Candlenana

I was fortunate to buy a quilter's stash. Completewith tools, books, patterns, fabric and more! All for $500. There was over 1400 fat quarters and lots of yardage. Small containers with blocks cut and some put together. Quilt tops and some to bind also.
The problem is all this came from a smoker's house. How do I get the smoke smell out without washing???
I am laying it out now in single layers in the garage and airing out and spraying febreze. What can I do that might be faster??
Can I use bowls of vinegar setting around???

Thanks for all your help
Candlenana

wesing

I would wash he yardage and FQ, but the smaller cuts and partials probably should be finished before they are washed. You could try baking soda, cat litter, dryer sheets, or misting with something like Mary Ellen's Best Press. I hope you enjoy your new treasures.

Darren

Annie68

Put it in a large green trash bag with a bar of Dial soap. I've heard that works with odors. You may have to use several bags with your large amount of fabric. Leave in bag closed up for several days. Good luck

Dolphyngyrl

maybe put it in a bag with one of those baking soda discs and wash in oxyclean and arm and hammer detergent with baking soda in it. I hear airing it outside helps as well

Prism99

I would invest in a few pairs of Dr. Scholl's charcoal Odoreaters shoe inserts. The charcoal in them absorbs odors. You can place fabric in a garbage bag with a couple of the inserts, leave for a week, then check.

Or try these:
http://www.amazon.com/MOSO-MB2578-Mo...dp/B004BOHV7Q/

Charcoal is the best odor neutralizer I have found, but the trick is to keep the charcoal off your fabric. Dry coffee grounds are supposed to be excellent also.

If you Google "best way to remove tobacco smoke from fabric" you will find a number of ideas.

Jingle

I would all the fabric I could. It will all dissipate over time on the non washable items. Use a room air freshener until then.

JustAbitCrazy

I would wash everything which is easily washed, as someone else suggested. One thing I recently found, quite accidentally, which took a mildew smell out of a book I bought, is placing the offensive smelling item inside a scented, odor removing kitchen bag! Dh buys these, I don't. I only put the book into the kitchen bag because I didn't want to smell it, and that's the kind of bags we happened to have at the time. Later, when I removed the book from the bag, which was in my car for a couple of weeks (didn't want it in the house), the smell was barely there!! Not sure if it will work with all brands---the bags we had were Hefty Odor Block, Lavender-Vanilla scented.

Pat625

I deal with all odors with the clean air candles. When my daughter got a car from a smoker, we simply put the open candle jar in her car..I have used these candles for many things, such as mildew odors, and even an exploding Duck egg smell in my incubator!! I first learned about them when I used to do craft shows, and ten years later still use them..I would put the candle in a box/ tote with the fabric..The link I use to get the candles is:http://southerncandle.com/shop/

rufree4t

I would be careful using Dial soap. Some of them have a very strong scent and it might be worse than the smoke smell.

BellaBoo

Washing in hot soapy water will be only fast solution. One the tar settles on the fabric it is the only way to get it out, the smell will linger for months. Any scent you use to mask it will go away and leave the smoke scent. My guild will not take donated fabric from a smoker's home. We learned our lesson about that.