How to Get A Musky Smell Out of Vintage Clothes
Generally speaking, the garments that are for sale at reputable second hand stores or vintage boutiques are in great or excellent vintage condition and they may not require extensive cleaning. However, they might have a undesirable musty smell you want to get rid of pronto. How to proceed?
If you can wash the garment in question, you can fix this unpleasant problem by using vinegar, which will get the musky and moldy smell out of the clothess. Pour a few cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine or sink and wash the clothes in hot water.
Smoky odors can be easily removed from vintage clothes by filling the bathtub with very hot water mixed with one cup of white distilled vinegar. Hang the garments above the steaming water and shut the door in order to let the steam penetrate the fibers.
If you have an air ionizer, you will get the smell out of the vintage garments without any cleaning involved. You need to put the clothing in a sealed room with the machine for a day or two. However, remember not to put items containing rubber or elastic with the ionizer, as it will cause them to disintegrate.
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Sanna 7. April 2008 | How to? | Bookmark on: del.icio.us
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I’ve always wondered about this, so thank you for posting about it! The other thing I’ve found works is: after washing the garment or steaming it, I leave it hanging in a closed wardrobe or cupboard with a sachet of lavender or some pot purri – it always works!
Hi Amy, and thanks for stopping by! And many thanks for your tip. I have planned to buy a few sachets of sandalwood and put those into my closets and wardrobe.
With this help shopping second-hand will be so much easier.
juliet xxx
Thanks, Juliet! So great to hear that the article was useful. :)
Good tips! Now I’ll always wash my smelly vintage clothes with vinegar! I really dislike the old, musky smell, but I haven’t figured out how to make it disappear. Thank you for this useful post!
A bit late commenting here, but here goes another tip.
You can put the garment in a plastic bag with baking soda (which you can pour in an open jar, or a nylon sock, whatever you find handy) and let it stay for up to a few days. That reduces smells, and it also works with stuff that can’t be washed, like smelly purses. In fact it’s even easier to do this with purses, just pour the soda in, put the purse in a plastic bag, wait for the soda to work, and then vacuum the soda. Voilà!
Nanó: No worries, glad that the post was helpful for you.
vasiliisa: I tried this trick with a pair vintage leather boots which had that extremely unpleasant moldy smell, and it bloody worked like a charm. Thanks a million for this useful tip!