Removing smoke smell

Sunshine & fresh air then more sunshine & fresh air. Add more of the same if needed. Also, a light spritz of Febreeze over the whole thing would do wonders -- since it's a pattern I'm assuming it's paper so you wouldn't want to soak the thing. Another thing to try if the sunshine and fresh air doesn't work would be to store the thing in an air tight container covered with activated charcoal if you can find it somewhere. That's what is used in stuff like Odor Eaters and it works great -- if you can get hold of it. I'm not sure how well regular charcoal would work but it might be worth a try if nothing else works. I've gotten more stuff -- mostly fabric but some other things -- from a smoking "home". I'm terribly allergic to the smell also and I usually spray the stuff with Febreeze and then put it outside on the covered screen porch where the morning sun will hit it. I leave for as long as necessary, spraying again with the Febreeze as needed. HMMM, I wonder if the newer Lysol sprays would work? I've used the Febreeze on paper stuff in the past and then just iron the paper flat once I get all of the smell out. If you want to check on how well you have removed the cigarette smell, use a light steam when you iron the paper flat. You'll know in a heart beat if you've gotten all of the nasties out!!! CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

argh, i'm an ex-smoker, be 30 yrs off them this april, wooooohoooooooo. i still feel nauseous at the smell of smoke. even the thot of what you got is making me a bit queasy. so tho i've no fixer for that, i sure do commiserate with ya on it. did she claim her home was smoke-free? she ought to claim it isnt so folks with smoke aversion/allergys know in advance. ewwwwwwwwwww, j.

"G>I just received a pattern from an auction on eBay. "Just Beachy" by

If you have any grass in your garden and it is not wet, leaving smelling articles laying on it can sometimes completely remove any smells. Maybe you will have to wait until the weather is suitable for this.

First thing--take the pattern out of the plastic bag and toss the bag.

If the pattern has stayed in the bag, closed, the papers may be OK......but, I'd loosen them all up, put them in a large paper bag and very lightly spray with Febreeze and let them relax until they are dry. You may have to press with a dry iron to smooth if you get them too wet.

Happy quilting,

Lenore

Sprinkle Bi-Carbonate of Soda over the spread out pattern and leave for a long while, it should absorb the smell.

I have had success with Bi-Carbonate of Soda - I have used it in the fridge to absorb odours and in the bottom of the kitty litter tray. Worked very well.

A bar of deodorant soap works miracles and is cheap and easily obtainable. Safeguard or Dial both work equally well. Seal the pattern in a plastic bag with a bar of the soap and leave it for a couple of weeks. When you take the pattern out it won't smell like smoke at all. I have a very dear friend that smokes, I've had to do this to lots and lots of things.

Can you copy the pattern, and throw the original away. I know we're not supposed to copy, but in this case I don't see what harm it would cause, since you can't use it as is. Gen

Thank you all for your hints. I will try the deordorant soap thing first, then go from there.

G> Can you copy the pattern, and throw the original away. =A0I know we're not=

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The smell is always worse when the paper has been sealed up in an envelope to send. It will get a little better just being out in the air. I had to look up the pattern to see what you are up to.

G> Thank you all for your hints. I will try the deordorant soap thing

One of my fellow retreaters several weeks ago started this pattern while we were there. She had a kit with hand-dyed fabrics and batiks that was packaged for the pattern. Well, I don't need more fabric ;) and I have a lot of batik fabric samples from my eBay [fabric] buying. I did use Michael's coupon and got the 18mm rotary cutter to do this, and will try Steam a Seam 2 for the first time. Have to figure out this fusible stuff, but the pattern just tickles my fancy. I have several of Karen Stones' patterns and like them a lot!

G> The smell is always worse when the paper has been sealed up in an

For your safety put it in a ziploc bag and take it somewhere to get a working copy made. Use the copy, and keep the original in the ziploc bag until you are done with the pattern copy. Destroy the copy as soon as you are done with it. Debra in VA See my quilts at:

Chances are high that the auction listing mentions: estate sale, flea market/yard sale/thrift store/etc. find, not a non-smoking home, as is condition, or some other disclaimer somewhere in the small print. Debra in VA See my quilts at:

That's by far the best suggestion on this thread - if you're allergic to the smoke, deodorizing it will NOT help, it'll simply make it impossible for you to tell when you're at risk of a reaction.

Except that I'd keep the copy and destroy the original.

==== j a c k at c a m p i n . m e . u k === ==== Jack Campin, 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland == mob 07800 739 557 CD-ROMs and free stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, and Mac logic fonts

OOOO -- yep -- I had forgotten about this. Bicarb, aka baking soda would work wonderfully I should think. Thanks for posting this and reminding me :-). I do hope Ginger lets us know what she uses that actually works. CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

It's a bit early here...haven't finished my first cuppa yet.

I don't get it. Why should she have to 'destroy the copy'? She paid for it as well as the original. What if she wants to amke another one.........would that mean she'd have to pay the 2nd time to have another copy made? also, If she kept the original wouldn't that be 'proof enuf' that she DID buy the first one?

What am I missing? Or have I misread you completely....

Butterfly (NOT being funny. I 'know' Ginger wouldn't give the copy away to any and everyone for the asking,... if it's copyright you're worried about)

You identified the concern in your sign-off line. There are so many people out there who think that once they've bought the pattern they've bought the right to copy and distribute the pattern, that I believe people are being extra-cautious to make sure they're not recommending hanky-pank. I like the idea of destroying the original because it reeks of allergy-causing smoke.

--Lia

It just reeks of smoke. It's not smoking. Unless you're allergic to the touch of smoke, there's no actual smoke to breathe.

Deodorant bar soap takes care of the offending odor. It's cheap, readily available and doesn't cause any damage. It works on anything you can't wash. Just seal the item in a bag with the bar of soap for a week or two and the odor is gone. It may smell of the soap for a day or so but that goes away pretty quick.

The mere smell of smoke can cause an immediate migraine or nausea for me. So, "just reeks" is an issue for me.

And yes, I do work with the public, most days, at work. I am required to sign my courtroom in each morning, so each person on calendar is in front of me while I visually watch them sign stipulations. This can and has caused me to have to take a break after everyone is signed in, before session starts, in order to get fresh air.

Also, I have to time my shopping and contact with the public outside of work. Yes, my system is now that sensitive.

Ginger in CA