Quiltingboard Forums

Quiltingboard Forums (https://www.quiltingboard.com/)
-   Main (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/)
-   -   Gett'en out that " nasty old" smell (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/getten-out-%22-nasty-old%22-smell-t104968.html)

ndgirl 03-05-2011 04:22 PM

I have used coffee grounds in an old sock or some sort of fabric bag - the grounds can be fresh out of the can or dry out used grounds. It may take awhile, but it works!!

BettyGee 03-05-2011 04:47 PM

Fabreeze and fresh air did the trick for me on some beautiful fabric that had been stored for way too long.

jitkaau 03-05-2011 06:04 PM


Originally Posted by Marge L.
I don't know how or if this really works but I recall that truckers who drove "refers" (refrigerator trucks) that after unloading their meat cargo used vanilla in the refer to freshen them. As I said, I don't know for sure. Just heard this from the truckers. That must have taken a lot of vanilla because those things are BIG.

I always use vanilla and also put bicarb soda in the fridge to absorb smells.A little water added to form a paste gets rid of fat on the stove when cleaning as well.

auntdeb 03-05-2011 07:14 PM

A clothes line, sunny, breezy day and fabreeze. Even workes of cigarette smoke.

gypsylady5 03-05-2011 07:25 PM

Fabreze and fresh air for me!

biscuitqueen 03-05-2011 07:37 PM

I used vinager and softner on gentle cycle or hand wash cycle.

penski 03-05-2011 08:30 PM

this is strange that you ask this question, before i came on to check my email , i was reading some helpful tips, and someone wrote in and said they had some old clothes that had a musty smell to them , the editor wrote back and said that if you buy some Vodka , put it in a srpay bottle and spray the clothes , hang them out to air the smell will go away !!

penski 03-05-2011 08:31 PM


Originally Posted by penski
this is strange that you ask this question, before i came on to check my email , i was reading some helpful tips, and someone wrote in and said they had some old clothes that had a musty smell to them , the editor wrote back and said that if you buy some Vodka , put it in a srpay bottle and spray the clothes , hang them out to air the smell will go away !!

i forgot to add that there is something in the vodka that takes the smell out

PKITTY1 03-05-2011 09:21 PM

I found an old panel that I had left in a box where the box actually had mold inside and out. Luckily, none on the fabric. I washed it and the smell was worse because it smelled like mildew and laundry detergent. Left to hang and dry and it smells fine now. Beware the cats though. Pumpkin slept on a pile of fabric that had that smell (it was waiting to be washed) and my cat smelled like cat and mildew! ROFL...don't know which smell I like least...hehe!

costumegirl 03-05-2011 09:40 PM


Originally Posted by Prism99
Charcoal absorbs bad odors. I would purchase a couple pair of the charcoal OdorEaters brand of shoe insoles and close them off together in a clean bin or closed garbage bag for a couple of weeks.

In my opinion, it is very risky to try to wash blocks (or an unquilted top) without first basting them to a foundation fabric. You can end up with a distorted mess, even if you hand wash.

You really need something that absorbs odor, not something that masks odor. My featherweight machine's case had a terrible musty smell in it. Tried a dryer sheet, tried soap -- everything seemed to just add a different odor. Fresh air and sunshine did not help enough either. The charcoal OdorEaters insoles finally did the job.

Thanks Prism!! I will have to get some for my FW case :)


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 06:44 PM.