19 Genius Hacks for Fixing Ruined Clothes

KATHLEEN KAMPHAUSEN

4. Spray a small amount of vodka on your clothes to eliminate strong odors. If you don’t have time to wash a shirt before wearing it again but it has a strong, lingering smell, just spray on some vodka and let it dry. The alcohol will kill odor-causing bacteria.

5. Fix foundation stains with a little bit of shaving cream. If you take off your shirt and accidentally smudge your makeup on the collar, just wipe a dollop of shaving cream on the spot to pretreat it before tossing it in the wash.

6. Use hairspray to remove a lipstick stain. Spray the fabric (make sure it’s not dry-clean only) with hairspray, and let it sit for a few minutes. Dab the stain, and then toss it in the washer.

7. Tighten your sunglasses with a dab of clear nail polish. If the arm of your sunglasses is a bit loose and you don’t have a tiny screwdriver handy, paint a small bit of polish over the hinge to temporarily tighten it.

8. Paint clear nail polish over a loose button thread to temporarily stop it from unraveling. No need to learn how to sew on a button just yet.

9. Clean stubborn dirt off suede shoes with a nail file. Just buff it right out.

10. Scrub off water stains on leather boots with a soft toothbrush and vinegar. If your boots are ruined from water, snow, salt or all of the above, dip a soft-bristled toothbrush in white vinegar and gently rub to remove the stain.

11. Fix a scuff on a patent leather shoe with a cotton swab and some petroleum jelly.

12. Mend dull or scratched leather shoes with moisturizer. If you don’t have shoe polish (Who does?), grab a towel and rub your shoes with a bit of lotion to bring them back to life.

13. Pour a little bit of baking soda in your sneakers after a workout to soak up the sweat and eliminate odor.