How do I get the ugly smell out of the vintage coats I buy at thrift stores? I've already sent them twice for dry cleaning, used Febreze, and put them outside for a few days.
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When I sewed for the local theater and the costumes stank to high heaven we used to spray them down with cheap vodka and let them dry. You might try that. Just fill a spray bottle with undiluted vodka and give them a good spraying.
Susan in Omaha
Thank you Susan, I wasn't the one that wrote to you but REALLY needed this advice!
Don't forget the old "unused coffe grounds" trick. Perhaps you could put the item in a plastic bag and put some coffee in the pockets (would brush out later), and in the toe of a nylon and tied like a sausage and hung from the hanger. Then tie the bottom shut and tape the hanger hole shut. Leave it for a while --- a week,(?) and see if that helps.
I read that carpet mites could be causing the smell, put the coat in a plastic bag with the air squished out and put in a chest freezer for 3 days (72) hours. Then try the coffee trick or fabreze after killing off any bugs that may have been living in the fur.
One thing here I did not see was this, take a bunch of newspapaers wad them up and fill the arms of the coat, get one of those dry cleaning garment bags, and put the coat with the newspaper inside of it, adding more newspaper, close it and seal it with tape to make it air tight. Wait about 3-4 days open it up and remove some of the newspaper, the newspaper should smell like the coats.
Thank you, Shelly. I will have to try this method on my shearling coats.
Gee, what do they smell like if they resist treatment? Are you sure you have sprayed the Fabreze adequately inside & out? You could also open the lining and spray underneath it. Then leave out in the sun and let the sun bake it inside & out. You could also try spraying them with spray disinfectant. That kills everything & comes in scents!
What is the smell? Have your tried vinegar? Honestly, I find that straight from the bottle white distilled vinegar is pretty much for everything! It kills mold, mildew, viruses, and bacterias (not all.. but most in the house!) It also clears up weird smells in things. You can mix in 6-9 drops of a lovely essential oil (tee tree is nice and clean smelling but there's also things like lavender)
I have used charcoal briquettes to get a nasty smell out of an old freezer and it worked great.
Why not try it on the coat. I would spread the briquettes on the inside of the coat and in the sleeves and let it sit for a day or so.
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