Here’s what they found: 12 of 18 of the key malodor molecules that contributed to the bouquet of that vintage smell were derived from body soils, which is a gentle way of saying your skin, your sweat, your oils. Distressing! But, perhaps, not nearly as distressing as the list of odor descriptors that accompanied the compounds. Sweet, sour, oily, herbal. Fatty. Whiskey, nutty, cheesy, sweaty. Stinky feet. Fermented. Bready.

The source of the remaining compounds that made up that vintage smell were environmental contaminants like car exhaust, gasoline, dry cleaning solvents, food and perfume or, as the team at P & G put it, “the odor molecule peaks form a record of the odors” that the garments were exposed to over its life.

So How Do I Get Rid of It?

When it comes to removing that vintage odor, machine- or hand-washing is ideal. While it may be tempting to outsource the work to a dry cleaner, it’s a temptation you should resist. Dry cleaning is simply not as good at odor elimination as wet cleaning, and that’s especially true when it comes to odors caused by perspiration and other body soils.

Mr. Mahdessian explained that “cleaning and odor remediation are two different processes. Cleaning will remove all residue dirt and debris from textiles of most compositions whereas odor elimination involves either masking, encapsulating or changing the molecular structure of the odor molecule that attaches itself to the fiber.” Ms. McDonnell said she had not found dry cleaning to be effective in removing strong odors. Her advice? “If it smells bad, don’t buy it unless it will hold up to a rigorous washing.”

There are some best practices to follow when laundering vintage clothing, or anything that’s especially rank-smelling. Machine washing will be the best choice for most garments, and if you go that route, stick with cold water, don’t overstuff the machine and opt to air dry the clothes, or machine dry using the no- or low-heat setting. High heat drying can amplify lingering smells.

If the first washing doesn’t completely eliminate the vintage smell, fear not! The team at P & G notes that particularly smelly clothes may need more than one washing. They suggest using a detergent designed to combat malodor, like their own Tide Sport Odor Defense. A better, if offbeat, choice is Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap. Dr. Bronner’s is excellent at removing strong odors of all sorts from clothes — I’ve recommended it for washing everything from hand-me-down baby clothes that smell strongly of perfume to coveralls that got soaked in gasoline, and it has worked every time.

Dr. Bronner’s is also an excellent choice for hand-laundering, which will be the best option for very delicate or highly embellished items. I recommend a specialty product, Engleside Restoration, for badly yellowed, very delicate or especially old items like wedding dresses or vintage linens.