CAS49OR

I've been misting mine with vinegar and leaving the fan on overnight, but it doesn't always work. It smells musty when I come in the next day.

I have a desk size ironing board with the top fabric stapled in place over ironing board fabric so it is not easy to remove it to wash it.

Are there any ODOR FREE methods to get rid of the smell that won't leave a residue on the cloth that will transfer to my quilts or scorch?

ManiacQuilter2

I have never had this problem before. I usually dump my ironing cover when it starts getting kind of yucky with the spray starch I use.

IrishgalfromNJ

I have never had an ironing board cover smell. Sounds like yours might be mildewed. I would definitely replace the top and the batting or replace the whole thing with regular ironing board.

ckcowl

I've never had one musty/smelly, that's a sign maybe it was damp & mildewed. When mine gets fusibles or starch build up I take it off & launder it, when it is stained I replace it.

CAS49OR

It's not mildewed. I just washed it about a week ago. It gets the smell from fabric on it. I dislike any smells and pre-wash quilting fabric and donated all the fabric I can't get fabric softeners or perfumes out of.

I ironed some of my husbands clothes, and voila, the smell is back. I know now why estate sales and thrift stores have "that" smell, it's because the detergents and softeners and perfumes get rancid after a while.

I use odor free Tide but it is going to take a while to get all the smells out of the clothes. It just gets stuck in there after a while. I emptied my whole closet and used "sanitize" to get rid of that estate smell! I haven't emptied his whole closet yet though -- I'm waiting for him to choose which clothes he wants to keep. I'm going to use a towel over the ironing board for his stuff from now on.

It is just hard to take all the staples out to wash my ironing board so I'm hoping for some spray on odor remover other than vinegar to use on a daily basis.

Jeanne S

I have never had an ironing board cover smell. Sorry no ideas for you other than to replace it or just buy a new cover for it and put it over the old one.

Prism99

You can iron freezer paper onto the board (shiny side down). If the smell starts bothering you, just rip it off and iron some new freezer paper down.

Regarding musty smells in fabric, I have found that adding this "kitty litter" powder to the wash load helps a lot:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It washes out and takes the odors it has absorbed with it.

NJ Quilter

I just use a towel on my cutting table as my ironing surface. Perhaps spray with vinegar/water mixture and let it sit for a day or so (with fan maybe?). After that, use a towel on your ironing surface for ALL of your ironing. That way, when it gets smelly to you, just toss the towel in the wash??

quilterpurpledog

I would think that soda might be a better solution than vinegar. After all, many people keep an open box of soda in the refrigerator to absorb odors. I do think a lot of odors come from residue left from the newer detergents used in the washing machine. I personally do not like front loader washers. I have a top loader and I use All with no perfumes and I use two rinse cycles. Probably you need to change the cover on your ironing surface even if it is a tough job.

CAS49OR

Well, I just washed it. I just don't like the damp smell when I come in here in the morning.

I got rid of my front loader and also use two rinses in my new machine.