VINTAGE LAUNDRY: TACKLING MOTH BALLS + CIGARETTE SMELLS

Slow Living

Apr 14

Written By Kristi Reed

April, 2023

vintage laundry hacks to get out those old odors

SLOW LIVING

Notes on slow, seasonal + intentional living from a Windy Peak in Montana.

VINTAGE LAUNDRY: TACKLING MOTH BALLS + SMOKE.

We all often find incredible vintage coats, sweaters, dresses, etc. that have been tucked away in an old closets filled with moth balls and / or still have remnants of old cigarette smoke woven in their every fiber. It could sound a bit nostalgic (maybe), but that lingering odor is really something terrible and a challenge to get out with a typical laundry routine. Here’s a few things we’ve learned along the way to help.

Firstly, wash your vintage like you would normally do in the washer (hand wash if delicate), but never mix them with other clothes because the smell will travel to the rest of the laundry and then you’ll have triple the amount of work to do. Next, if regular wash doesn’t rid the clothes of the smell give them a good hand wash with vinegar. To do this, fill up a utility sink or tub with enough water to fully cover your textiles then pour a few cups of white vinegar into the water. You can eyeball the measurements. Gently submerge your clothes into the mixture, ringing them out occasionally. Leave them be for a while while you go make another cup of coffee, read a few pages of your book, etc.

When you feel ready, take out your clothes and find a place to hang them to air dry. Outside drying is best, because the breeze and sunshine help fight the good fight. The longer you forget about them, the better.

If you feel like the smells are still lingering in the clothes after the air dry, try another wash in the machine, but this time add a sprinkle of baking soda. Baking soda acts as an odor neutralizer and like vinegar, is a great, natural tool for laundering vintage. Just shake some onto your clothes after putting them in the washing machine, add a little laundry detergent and let it roll.

Air dry again, repeat if necessary and good luck!