Smelly Fabric...help!
 

I purchased some flannel to make baby blankets from a newer shop when I was visiting in PA. The store used to be a pool/spa store complete with an indoor pool (now empty). As a result the fabric reeks of chlorine! I should have known better because the store smelled strong enough to make me cough.
I didn't realize how strong it was until I washed it three (!!!) times and it still stinks. I've tried soaking it in vinegar, soaking in oxyclean, and Bioclean.
Any suggestions on what to try? I am sooo frustrated. I can't imagine wrapping a baby with new lungs in a blanket that smells so strong.

I wonder if hanging it in the sun for a couple of days might help.

After washing the fabric did it seem okay? I'm wondering if exposure to the chlorine in the air damaged the fabric or changed the integrity of it. I'm not a chemist so don't know if or how this would happen. I'm surprised that the odor of chlorine is still so strong in the building and worry about the employees' exposure to this. Not sure if I would use this fabric. (Just my humble opinion for what it's worth).

Soak in Dawn in water as hot as you can stand it. Mush it, agitate it through your hands, then when starts to cool down do it again. I sometimes do this in a bucket so I can let it sit over night. When you do this you should be able to smell the chlorine on your hands. Something else you may want to try also. I was in Walmart looking for some synthrpol and came across some Fels Naptha and laundry bar soap. I bought it all. Trying them on different items. I still have couple shirts that smell of ol smoke. DH says often my kitchen is like a lab.

This was going to be my suggestion as well. Baking soda and/or sun seems to be a good cure-all. Perhaps some charcoal????

Chlorine dissipates with exposure to sunlight....probably not very helpful at this time of year?

Can you return it? Surely others must have had the same problem. It would be worth it to notify them and see if they will take it back or refund your money so you can buy some other fabric.