Get a Smoke Smell Out of Fabric Handbags
One of the most popular and necessary women's accessories is the purse. When a woman smokes or lives and works with people who do, her fabric purse can absorb the odors of cigarette smoke. It's also possible that the nature of her work or even a recent fire can cause the smoky residue to be trapped in the fibers of a fabric purse. The odor, however, can be removed, thereby extending the life and use of the purse.
Instructions
1. Above all else, you want to avoid further damage to your purse. Since time began, people have used fresh air and sunshine to deodorize their environments. Try hanging your purse in a protected area where it can be washed by air and sunshine. Another alternative, for those who live in cold climates, is hanging your purse in an unheated basement or garage for several days.
2. If the previous method doesn't work, there are several options to explore before you try laundering and dry cleaning. First, you might try enclosing your purse in a lidded plastic container with a cup or more of baking soda. Baking soda neutralizes odors, and in several days the smell might be gone.
Likewise, try wrapping fresh, dry coffee grounds in a paper filter tied shut and using the coffee grounds in the same way you used the baking soda.
Activated charcoal can be used the same way. Make sure the charcoal does not touch the purse. Wrap it in an old sock or knee-high stocking.
3. Try one of several products on the market that mask or eliminate the odor. You can try Vanilla Febreze or Watkins Odor Chek. These products can be sprayed on the fabric of the purse, inside and out. Several applications may be necessary.
4. If you must wash the purse, check the fabric content before laundering. Most fabric purses are cotton or cotton/polyester blends and will launder successfully. Use a warm or cold gentle cycle. Tide with Febreze is recommended by many who have dealt with this problem. Likewise, you can add 1 to 2 cups of white vinegar to the wash cycle. Some experts recommend adding hydrogen peroxide to the wash, as well.
Regardless of what you use, it is a good idea to test the detergent or additive on an inconspicuous part of the purse to be sure no fading occurs. When you have washed your purse, lay it flat to dry, shaping and blocking as necessary to maintain the shape.
5. Finally, the dry cleaner can make recommendations about removing the smoke odor from your fabric purse. If all your efforts fail, a phone call to the dry cleaner could solve your problems.
Tags: smoke, smell, fabric, handbags, your purse, fabric purse, before laundering, coffee grounds, Fabric Handbags, hanging your, hanging your purse, several days, Smell Fabric, Smell Fabric Handbags
