My m.i.l. is in a nursing home. I do her laundry because the facility's laundering beats up her clothing and loses things. We visit once a week, so things pile up and sit in the hamper. I have been setting the washer on pre-soak, heavy soil, extra-rinse. I use medium warm water (setting 4 out of 5). I use Tide Free and Gentle He. I have tried both washing soda and borax. But the odor remains.
https://www.agingcare.com/search?term=urine+laundry
I try to be a good nephew. I care for my uncle.
I'd like to try vinegar. What kind do you use? Plain vinegar? Distilled white vinegar (which I use to clear drains)? Thanks for any responses, and I apologise for raising this on someone else's thread, but it seems there are definitely some experienced vinegar users here!
If you wash with vinegar, don't add detergent: 1 C. vinegar to the washing machine, & go through the whole cycle. You can wash with detergent afterwards.
The link below talks about using vinegar for smelly diapers - but it's good for just about any clothing. It also explains the chemistry of why it works & why vinegar plus detergent in the wash doesn't work.
https://clothdiapersforbeginners.com/washing-cloth-diapers/vinegar-and-cloth-diapers/
good luck!
Especially with polyester, a dryer will bring the smell back up. I allowed the laundry to do Moms clothes because whatever they used got those smells out. Ask the laundress what she uses.