quiltingshorttimer

Good advice--then after it dries, if it still smells, bag it with a bar of Irish Spring soap for a few days.

Havplenty

I too am allergic to cigarette smoke as it can cause my asthma to flare up so a serious situation for me. I normally would not accept any fabrics from heavy smoking homes as it is a challenge just for me to deal with it.

In the couple of instances where I have come in contact with cig smoke infused fabrics, I used dryer sheets stuffed in with the fabric first (for days) and later washed in vinegar and water. It worked for me.

Fabrics from smoking households is covered in nicotine stains that you cannot see so you will need to remove the nicotine stains that are in the fabric as well as eliminate the odor. Hanging outdoors may help to eliminate the odor but does nothing about the ingrain nicotine stains. Washing the fabric with an odor destroyer takes care of both problems.

I had received a swap gift from a smoker who said they would leave my swap gift in the car until mailed so it shouldn't be effected by the cig smoke. I received the gift and could smell the overwhelming scent of cig smoke at the post office. I left the package open outside on my back porch for over one week before I could bring it in my home to sanitize it washing everything that could be washed and wiping everything else down with a solution of vinegar and water.

For me the opportunity to receive smoked infused free fabric is not a deal and I can walk away. I have found that there have been other opportunities that surface for me to increase my fabric stash without this risk. Good luck on your haul.

Lady Diana

Don't bring it in the house. When you pick it up at the smoky house, take trash bags with you, put them in your trunk. Carry the vinegar, borax, baking soda, etc. quilt magazine, favorite beverage, and GO TO THE LOCAL LAUNDRY ON THE WAY HOME. WASH AND DRY THERE....not in your house. If the smell is still there, then I would hang outside at your house.....you don't have to hang in the sun....find some trees....hope you live in area with trees.

Onebyone

The fabric may be free but the time, effort and expense of getting it suitable to use is not worth it. No way I'd accept smoke saturated fabric. I too received swap fabric that was full of smoker odor. I sent it back with a note of why I couldn't accept it. Smokers need to know how bad the items they are around stink because they can't smell it.

MargeD

I used to be a heavy smoker, but did not smell the "smoke" until I had quit smoking. Since my sewing area was in my bedroom, there were few opportunities to air out the fabric. When I started to quilt, the smell bothered me so much that I had to wash all the fabric before I could use it; but just a regular wash cycle seemed to get rid of the smell. I'm not sure how you could "wash" bolts of fabric but airing the fabric outside is a good option. I remember my Mom putting sheets on the line, even in winter, then bringing the frozen sheets in to finish drying, as they smelled so fresh from being outside. Give Mother Nature a chance to get rid of the smoker's smoke in the fabric first, then I would wash it with possibly a mild detergent with a pleasant scent to help get rid of the odor.

madamekelly

I have found a product in our local dollar store called "LA's Totally Awesome Cleaner" that I just add a few sprays into the full washer that takes all smells out, even mildew smell, takes out all trace of cigarettes, even most of the yellowing. (For the record, if a fabric smells of mildew, but doesn't show signs of it, you can probably still use it in a quilt, but not a show piece since mildew eats the fabric.)

Linda1

I am a smoker and I do a lot of quilts for kids charity quilts. I wash and dry in the dryer and it takes any odors out.

LesterLou202

I have found plain old ammonia to be an excellent odor remover in laundry, for an old oil cloth tent that was stored in a garage for 35 years (set it up in our garage with a bowl of ammonia in it, odor was gone the next day). I have placed dishes of ammonia around the room on high shelves when there has been a party with smokers. When I cared for a family member with with cancer, I used ammonia on their laundry and linens.

Rose Bagwell

Use the vinegar,Dawn dish washing liquid (2 tbl. ) and baking soda. Wash in cold water allowing full cycle to end allowing water to get rid of all the junk . Do not put in dryer, do the same thing again, expect this time only allow washer to agitate and leave soaking overnight. I would smell fabric before putting in dryer to make sure smell of smoke is gone.

2manyhobbies

I was thinking Borax and baking soda soaking. I would do that along with fresh air. It doesn't have to be in direct sun. But nature sure can take care of things like this. I like the blue Dawn idea too. It works for so many oily messes. Love it.