Smoke Smell in Garage Sale Fabric
06-27-2011, 04:37 PM
#122
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Hermon ME
Posts: 681
I had a quilt come in once that just reeked of cigarette smoke. I closed it up in a plastic tote with lots of pieces of Irish Spring soap wrapped loosely in paper towels..it took nearly a month before I could finally stand to take it out and get it quilted but it did work..
06-27-2011, 04:58 PM
#123
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 1,324
Originally Posted by Jennifer22206
I used Arm & Hammer baking soda. And Febreeze works too.
06-27-2011, 05:53 PM
#125
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: New England
Posts: 821
Originally Posted by Ramona Byrd
I'd take it to a commercial laundry with all their huge machines.
piney
06-27-2011, 06:14 PM
#127
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Port Lavaca, TX
Posts: 1,276
Originally Posted by Grambi
I have always been awed by the garage and estate sale finds that are posted on this board. I figure I would never experience that since I rarely make it to garage sales, especially first thing in the morning before they are picked over. My cousin-in-law is a master garage saler and called me a couple of weeks ago to ask about a sewing machine she was looking at. I went over to give her some advice and when the man who was holding the sale heard that I was a quilter, he said "follow me" and led us into the garage where he had boxes and garbage bags stuffed with fabric, quilt tops, rulers, dozens of books, thread, etc that belonged to his late wife. He had tears in his eyes and said "I knew a quilter would come along today--just take it all please". Free!!!!!. His daughter picked out the finished tops to keep--that's all she wanted of the stash. I paid $20 for an oak quilt rack. His only request was that any fabric I didn't want to keep be donated in his wifes name, Sharmaine.
Sadly they were both smokers and the fabric reeks. I laided it out on my hammock and every other piece of furniture on the porch to air out for days. There are hundreds of yards (many 6-8 yard cuts) so it couldn't be completely unfolded as I didn't have the room. Because of our severe drought and the time it would take, I can't wash it all. So I have 5 bins packed with sorted and folded fabric. I placed 3-4 bars of deoderant soap in each bin. I will have to wash a load at a time when we get rain and our rainwater tank is full again. I don't feel that I can donate any with the smell and I don't want to use it that way either.
Any tips on what products to use and how to wash it to get the smoke smell out? I can hang the lighter-colored fabrics on the clothesline in the sun after washing but don't want to fade the brights. I did a test with one white piece and hung it up for a few days without washing. Don't know if the smell went away as a cow pulled it off, chewed it up and spit it out--yuck!!! :roll: :roll:
Sadly they were both smokers and the fabric reeks. I laided it out on my hammock and every other piece of furniture on the porch to air out for days. There are hundreds of yards (many 6-8 yard cuts) so it couldn't be completely unfolded as I didn't have the room. Because of our severe drought and the time it would take, I can't wash it all. So I have 5 bins packed with sorted and folded fabric. I placed 3-4 bars of deoderant soap in each bin. I will have to wash a load at a time when we get rain and our rainwater tank is full again. I don't feel that I can donate any with the smell and I don't want to use it that way either.
Any tips on what products to use and how to wash it to get the smoke smell out? I can hang the lighter-colored fabrics on the clothesline in the sun after washing but don't want to fade the brights. I did a test with one white piece and hung it up for a few days without washing. Don't know if the smell went away as a cow pulled it off, chewed it up and spit it out--yuck!!! :roll: :roll:
What I wanted to tell you was Fabreeze does wonders in removing smoke odors. I think it comes in a spray bottle. But you have such a lot of yardage! The sun has nothing to do with taking out the smoking odor. It will help with mildew. I was thinking vinegar! Try mixing vinegar in plain water in a tub, rinsing the fabric in it,and hanging it out, until it is dry, cloudy for colors, although the sun won't fade them that fast... and then eventually/soon washing the fabric in the machine.
That deoderant soap should help, but you might want to unfold the fabric and crumple it, depends if the smoke had penetrated the centers of the folds.
06-27-2011, 06:46 PM
#128
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,131
I use baking soda in the wash and also sometimes use white vinegar which helps to take out the odor. Haven't tried Febreze since I haven't had any that smelled lately.
My sister and BIL used to smoke as well as my brother and his wife. Everything they would share with you reaked with smoke.
I am not critizing those who smoke, because if I could have afforded it when I was young I probably would be doing it today. No not really as I still can't afford it. LOL I remember going fishing with my brother when we were kids, he was slipping and smoking and I asked him for a puff off the cigarette he had. He said, "No, if I do, you will tell Mama and Daddy" Of course, I said, "No I won't! Well to be honest, I lied to him as I begin to feel quilty and told on both of us. Rest assured he didn't trust me anymore to keep a secret. LOL Can't really blame him could I?
My sister and BIL used to smoke as well as my brother and his wife. Everything they would share with you reaked with smoke.
I am not critizing those who smoke, because if I could have afforded it when I was young I probably would be doing it today. No not really as I still can't afford it. LOL I remember going fishing with my brother when we were kids, he was slipping and smoking and I asked him for a puff off the cigarette he had. He said, "No, if I do, you will tell Mama and Daddy" Of course, I said, "No I won't! Well to be honest, I lied to him as I begin to feel quilty and told on both of us. Rest assured he didn't trust me anymore to keep a secret. LOL Can't really blame him could I?
06-27-2011, 07:10 PM
#129
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 864
I had a fire in 1998 we got all the smoke smell out of our cloth stuff with a cup of Gain liquid and a cup of white vinegar .... it
worked so good .......just do a little at a time till you get it all... good luck and make the cow a bonnet and post pics of her ......lol
worked so good .......just do a little at a time till you get it all... good luck and make the cow a bonnet and post pics of her ......lol
06-27-2011, 07:34 PM
#130
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: S. W. Indiana
Posts: 7,484
Originally Posted by callie
You can put them in the dryer on frenshen load or something similar to that - depending on your dryer -- I would put a fabric sheet with it tho.
A friend and I received a quilt top that was made by a heavy smoker and we had to get the odor out - no way we could give it to fire victims that way & we just freshed it in the dryer and it worked! Better than having to wash it all right now and certainly worth the try.
A friend and I received a quilt top that was made by a heavy smoker and we had to get the odor out - no way we could give it to fire victims that way & we just freshed it in the dryer and it worked! Better than having to wash it all right now and certainly worth the try.
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