Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums >
  • General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
  • I need advice from someone who crochets >
  • I need advice from someone who crochets

  • I need advice from someone who crochets

    Old 03-03-2014, 10:31 AM
      #11  
    Power Poster
     
    Join Date: Mar 2013
    Location: Corpus Christi, Tx.
    Posts: 16,105
    Default

    The best way I have gotten rid of any textiles that have a smoke smell/residue is to let them soak in a bucket or type of plastic container with white vinegar and water overnite. Rinse and do it again and kind of swishing. I do put them into laundry bags. I have 1/2 doz of them and use them all the time. You can get them for as little as a dollar. Then I wash in regular laundry detergent and add a little Arm and Hammer laundry booster. All the while these pieces are in the bags. Fabreeze only masks the odor. Fabreeze washes out and you still have the smoke smell.
    tessagin is offline  
    Old 03-03-2014, 11:57 AM
      #12  
    Power Poster
     
    Join Date: Jun 2010
    Location: VIRGINIA
    Posts: 22,671
    Default

    if you arent sure if the yarn is wool or not i would put them outside for a few days maybe a porch or garage to air them outor use the dial soap like suggested
    QUILTNMO is offline  
    Old 03-03-2014, 01:45 PM
      #13  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Jul 2010
    Location: Massachusetts
    Posts: 1,096
    Default

    If you have a washer with an agitator, put detergent and white vinegar in washer as it is filling with cool/cold water(no granny squares yet).
    Let the washer agitator just to mix detergent/vinegar well, add granny squares. Agitate just enough to get all squares wet.
    Stop washer and let everything soak 15-30 min. Let spin only long enough to empty of water-stop, let go to rinse(same as wash-don't agitate) spin water out; rinse second time same way; on last spin let it spin a little longer then before.

    Put in a cool temp setting on dryer or air only. Either way it will take a long time to dry. You could take out of dryer after brief time and dry on a rack.

    The main thing is to not to use hot water and to not let the spin cycle of washer wring the items too much and not to have dryer temp too hot.

    If you have new type washer that won't let you stop it mid-cycle, maybe you have a "hand wash" cycle? I do and love it as it is much like a hand washing, with periods of soaking and light spinning.
    Things come out much wetter than a regular cycle but that's ok as too much spin is what causes shrinkage.
    selm is offline  
    Old 03-03-2014, 06:51 PM
      #14  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Jan 2010
    Location: Kansas City Mo
    Posts: 1,603
    Default

    I have found this tip very helpful Put all squares in a big box but first open a can of coffee and put in container leave for a few days then smell should be gone
    sassey is offline  
    Old 03-04-2014, 03:55 AM
      #15  
    Junior Member
     
    Retiredandquilting's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Aug 2010
    Location: Bloomfield, NY
    Posts: 249
    Default

    I have had very good luck with Glade's Fabric and Air. I recently had a dress from the 40's that had that awful "old, stored" smell. I sprayed it with the Fabric and Air and the smell was completely eliminated. I went on to make Memory Teddy Bears from the dress. The Fabric and Air also left to spots on the fabric (it was a satin), and the odor was completely gone, and stayed gone.
    Retiredandquilting is offline  
    Old 03-04-2014, 04:42 AM
      #16  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Nov 2009
    Posts: 2,061
    Default

    I would try everything else before washing. Are they made of yarn or crochet thread? The thread would probably wash well, but if there is any wool at all you don't want to agitate in the machine. If you have a clothesline you could Febreeze them and hang them out for a while when the sun is out and see what that does.
    lclang is offline  
    Old 03-04-2014, 07:34 AM
      #17  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: May 2012
    Location: Tall Corn State
    Posts: 1,231
    Default

    Well I have asthma too so I feel your pain!! I would not use any of the soaps, I am one who does not visit the soap aisle at the store, sets me off.

    I recommend white vinegar or baking soda perhaps 2 or 3 times. (If you have a piece of yarn you can spare from these blocks - take a small piece and set a match to it, if it blisters & turns hard its synthetic, if it just burns it may be wool.)

    Hope it works for you.
    Daisy Dew is offline  
    Old 03-04-2014, 01:37 PM
      #18  
    Junior Member
     
    Join Date: Jan 2012
    Posts: 108
    Default

    soak in vinegar overnite, rinse then wash with arm & hammer washing soda, then another cycle with your regular laundry detergent. make sure first that they are not wool. If there are yarn ends that need to be worked in you can snip off a small piece & do the burn test.Wool or cotton leaves a soft usually grey ash - wool smells sort of like wet chicken feathers - to me at least. Man made fibers will leave a hard, usually black ash - it appears more as if it melted rather than burned.

    Shirley in Indiana
    oleganny is offline  
    Old 03-04-2014, 02:53 PM
      #19  
    Senior Member
     
    Join Date: Jul 2010
    Posts: 673
    Default

    another thing that might work is unscented cat litter. put some litter in a shallow pan. put the squares in a pillowcase, or muslin bag, spreading them out in flat stacks. fold it closed, put that in the pan, and then "bury" in in more litter. leave it for a couple of days, and then toss the litter. repeat the process until all of the squares have had a chance to "air" near the largest concentration of clean litter. (i've used this trick with papers, books, and magazines, as well. they are porous, and soak up any smell they're near, just like fabric.)
    svenskaflicka1 is offline  
    Old 03-04-2014, 03:57 PM
      #20  
    Member
     
    createquilt's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Sep 2010
    Posts: 62
    Default

    my husband was a smoker until he had his 5 way bypass surgery. I too love to crochet and my yarn always smelled like smoke. One day I took a plastic container and put an afghan in it and 2 snuggles fabric softener sheets and left it for a week sealed up. Best thing I ever did now even though he doesn't smoke any more I still put a fabric softener sheet in with my yarn until I am ready to use. It really does work and you won't have to wash until you want to.
    createquilt is offline  
    Related Topics
    Thread
    Thread Starter
    Forum
    Replies
    Last Post
    greaterexp
    Main
    30
    08-07-2015 09:05 PM
    Homespun
    Pictures
    79
    08-23-2011 11:18 AM
    crazyquilter
    Main
    19
    08-10-2010 03:13 AM

    Posting Rules
    You may not post new threads
    You may not post replies
    You may not post attachments
    You may not edit your posts

    BB code is On
    Smilies are On
    [IMG] code is On
    HTML code is On
    Trackbacks are Off
    Pingbacks are Off
    Refbacks are Off


    FREE Quilting Newsletter