A friend of mine recently gave me a heap of her clothes that she no longer wants. She is a heavy smoker and all the clothes reek of smoke.
I’ve tried washing them (in cold and in hot), tried washing with nappi san, tried washing with cuddly, and I tried with your average soap powder.
Previously when she has given me clothes I’ve hung them on the line for a week to get rid of the smell but I’m wondering is there another way?
It’s a real pain because until the smoke smell goes away I can’t wash them with my clothes because the reek just transfers across. And I don’t want to wear them while they are all smelly.
I haven’t the foggiest notion what “nappi san” or “cuddly” are!
I’ve found borax to be the best thing to get out odors. Use it and your regular detergent together.
PP: We bought a truck that used to be owned by a smoker. We’ve found that leaving the windows open on dry days helps a lot. Of course, we did the baking soda & Febreze thing too.
I would try 1/2 cup of Baking soda per gallon of hot water with about a 1/8 cup of lemon juice. Test this solution out for color fastness.
Soak it for about half an hour and wash in the machine as per usual using your regular soap and be sure to use a fabric softener. Air dry by hanging them (dont use machine) Outside would be great so long as the air is fresh.
You might want to try washing them with a water softening agent. Hope it helps.
The not—so—good news is that it’s a hard product to find. (Usually, products that work are this way, I notice.)
Try a Tobacco (or “Head”) shop in your area, and tell them the name if they don’t carry it.
It runs about $3. per bottle, and the bottle lasts almost forever.
Added plus…absolutely no substitute odor!
Toss them into the washing machine, fill with water, add a box of baking soda and soak overnight. Then finish cycle adding soap and borax. Add a cup of vinegar to rinse water.
I’ve used Febreeze after having a chain-smoking houseguest. It’s miraculous. I used it on the drapes, sofa and just sprayed it in the air. The place went from smelling like a nightclub to 100% odorless.
Thank-you for all your help. I shall make purchase of Febreeze with my next grocery shop.
Green Bean nappi san is a pre-wash nappy soaker and cuddly is a fabric softner. Sorry I should’ve realised that Aussie brand names would be different.
And Zenster I aint going to waste perfectly good free clothing like that! I’ve scored 4 new pairs of work trousers and a really nice black dress this time round. Last lot included a beaut winter coat - cherry red, knee length with a black collar and cuff’s
I have a sure fire way to never smell that smoke smell on clothing again.
Take up smoking D)
Just joking Leechbabe I know you have a new bub…Sards is the wonder stuff I reckon, try the Sards in wash stuff (well it worked on cat pee…and there is no stink worse then that!)
