You ride in your car/truck and it carries a lot of odor. You can only eliminate so much but even that will pick up odor.

The wind is the best thing for you.

Agreed. I suck on apple slices the whole time I'm on stand. It's natural to the wild and does a good job helping to mask odors. It also helps to to keep your mouth shut...

[Sam McMichael]

I don't worry about having to wear sweaty clothes back to the stand in the morning. I have enough hunting type garments to outfit half of the Trad Gang member ship, so fresh clothes are not a problem. Basically, hunting the wind is the single best practice I know of. If a deer is downwind of you, he can smell you with ease.