If you can add a little BIZ to a gentle wash, it should be ok to wash them. BIZ is great and rinses clean

Thanks everyone. There are so many wonderful ideas that I want to try all of them! I have to admit the tar on and in everything bothers me even worse but I have a couple in the washer. One in the trunk of the car and one on the hottub on our covered porch so let's see which works best!

I cant' figure out why just washing with your regular detergent wouldn't get the smell out. My son has started handging out with a not nice girl. Both she and her dad smoke and he comes home smelling terrible! But his clothes no longer stink after being washed and dried.

But the clothes are getting washed as soon as the smoke and tar are in the clothes. The big problem is when the fabric has been permeated with the smoke and tar over a period of time. The smell is the least of the problems, the tar residue is causing the smell; not easy to remove.

Wrap a bar of Safeguard or Ivory in a cloth so it doesn't get on your quilt. Place it in the bottom of a large plastic bag. Place your quilt down in the plastic bag and leave for 3-4 weeks. This usually take all the cigarette smoke out of the quilt. I have smoking quilters that bring me their quilts to long arm quilt. They get this treatment as I can't stand the smell of smoke.
OzarksGma

A quilt conservationist told us in a seminar to lay smelly quilts on a white sheet in the grass when the dew is on. Cover with another white sheet. Allow to dry. The chlorophyl in the grass is supposed to help remove the odor.

Take it to a laundry mat and use a front loading machine. It is way less wear and tear on the fabric. You can also put it in and extractor to get the most water out of it before you throw it in a commercial dryer on low heat.

I know what you mean. The one that quilts
mind does too. Same thing I do, bring it home, Fabreeze it turn it over, and Fabrize that side. Seems to work great for me.

It's been a long time since I had to resort to using the laundromat, but my experience was that all the dryers were at the highest heat possible, and you couldn't adjust them. Have things changed? One can hope.

The last time I used them, they could be adjusted. That was at RV Park so I can't tell you about the laundromat though.