Not long ago I posted requesting advice on finding a longarm quilter to complete a couple quilt tops. Among the advice I received was "make sure they are a non-smoker". I didn't follow that advice. Well, I got my quilts back today and even the carton they were in reeked of cigarette smoke. The quilting job is OK, DH says I'm too picky, but I'm not sure I'll use this lady again. Depends on how hard it is to get the smell out. If it ever stops raining, I'll hang them over the railing on the deck and let the sunshine do it's part. I'll have to keep looking! And asking questions next time.

Throwing them in the wash should take the smell out. I have to wash everything a family member sends us because of the smoke smell, and it always works.

Someone else on this board posted something about getting the smell out of fabric.

Should I remember correctly they used ammoniak. I don't know how or where you could buy it.

But many replied to it and they had success. May be it works for you.

Someone else on this board posted something about getting the smell out of fabric.

Should I remember correctly they used ammonia. I don't know how or where you could buy it.

But many replied to it and they had success. May be it works for you.

Here is the link
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-7493-1.htm

When heavy smoke is in the batting, hanging it over the fence most likely won't do the trick.

I inherited lots of fabric from a smoker. I washed in strong detergent and put a couple of cups of vinegar in the rinse water and softner sheets in the dryer.. Not sure which one did the trick but no smell.

I don't think smokers realize how pervasive the smell is. I often stand behind smokers in grocery lines and I'm shocked they can't seem to tell how bad they smell. Did I read correctly somewhere that smoking deadens the taste and smell receptors in a person? I guess it doesn't matter.Use white vinegar in your wash cycle.I sure hope it works.

Sunlight can deteriorate fabric and fade dyes very quickly.

The sure-fire solution for odors like tobacco, mildew or pet stains is ammonia.

I use it in the laundry because it strips detergent residue and skin oils and leaves fabrics completely fresh and clean. I use about a half a cup in a load, although for really strong odors, I might use up to two cups.

I use it in a carpet steam cleaner and it stinks to high heaven for ten or twenty minutes, but it cleans oily stains (coffee spills and skin oils) and disinfects and leaves everything clean without perfumes. :)

I will remember these hints. Especially the ammonia in the wash, my hubby has very oily skin and his shirt necks are a bear to get clean particularity the necklines.

as a former smoker for many years I can say, no they do not realize how strong and offensive the smell is, when you quit you are amazed at how much more taste food has and I seem to have a keener sense of smell, it also makes your hair yellow! now when I get around a smoker I really feel guilty about my poor little kids and everybody else I tried to kill! glad I finally wised up.
anyway, the quilts could probably use a good washing and that WILL take out the smell

I also use ammonia to soak my stovetop grates in. I hate to clean those things and my FIL taught me this.

The nicotine actually paralyzes the little hairs in your nose that are supposed to be the filters for stuff being breathed in. They do wake up again. (Believe me - I used to smoke)

It also deadens the taste buds. When I quit smoking, the need for spices went WAY down and DH didn't have sweatbeads on his brow. :oops:

My aunt is always shocked that I don't want to sit too close to her or visit her at her house but I'm really sensitive to smoke and she (and her house!) reek like an ashtray. If I'm in her house for more than 5 minutes, I get a terrible headache. Hopefully one of the above ideas will work. I know Febreze advertises that they remove odors from fabric and Tide comes with a Febreze additive now I think.

The guilt is bad isn't it, I can't beleive I smoked in my home ugh!

I too used to smoke. It is amazing how bad it smells. I now notice it in stores etc. I washed my entire stash with all fabric bleach, an enzyme additive, and OxyClean. It got the smell out and the yellow that seemed to coat everything. All I can say is good for us who quit and good for all of you who never started. When I was a teen, it was cool to smoke--what a foolish habit.
Sue

I too, am a ex-smoker. I didn't smoke when I quilted or in my house as my hubby didn't smoke. But I released my coat and clothes always smelled of smoke. Smokers just don't understand how the smell clinges to everything. I know I didn't notice until I quit for about a year. I know washing with all fabric bleach is a way to get rid of the smell. Good luck.

I also quit smoking, but my DH didn't. I have an air purifier in my home. My kids tell me they don't have to wash stuff when they go home now.

you can buy ammonia in any grocery store the name that most stores is parsons and comes suddsy or plain if you are not useto the smell please do it out side it is a strong order.

Since they have both been mentioned, just a word of caution, do NOT use bleach AND ammonia. Mixing the two will kill you. That's knowledge that people once had, but I'm finding more and more (maybe with the removal of home ec classes?) that people are unaware.

Good luck with the smell!

You really want to keep a quilt out of the sun. Light fades fabric quickly.

Oh goodness, all the Pros and Cons of smoking......

We all smoke at my house, including myself.
I was raised in a house of smokers, every member in the family smoked from rolled tobacco, Bugler, Lucky strikes, Winston, and now the best quality cigarettes are Marlboro 100s, what I smoke for many years now.

My grandma is 98 years old and still smokes daily.
My great grandma smoked daily and died when she was 86 years old.
Both quilters and never complained off cigarette smoke, washed their quilts and air dried them.

My two cents is: Wash the quilt or fabric, hang it on the line and you're good to go.

Hang quilt outside, fresh air works. It may take hanging outside for several days.

I hope everyone heeds your advice. Years ago a woman did die from the fumes after putting bleach and ammonia in the toilet bowl to clean it.

I am a smoker and I can smell smoke on a person, house, fabric etc. I have non-smoking rooms in my house - the bedroom and the sewing room are two of them. I never get a smoking room at a hotel because they reek of smoke and I can't sleep. I've brought my quilts to work to have non-smokers sniff them for smoke - they passed :)

Can't believe a professional long-arm person would smoke around her customers products. That's incredibly rude.

Amonia ... just one word of caution about amonia. To a dog (and possibly cats too) amonia smells like urine. This is why you NEVER clean the area a dog soiled with amonia - to the dog - it smells like the proper place to potty. So if you wash your stuff in amonia and have dogs, don't be surprised if your dog thinks it's a great place to potty (especially the boys, and in particular intact boys, as they tend to "mark").

Married to an ex-smoker (thank God - it's been years since he quit) I know exactly what you mean....! Frankly, am kind of surprised that someone who performs a service as personal as quilting wouldn't be cautious about their habit. Hope you can get the smell out easily enough....and no, you're certainly not being picky!

Wash it but hang it out to dry. I have experienced that putting them in the dryer doesn't work. Fresh air on wet fabric works.

Baking soda in the wash water has worked for me in the past when I have gotten clothes from a family member that smoked.

Maybe you should mention something to the lady that did your quilt. She might be losing other customers because of this and doesn't realize it. And then, maybe she just doesn't care.

It actually happens with some regularity. Usually it's people trying to get something very clean.

Wash, lay out on a sheet on your lawn (nice weather of course) and cover with another sheet. Let it dry. No fading, no odor.

Oh.. I will try that. They are so hard to clean!

I would never hang my quilts out in the sunshine...it can fade them...Just my opinion

How inconsiderate of this longarmer! You should at least tell her and give her the opportunity to change this situation before losing future business from you and your possible referrals.

I had to laugh at this one. I quit smokin over 25 years ago and now that is one of the things I am most allergic to and I cannot be in the same room with a smoker.

When I was young most of my friends smoked. They tried to get me to smoke. But I thought it tasted bad so never started. Considering how hard it was for them to quit years later I'm glad I never started.

I'm sure smokers don't realize how awful it smells. Sometimes a family member of a patient reeks of smoke, and I feel sick the whole shift at work. Then they act surprised when they get instructed on the dangers of second hand smoke to newborns by every nurse and doctor, like "how did they know?". So I doubt they realize. I don't even wear perfume to work for fear of annoying others. My brother just quit after 18 years and I still tear up saying so, like I've been given more years with him, God willing. I'd wash the quilt, try to hang it outside, maybe pack it in a box with odor absorbers. Sorry for your dilemma, good luck!

I used to smoke when I was in college - it was cool back then. When I got married my husband (who did not smoke) finally said to me - don't you know you smell like %#!+. I guess I didn't realize it then, but I never smoked after that. I do think smoking alters your taste buds. We have a lady here at work that smokes and whenever she brings a dish for potluck, no one touches it because it's so salty.

I recently bought fabric from someone on the board that smelled like smoke. I dampened a dryer sheet and put it all in the dryer for a few minutes. Took the smell away.

I used to work at a dry cleaner even after going thru the dry cleaning process clothes of smokers still smelled it never came out some reeked so bad we sprayed them with a clothing deoderizer

Definitely tell the longarmer that although you're satisfied with her work, you're not happy that the quilt smelled of smoke, and you won't be using her services again. Even if she has heard this before, she should hear it again.

If using all of these ideas don't work,try Febreeze.

I bought my stepfather's van after he died. He was a very heavy smoker and I never thought I would be able to drive that van. I have asthma, allergies, and can't stand the smell of smoke. DH said to give him a chance to clean it up. He used 4 or 5 bottles of Febreeze in the van and the smoke smell was entirely gone from the van.