Musty Smell Batting
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,753
If your choice is to throw away or try to clean it, put it in a hosiery bag (dollar store carries them) and wash it with a nonsmelling detergent and bleach with hot water. The bag will keep it from shredding. The bleach and soap will get rid of the must. Use a nonsmelling detergent specifically to make sure that musty aroma and its cause has been removed. After it is dried (throw it in the drier), remove it from the hosiery bag.
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: The Deep South near Cajun Country, USA
Posts: 5,435
Concentrated Odoban is wonderful at getting rid of odors in fabrics and is a disinfectant. The eucalyptus scent is the only one I can say works very well. I haven't tried any of the others. I was told by a guy that it is the same disinfectant as Lysol and the government had them use Odoban to disinfect houses after flooding cleanup was completed. I would add some of that as a rinse additive if you can. If not, then buy the diluted spray and spray either before or afer you wash the batting or both.
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 3,257
Kind of depends on what sort of musty smell it is. If you are keeping the quilt for yourself, I might try to wash it as some have suggested. Just covering up the smell is something I would not do. If it is for a gift or donation, I would not use it at all. Some smells can return depending on what caused it in the first place. If it could be a moldy smell, throw it out.
#9
I agree with Suern, if you don't know the source I would toss it. Have you checked it thoroughly for any signs of mold. Did it get wet? such as in a closet that was damp. Reason I ask is we had a hall closet with one of the walls was an outside wall of the house (if that makes sense) and one of my jackets got a fuzzy mold on it from being damp.