This isn't solely related to crafts, but I'm hoping one of you can help.
I buy a lot of clothing at thrift stores. Sometimes I find that even after washing them, heavy perfume smells are coming through.
I've washed one pair of pants twice now, using unscented detergent, and they smell just as strongly of perfume as they did when I purchased them at the thrift store.
Any suggestions for how to get rid of this smell? Usually two washings do it. Should I soak in a baking soda solution before washing? I'm not a fan of perfume, but it's hard to avoid in thrift store clothing for some reason.
I buy a lot of clothing at thrift stores. Sometimes I find that even after washing them, heavy perfume smells are coming through.
I've washed one pair of pants twice now, using unscented detergent, and they smell just as strongly of perfume as they did when I purchased them at the thrift store.
Any suggestions for how to get rid of this smell? Usually two washings do it. Should I soak in a baking soda solution before washing? I'm not a fan of perfume, but it's hard to avoid in thrift store clothing for some reason.
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SF Bay Area
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Wed, March 26, 2008 - 11:01 AMFind a scented detergent you like better! I find that clothes washed in scented detergents actually retain the smell for quite a few washings when using unscented detergent... slightly disturbing...
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Wed, March 26, 2008 - 1:26 PMExtra rinsing? A cup of rubbing alchohal? (isn't alchohal used to carry scents and they don't dissolve it water. That could be part of the problem.) Fresh Air Clothing Line?
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Wed, March 26, 2008 - 1:51 PMSpray the garment with a 1 part vodka to 3 parts water solution & let air dry. Should remove all odors. Then wash as normal. -
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Sun, December 7, 2008 - 6:50 PMSeconded the Vodka . . . we use this formula for all our shows, much better than Febreeze or Fresh again
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Wed, March 26, 2008 - 1:57 PMWash and hang outside in the sun shine... -
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Wed, March 26, 2008 - 3:19 PMYeah, I remember from old household hint books: soap, water, air and sunshine. -
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Thu, December 4, 2008 - 5:55 AM
Have you rinsed them in white vinegar?
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 12:29 AMTry to use Borax & Nature's Miracle. They work wonderfully when added to the wash. Add Borax & in the same wash load add a bit of product called "Nature's Miracle". It is an enzymatic that gets rid of pet odors. Perhaps you can also let the items sit in a closed brown bag and shake with baking soda prior to the wash. -
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Sun, December 7, 2008 - 12:27 PMseconding the borax suggestion
wonderful stuff
i also have a thing for Gain =p haha
relatively cheap, cleans well, smells great forEVER (which may or may not be a good thing, but you know...)
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 4:16 AMI use soapnuts for all my laundry, and all things come out smelling, well, neutral. I really like soapnuts, cheap, natural and fun!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapindus -
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 8:22 AMUse 1/2 cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle and then hang out in the sun to dry.
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 4:37 PMThanks ya'll. I'm going to try the Borax thing and see if that works.
I don't have anyplace to dry my clothes in the sun. Damn apartment living. -
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 5:29 PMHanger and a sunny window worked for me while living in SF, hang it on a chair by at the window... -
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 5:39 PMLies! All lies! No such thing as sun in San Francisco! -
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 6:08 PMLOL...
Lived there for more then ten years most of that time I used a clothes rack to dry our clothes at the windows and yes there is sunshine in SF, never had issue.. I was a single mom and it save a lot of money, and where grew up no one used a drier unless it was winter and snow n ice covered the clothes line...
San Francisco, fog in the morning sunshine burns through, then fog rolls in late day, day in n day out, day in n day out... -
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Thu, March 27, 2008 - 10:05 PMI grew up across the bay. I know the weather in San Francisco. -
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Sun, March 30, 2008 - 12:21 PM*sunshine* is that the yellow hurty stuff in the sky sometimes??? -
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Thu, December 4, 2008 - 9:34 PMMicroclimates, gotta love 'em. If you don't like the weather in San Francisco, walk three blocks.
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Thu, December 4, 2008 - 9:51 AM20 Mule team Borax . Soak the offensive clothes overnight in your tub or washer in a stiff solution then wash your usual way. -
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Unsu...
Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Fri, December 5, 2008 - 9:48 AMyeah, 20 mule team borax is the bomb. i use that and super washing soda to add to my loads. you c an also make your own detergent with those and a bar of (ivory) soap and it lasts our family of 3 over a month solid and i wash things everyday - we have a lot of washcloths to clean. thank goodness for the drying umbrella i bought!
i don't notice smells on our stuff after the borax + washing soda routine....
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Tue, April 1, 2008 - 9:45 PM1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar in the wash with warm water. Should do the trick. -
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Fri, December 5, 2008 - 12:17 PMAn old theater trick is to make a solution of one third vodka and two thirds water and spritz the fabric thoroughly. I dont know if it will work on all fabrics, but it might help. -
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Sun, December 7, 2008 - 1:45 PMyep BORAX !
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Re: Getting odors out of thrift store clothes
Sun, December 7, 2008 - 7:07 PMi wash them once through, then i send em in for a second round.
in the second round of dry time, i either febreeze them prior to drying, or spray them with my fave perfume :)
