I just got a suitcase from a second hand store and I cannot remove the nasty smell. It smells like old vomit or moldy milk. How can I get rid of the smell?
By sadiena from Jacksonville, FL
Our old house had wood heat, everything always smelled like smoke including our luggage, which then got put in storage when we moved to a smaller house. I just took it out for a vacation, sprayed the inside with a vinegar/water mix and closed them back up for two days. They smelled fine for us to pack for this trip and our clothes were fine on arrival.
Try Febreze.
Definitely. I use FRIDGE IT activated carbon odor absorbers in my luggage and storage bins. They are unscented and work great to eliminate odors. I just put one or two in each suitcase to keep "old" smell out.
I have been using a product called BioWorld Odor Neutralizer that has worked well for all odors. It is very strong and I haven't found an odor that it hasn't taken care of yet!
I've heard clay kitty litter absorbs odors really well so it might be worth the try to get a small bag of it, dump the litter in, close it up for a few days and then dump it out. Of course, wipe the inside of the case well to remove the litter dust.
I would wash this suitcase out first, and then try all the different odor absorbers. It may be that something has been spilled in the inside in the past, and never suitably and thoroughly cleaned. Leaving it in the sun to air out after washing would be good too.
Things don't get a sour milk or vomit smell from being stored in musty garages or basements. Something has been spilled in that suitcase to make that smell.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have a suitcase that was down in the basement and now it smells like fuel oil inside and out. I have sprayed the suitcase with Glade Tough Odor Solutions about 15 times and it didnt work.
Please help me; I don't want to have to throw it out it's like 6 months old.My travel mug, filled with flavored coffee, opened in the outside pocket of my new nylon luggage. How can I remove the flavored coffee smell?
By Debra K.
Wash it out with a cloth of sudsy water, such as dawn. Let dry completely. Sprinkle in some baking soda and let it sit. May take several days but it will come out.
Not-Out removes all kinds of odors. You can buy it on Amazon
Every time we go to visit our kids, we pack our suitcase and when we get there our clothes have musty smell. The suitcase and clothes don't have the odor when being packed.
By Jean
Are you sure your clothes are completely dry when you pack them? Nothing is leaking liquid--such as a bottle of contact solution or something similar??
Are you traveling by car and putting them in a car trunk that could be musty?
Next time, try putting a couple of fabric softener sheets in the suitcase with your clothing.
Spray the suitcase with Febreze before you pack.
Suitcases that have been in storage, or simply not used in awhile can develop a musty odor. This is a page about musty smell in suitcase.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
I left some ziploc plastic bags in a suitcase that was stored in the attic. Now the suitcase has an odor. Any ideas about how to get rid of the odor? Is there anything I could put in the suitcase for freshening while in attic storage?
