Does anyone know how? I just had a friend of mine ask me for someone else. He had a house fire and the quilts are unfinished so he doesn't want to wash them. I don't know for sure of anything he could do, does anyone here know??

He can try airing them out - but even washing doesn't always help. My brother had a house fire and they sent all the clothes out for "cleaning" and even after many tries everything still smelled of smoke from the professionals :cry:

I had to use Odoban from samsclub on my couch because my son threw up on it and it sunk in. I wonder if that would help?

Several people have suggested placing an open bar of deoderant soap into a plastic bag and closing up for a week or so to remove cigarette smoke, maybe that would work for smoke from a house fire as well.

Charcoal absorbs odors. He could try putting the tops inside a plastic bag with "Odoreaters" shoe insoles with the carbon in them. It would be better to use charcoal, but hard to keep the charcoal away from the fabric. I use the Odoreaters insole inside my featherweight case; got rid of the musty smell completely.

He could also try one of the Odor Begone products (available from Amazon). Haven't seen from the reviews if it works on smoke odors, though.

The tops can be hand washed if they are first basted to a foundation fabric to stabilize them. Again, though, I don't know if normal detergent will take out the smoke smell.

good luck

He could go to the pet store and get filters for fish tanks - they have carbon in them and fully enclosed, also try laying them out in the sun, sprits with white vinegar, if worried about fading, cover with an old sheet.

Unfortunately, house fires differ from cigarette smoke or mildew smell in that intense heat is involved. The heat, I believe, interacts with the fabric, causing the smell to be more absorbed.

My parents had a house fire and had to replace most textiles. However, they used a combo of mild and white paint when they repainted the basement; crazy idea but I wonder if either straight milk or a milk based solution might help (after you do a test with a small piece). Also, try soaking the fabric in a vinegar solution (a less crazy suggestion).

Best of luck to your friend.

I had a house fire about 6 years ago and I do have two quilts that made it out of it and they did smell for a while(even after being prof. cleaned). I would try to put it in a container with some baking soda or some kind of oder eater and then air it out on a nicer day.

I am sorry to hear that you had a fire... I hope all is well now.