Re: A somewhat trivial question maybe you can help

[Guest guest]

soak them in white vinegar and bakin soda for about a day, then finish the

cycle

redo until smell is out

[Guest guest]

You could try putting ammonia in the wash water with detergent. That

seems to help me get odors out & it is supposed to remove mycotoxins.

>

> I bought a pair of Prada (very expensive designer) jeans for a great

> price at a high end thrift shop. NYC has great thrift shops and I

> often get my clothes there, which helps avoid the " new cotton "

> problem, where I have to wash something multiple times to get out the

> chemicals and formaldehyde. Anyway, when I brought them home I washed

> them, and I noticed as they dried they had a mild moldy smell. IT

> wasn't bothering me persay (even though I'm sensitive to mold) but I

> didn't want to wear them in such case. I've washed them five times but

> they still have that odor. What can I wash them with that will really

> clean them out? Maybe somebody wealthy kept them in storage in a

> basement or a musty closet or something, who knows. They're great

> pants and I'd like to wear them.

>

[Guest guest]

I don't think detergents are made anymore to get rid of a chemical or

moldy smell. I'ts another deceitful marketing ploy. They want you to

buy tide and then febreeze and could care less about the mold.

[Guest guest]

>

Try washing them in vinegar-maybe give them a good long soak first

then a run through the wash cycle then follow up with a regular wash.

When I cleaned out my basement because of mold, I threw out almost

everything but some things, like the baby blankets my mother knitted,

were too precious to lose. Washing them in vinegar cleaned them

perfectly. Believe me-if they still smelled of mold, I would know!

Surella

> I bought a pair of Prada (very expensive designer) jeans for a great

> price at a high end thrift shop. NYC has great thrift shops and I

> often get my clothes there, which helps avoid the " new cotton "

> problem, where I have to wash something multiple times to get out the

> chemicals and formaldehyde. Anyway, when I brought them home I washed

> them, and I noticed as they dried they had a mild moldy smell. IT

> wasn't bothering me persay (even though I'm sensitive to mold) but I

> didn't want to wear them in such case. I've washed them five times but

> they still have that odor. What can I wash them with that will really

> clean them out? Maybe somebody wealthy kept them in storage in a

> basement or a musty closet or something, who knows. They're great

> pants and I'd like to wear them.

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks everybody. How much vinegar and baking soda do I mix in to how

much water, should it be warm, and soak it overnight? Or how do i put

the vinegar into the washing machine? In the rinse cycle? Thanks again

I just am a little confused about how to do it.

> >

> Try washing them in vinegar-maybe give them a good long soak first

> then a run through the wash cycle then follow up with a regular wash.

> When I cleaned out my basement because of mold, I threw out almost

> everything but some things, like the baby blankets my mother knitted,

> were too precious to lose. Washing them in vinegar cleaned them

> perfectly. Believe me-if they still smelled of mold, I would know!

> Surella

>

>

>

> > I bought a pair of Prada (very expensive designer) jeans for a great

> > price at a high end thrift shop. NYC has great thrift shops and I

> > often get my clothes there, which helps avoid the " new cotton "

> > problem, where I have to wash something multiple times to get out the

> > chemicals and formaldehyde. Anyway, when I brought them home I washed

> > them, and I noticed as they dried they had a mild moldy smell. IT

> > wasn't bothering me persay (even though I'm sensitive to mold) but I

> > didn't want to wear them in such case. I've washed them five times but

> > they still have that odor. What can I wash them with that will really

> > clean them out? Maybe somebody wealthy kept them in storage in a

> > basement or a musty closet or something, who knows. They're great

> > pants and I'd like to wear them.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

One is not suppose to mix vinegar and baking soda in wash water.

This is a great mixture for unclogging drains but is bad in

clothing...think of science fair volcanoes!

When I was washing ALL of my clothes before moving from the moldy

home, I used a detergent like tide (tide does clean well), a half a

cup of ammonia and 1/4th cup of Ajax dish liquid, the kind which

states it cuts grease.

I washed in hot water and then rinsed 3 times. In the rinse before

the last rinse, I added vinegar. Then one last rinse. After drying,

all of my clothes, they went straight into double lined trash bags.

If this method did not take smells out, the clothes when into the

trash. If items smell musty or moldy after a vigorous wash, they are

too far gone and need to be tossed.

> >

> > --- In , " jill1313 " <jenbooks13@>

wrote:

> > >

> > Try washing them in vinegar-maybe give them a good long soak first

> > then a run through the wash cycle then follow up with a regular

wash.

> > When I cleaned out my basement because of mold, I threw out almost

> > everything but some things, like the baby blankets my mother

knitted,

> > were too precious to lose. Washing them in vinegar cleaned them

> > perfectly. Believe me-if they still smelled of mold, I would know!

> > Surella

> >

> >

> >

> > > I bought a pair of Prada (very expensive designer) jeans for a

great

> > > price at a high end thrift shop. NYC has great thrift shops and

I

> > > often get my clothes there, which helps avoid the " new cotton "

> > > problem, where I have to wash something multiple times to get

out the

> > > chemicals and formaldehyde. Anyway, when I brought them home I

washed

> > > them, and I noticed as they dried they had a mild moldy smell.

IT

> > > wasn't bothering me persay (even though I'm sensitive to mold)

but I

> > > didn't want to wear them in such case. I've washed them five

times but

> > > they still have that odor. What can I wash them with that will

really

> > > clean them out? Maybe somebody wealthy kept them in storage in a

> > > basement or a musty closet or something, who knows. They're

great

> > > pants and I'd like to wear them.

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Well, I washed the pants and a bunch of other clothes, and added

vinegar (a rather generous amount) to the rinse cycle right before it

started swishing. Then since they smelled of vinegar when finished, I

ran them thru the wash again and they seem to all smell good now. I

wonder if I should just do this generally? Is vinegar good to put in

the rinse cycle for other reasons too?

> > > >

> > > Try washing them in vinegar-maybe give them a good long soak first

> > > then a run through the wash cycle then follow up with a regular

> wash.

> > > When I cleaned out my basement because of mold, I threw out almost

> > > everything but some things, like the baby blankets my mother

> knitted,

> > > were too precious to lose. Washing them in vinegar cleaned them

> > > perfectly. Believe me-if they still smelled of mold, I would know!

> > > Surella

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > > I bought a pair of Prada (very expensive designer) jeans for a

> great

> > > > price at a high end thrift shop. NYC has great thrift shops and

> I

> > > > often get my clothes there, which helps avoid the " new cotton "

> > > > problem, where I have to wash something multiple times to get

> out the

> > > > chemicals and formaldehyde. Anyway, when I brought them home I

> washed

> > > > them, and I noticed as they dried they had a mild moldy smell.

> IT

> > > > wasn't bothering me persay (even though I'm sensitive to mold)

> but I

> > > > didn't want to wear them in such case. I've washed them five

> times but

> > > > they still have that odor. What can I wash them with that will

> really

> > > > clean them out? Maybe somebody wealthy kept them in storage in a

> > > > basement or a musty closet or something, who knows. They're

> great

> > > > pants and I'd like to wear them.

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, I had some mildewy smelly clothes that i had to wash 10 times

before they smelled okay to wear. I just threw out most of the

clothes and only kept a few things after I was able to wash the smell

out of them. Sometimes, washing just doesn't really get the smell out,

ever.

Jocelyn

> > > >

> > > Try washing them in vinegar-maybe give them a good long soak first

> > > then a run through the wash cycle then follow up with a regular

> wash.

> > > When I cleaned out my basement because of mold, I threw out almost

> > > everything but some things, like the baby blankets my mother

> knitted,

> > > were too precious to lose. Washing them in vinegar cleaned them

> > > perfectly. Believe me-if they still smelled of mold, I would know!

> > > Surella

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > > I bought a pair of Prada (very expensive designer) jeans for a

> great

> > > > price at a high end thrift shop. NYC has great thrift shops and

> I

> > > > often get my clothes there, which helps avoid the " new cotton "

> > > > problem, where I have to wash something multiple times to get

> out the

> > > > chemicals and formaldehyde. Anyway, when I brought them home I

> washed

> > > > them, and I noticed as they dried they had a mild moldy smell.

> IT

> > > > wasn't bothering me persay (even though I'm sensitive to mold)

> but I

> > > > didn't want to wear them in such case. I've washed them five

> times but

> > > > they still have that odor. What can I wash them with that will

> really

> > > > clean them out? Maybe somebody wealthy kept them in storage in a

> > > > basement or a musty closet or something, who knows. They're

> great

> > > > pants and I'd like to wear them.

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

if you have the option on your machine for a 2nd rinse that will stop the

need to rerun a full cycle.

I usually pour everything in during the " wash " filling cycle and stop it

from agitating.

Also, putting them in a dryer and drying them while dry for about an hour

will also help offgass some of the odors.

I had to go somewhere and my dress did not offgass...so I took a change and

was able in 3 days to make it completely smell free. Living in Vegas with

the heat has its benefits. I bought 2 BIG boxes of Arm and Hammer and

literally packed the dress section by section with it, then folded it over a

towel

and added more until the entire dress was basically rolled into a ball. Then I

took tin foil and wrapped it up and set it on the patio to " cook " . Everyday

I redid this and it wound up being perfect! My girlfriend who was going to

hem it is also chemically injured and even she didn't notice anything.

Clothes made from polyester and other man made fabrics usually will not get

rid of odors.

I only wear all natural products and have never had a problem......problems

are with bras...and fortunately the store I go to allows me to return them if

I can not get the smell out....as I let them literally air out for 3 months

[Guest guest]

The only interaction the vinegar and baking soda will have is IF you mix

them togerther then put them in...it' will bubble....

that's why you put them both into the achine when the water is filling it up.

[Guest guest]

Thanks. I can't use the dryers in our building. There are six new

dryers and they all vent on one system and 90% of the people use

bounce fabric softener. I can't stand it or the smell. So I have to

air dry my clothes and it is a real hassle when I'm doing pillows or

comforters for instance (which I am doing this morning). Sometimes if

I get up really early I can get there before everybody else does and

get the dryers when they've offgassed, but we have 268 apartments and

only six dryers so they are virtually always being used. It amazes me

people like that fabric softener on their clothes.

>

> if you have the option on your machine for a 2nd rinse that will

stop the

> need to rerun a full cycle.

>

> I usually pour everything in during the " wash " filling cycle and stop it

> from agitating.

>

> Also, putting them in a dryer and drying them while dry for about an

hour

> will also help offgass some of the odors.

>

[Guest guest]

>

I try to err on the side of overdoing it-no caution for me!

I pour the vinegar directly into the tub probably 2 cups worth. I

think thats way too much but it cant hurt and that's the nice thing

about using natural stuff-pretty harmless all around. I do agree that

mixing the baking soda and the vinegar is a bad idea although if one

doesn't work for you I'd try again with the other.

> Thanks everybody. How much vinegar and baking soda do I mix in to how

> much water, should it be warm, and soak it overnight? Or how do i put

> the vinegar into the washing machine? In the rinse cycle? Thanks again

> I just am a little confused about how to do it.

>

>

[Guest guest]

On my block, I'm 8 houses from the corner and there is a tiny strip-

mall just across the street. The back door of the 24 hr luandry-mat

stays open and everyone's washload and dryerload smells constantly

find my nose, and then there are the many the cleaning crews that are

dumping buckets of a popouri mixtures out the backdoors into the

stormdrains and gutters....like ammonia, pineoil, window cleaner,

bleach YUCK!

> >

> > if you have the option on your machine for a 2nd rinse that will

> stop the

> > need to rerun a full cycle.

> >

> > I usually pour everything in during the " wash " filling cycle and

stop it

> > from agitating.

> >

> > Also, putting them in a dryer and drying them while dry for about

an

> hour

> > will also help offgass some of the odors.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I empathize. After my building renovations the new laundry room ended

up two floors under me. I can smell it anyway with my windows open.

Not only do the dryers vent on one system so that if one person is

" bouncing " their laundry, all the other dryers' clothes get " bounced " ,

but my place gathers dust like a desert town and I'm sure its lint

from the dryers. I'm constantly down on my hands and knees with a wet

sponge and Dr Bronner's eucalyptus soap mopping up gunky wads of dust

that are gathering along the edges of the floor and under furniture. I

actually like my drying racks and enjoy drying my clothes that way as

they smell better (I put essential oil of orange into seventh

generation free & clear soap) but when you're trying to do comforters

and sheets, my place looks pretty funny! Stuffed draped everywhere.

>

> On my block, I'm 8 houses from the corner and there is a tiny strip-

> mall just across the street. The back door of the 24 hr luandry-mat

> stays open and everyone's washload and dryerload smells constantly

> find my nose, and then there are the many the cleaning crews that are

> dumping buckets of a popouri mixtures out the backdoors into the

> stormdrains and gutters....like ammonia, pineoil, window cleaner,

> bleach YUCK!

>