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Removing scent from used clothing?

justsomedude

justsomedude

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2014
Messages
2,514
Location
Nashville, TN
So.... I just got a used pair of Kuiu Chinook pants that have a fairly strong fabric softener/detergent smell. Washed it in Seventh Generation and sprayed it down with Dead Downwind. I'm drying them in the sun right now. If the weather is clear, I might just hang them in the woods for a day or two.

Any tricks? Might have to bust out the bee smoker...
 
I had a similar experience with a mid-layer jacket last year. Tried multiple soaks and washes, hanging outside for over a week, ozone machine in a bin and even put the jacket in a bin with dirt and leaves for over a week. STILL had that pretty flower smell!

I then put the jacket in a bin and sprinkled in about a tablespoon of activated charcoal powder from amazon and shook it up. 5 seconds later the smell was completely undetectable to my nose. The stuff just works. Messy. But it works.


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drew13 said:
I had a similar experience with a mid-layer jacket last year. Tried multiple soaks and washes, hanging outside for over a week, ozone machine in a bin and even put the jacket in a bin with dirt and leaves for over a week. STILL had that pretty flower smell!

I then put the jacket in a bin and sprinkled in about a tablespoon of activated charcoal powder from amazon and shook it up. 5 seconds later the smell was completely undetectable to my nose. The stuff just works. Messy. But it works.


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Click to expand...
WOW! That's quite the testimonial.
 
drew13 said:
I had a similar experience with a mid-layer jacket last year. Tried multiple soaks and washes, hanging outside for over a week, ozone machine in a bin and even put the jacket in a bin with dirt and leaves for over a week. STILL had that pretty flower smell!

I then put the jacket in a bin and sprinkled in about a tablespoon of activated charcoal powder from amazon and shook it up. 5 seconds later the smell was completely undetectable to my nose. The stuff just works. Messy. But it works.


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Click to expand...

I use these now and just put some double sided tape on the underside of the scent tote/storage bin lid. Activated Carbon is a magical thing! Works Awesome, I'll most likely be buying in bulk off eBay and then making my own pouches mom if forward.

The real test was putting them in the bottom of our dirty diaper bin, Blew my mind when I smelled it the next day and couldn't pickup a thing...

Premium Activated Carbon Air Purifying Bag Pack By Freegrace - 4 Pack Coconut Shell Charcoal Odor Absorbent Boxes - 3 Times More Effective Than Bamboo Charcoal Deodorants https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DPPBETC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_C7bXzbRAZNJ0Z



~Hoyt Recurve-Vortex Optics-Sitka Gear-Aero Hunter Kestrel~
 
I'm sure activated carbon is a good solution, but another possibility is simple positive air pressure. I bought a used xbow case that had heavy cigarette odor, as a non-smoker this was painfully obvious. I put a box fan on that thing for a few days, moved it around a few times, and it no longer stinks.
 
Slightly off topic as I wouldn't likely do this for hunting clothes...

But I had a freezer full of trout thaw out in my pantry. IT STUNK. We used bleach and all kinds of cleaners and sprays. It wouldn't go away.
I bought a big can of ground coffee and poured it out into a couple of paint trays. One inside the freezer and another on top outside.
The smell WENT AWAY. It wasn't just being masked by the coffee...the coffee absorbed it.
 
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My rubber boots were getting stinky. I try to put them on the boot dryer after every hunt, but if you miss one or let them sit too long they start to get stinky. Last night I poured a bunch of the granular activated carbon that I had in them and let them sit for a couple hours. Wow, they are almost scent free.

Something like this is a great experiment for someone to see that activated carbon really is doing something.
 
go on youtube and watch girls brush their teeth with it. people ingest it thinking it has health benefits

I bought some zeolite powder to try this year (dusting clothing along with my carbon powder) and people in the reviews were drinking the stuff, claiming it cures cancer.....:rolleyes:

Wait, Carbon gargle....hmmmm
 
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redsquirrel said:
My rubber boots were getting stinky. I try to put them on the boot dryer after every hunt, but if you miss one or let them sit too long they start to get stinky. Last night I poured a bunch of the granular activated carbon that I had in them and let them sit for a couple hours. Wow, they are almost scent free.

Something like this is a great experiment for someone to see that activated carbon really is doing something.
Click to expand...
was it hard to clean it out?
 
justsomedude said:
was it hard to clean it out?
Click to expand...
I sprinkle coconut carbon in my rubber boots every so often. My hunting socks are black with carbon dust. My feet look like Ive been bare footed coal mining.
clean out? that's perfect :) When its cleaned out its time to add more
 
Maybe carbon could be used as camo face paint.

I mix carbon and water and spray it on my pack and non scent lok clothes. I put it in my boots last year too

Look out scent lok.


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Baking soda removes smells too. Back when I used to flip cars ones that smelled like cigarettes or death. I just sprinkle it all around in it close the doors and come back the next day and vacuum it. Once and awhile it would take two applications to get the smell out. I'm not sure about flower detergent smells on how well it will work. But you probably already have some in your house to try it.
 
But funny thing....

Dead Downwind or Scent Away immediately knocks out surface odors. At least temporarily until it dries.

But just like how my boots still smell like rubber....this fabric softener smell is coming from inside the fabric.

Charcoal pouches coming in the mail tomorrow.
 
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