My husband and his friends had a very successful hunt this year, but after two weeks out and then not unpacking his gear for a bit, he finally brought up his clothing and they reek of death. I have washed them on the strongest wash cycle and used fabreeze but the smell is still lingering in the fabric. Do any of you wonderful Mamas or Papas have any idea what might remove the smell?
I am currently soaking them all in a mixture of vinegar and baking soda, and will hang them to dry after a wash. I would just toss them but he really loves those pants!
Thanks all, after soaking for 8 hours in a mixture of baking soda and diluted vinegar I put them on the longest hottest wash and it seems to have done the trick.
Can you hang them outside for a couple days? Usually the sun and air will get rid of most smells or at least lessen them to the point where you can use vinegar to remove the remaining smell.
If these recommendations don't help. Go online to Cablea's, etc. They make products to wash and treat hunting clothes (dead down wind, etc) It may help remove potent smells.
good luck.
Punch your husband in the forehead for not unpacking that stuff. Then try some of the stuff the others have suggested. Drying outside in the sun will help.
And this is your problem why?
Lol
Seriously, I'd be showing hubs these "tips" and I'd be done. Bleccch.
vinegar and outside. Best way otherwise burn em. I was sprayed by a skunk twice in one year. I didnt want to lose my jacket that I just bought. Soaked in almost full strength vinegar and then later a baking soda paste got rid of it after I had hung it outside for 2 weeks.
2 weeks of blood and guts? Throw them out.
The smell of rotting meat is lovely, isn't it?
White vinegar is a miracle. Soak it overnight in the tub. White vinegar and water (half and half). Then wash in the washer. Put white vinegar in your fabric softener dispenser.
Instead of detergent, put 1/2 cup of 20-Mule-Team Borax in your detergent dispenser.
If that doesn't work, toss them. He should have unpacked sooner.
Baking soda in the wash let it sit for at least an hour if not all night. My husband is a hunter to and their stuff can STINK. But they don't want any perfume smells on the hunting gear. The animals can smell it. You will probably need a whole box of BP but it really does work. After washing it hang outside to dry.
Oh no... I'd be throwing them away!!!
Hang them to dry outside in the sun after the vinegar soak. The sun can do wonders (sometimes)!
I had a new kitten that had a problem finding the littterbox...not the smell of death but cat urine is pretty tough.
I soaked everything in borax (filled my washer and added about a cup or so of borax) and let it soak fo about an hour. I then drained and refilled the washer and added about another 1/2 cup of borax and ran the load like normal. Absolutely no cat urine smell and borax is cheap. :-)
You are a good person. I'd throw them out.
Maybe next time he'll remember to unpack his smelly favorite pants in a timely manner!!
Time=$$$. How much time are you willing to keep working on them?
We use distilled white vinegar to wash the pee smell out of bed clothing when our daughter has an accident. Not positive it will work on that but it might
My husband was a cop, we used Nature's Miracle on his vest. Worked like a charm, but it can leave stains.
If none of these ideas work, and you absolutely cannot throw the clothes out (Seriously? Action --> consequence!!!) this stuff is expensive, but quite effective on any odors that I've used it for:
Hang them outside to air dry. That usually will do the trick. I love the vinegar and baking soda idea too.
If it were me, I would toss them. I'm just not that thrilled about cleaning up after neglectful family members, delightful hubby included.
HA, you're awfully nice. I'd make him figure it out himself. I'm a very doting and loving wife, but I am NOT his mother :-)
Vinegar OR Baking Soda, but not both at the same time.
