moth balls
 

Bad idea to use with stored fabrics.

The smell - with some fabrics - is impossible to get out.

Baking soda sprinkled liberally in the storage container with the problem and left to sit for an extended period can help greatly.

I had a cell phone in a plastic case that took a nose dive into a portacan and was retrieved by the pump out guy the following week.

Just as an experiment I placed the case in a zip sandwich bag with a bunch of baking soda. Initially I didn't think it was doing any good, but came across the bag with the case and baking soda a few months later and there was no odor remaining.

So not a quick fix, but worth a try.

I would be concerned about the E. coli ( bacteria) even tho the smell was gone.

Thanks Quilting Grandma! I didn't go ahead and reuse it, but was amazed that it actually did get rid of the odor, which I assure you was quite pungent!

Yeah, that's why when SO stores his boat for the winter, before putting the tarp on, he sprinkles moth balls around.