Just curious if anybody has any good advice for getting rid of really bad cigarette smoke smell from vintage accessories?

I got 3 items in today, 4-LOM coat, Vader vinyl cape, and a purple Ugnaught apron... All 3 stink to high heaven of cigarette smoke...

I washed them thoroughly with dish soap, used Downy spray, and finally half a ton of cologne, can't get the smell out to save my life... Thanks eBay seller for not mentioning it... Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

I think I know of something but I'll check at my office tomorrow. You averse to chemicals on your stuff or are you looking for natural?

Hey Broke, I prefer something natural... Believe it or not I hit the 4-LOM coat really hard again with cologne, and now it smells mostly like cologne and cigarettes... The Vader cape now smells the worst though, which surprises me because I thought that one had the best chance of being saved from the stench...

Anyway, thanks for the help man, I really appreciate it.

Then I would try a mixture of baking soda and water. That's the most natural thing I can think of. I would also buy some silica gel (like comes in shoes and medicine etc). Place them in a bag and let the desiccant do work for about a week. One other thing you may want to try is buying a mylar bag and an oxygen absorber. Put the item in the mylar bag, throw the oxygen absorber in it and seal it up for a week or 2. That will help pull some smell out.

Broke wrote:

Then I would try a mixture of baking soda and water. That's the most natural thing I can think of. I would also buy some silica gel (like comes in shoes and medicine etc). Place them in a bag and let the desiccant do work for about a week. One other thing you may want to try is buying a mylar bag and an oxygen absorber. Put the item in the mylar bag, throw the oxygen absorber in it and seal it up for a week or 2. That will help pull some smell out.

You're a good man broke, thank you! These are all great suggestions, and they sound very promising... Thanks again.

If you PM me your address I have some extra mylar bags and oxygen packets. I can send you 2 of each. You seal the bag with an iron or a flat iron that women use for hair

Broke wrote:

If you PM me your address I have some extra mylar bags and oxygen packets. I can send you 2 of each. You seal the bag with an iron or a flat iron that women use for hair

Hey Broke, I really appreciate it... I have oxygen packets, but I am not sure if I have any mylar bags still... We moved less than 2 years ago, and I swear not everything made it.... I am going to try the baking soda and water first, if it does not work I will pm you. Thanks again for everything man, I really appreciate it!

Oxygen absorbers are different from silica packets. Just fyi. They actually take all or most of the oxygen out of the package so it sucks it up tight.

Also use everything I've talked about with caution. Try a small test spot first

Broke wrote:

Also use everything I've talked about with caution. Try a small test spot first

Will do man, thank you

Ok, I don't know if mixing it with water will help or hinder; but I know plenty who have placed the items in a container and submerged them in dry baking soda. Let them sit in it for a week or two and then remove the item, wash with soap and water and said it helped. This has had success with other i know in the past, but I have never tried it myself.

trappedtexan wrote:

Ok, I don't know if mixing it with water will help or hinder; but I know plenty who have placed the items in a container and submerged them in dry baking soda. Let them sit in it for a week or two and then remove the item, wash with soap and water and said it helped. This has had success with other i know in the past, but I have never tried it myself.

Thanks Bryan, I will definitely have to try this as soon as I can. Thanks for all the help guys!

A good old fashioned hand wash in worm soapy water & leave to hang dry in fresh air always works for me.

Thundershot wrote:

A good old fashioned hand wash in worm soapy water & leave to hang dry in fresh air always works for me.

This is hands down the best photo I have seen up here yet, lol!!

Thank you!

I've also put things in the freezer for days at a time to get the smell out. I don't recommend this for vinyl. But it works for shoes and leather watch bands especially that get smelly.

Broke wrote:

I've also put things in the freezer for days at a time to get the smell out. I don't recommend this for vinyl. But it works for shoes and leather watch bands especially that get smelly.

Good to know, I do especially worry for the vinyl cape. Thanks Broke for another great suggestion!

Any of these tips work?

I vote for just airing them outside.

Something I have tried that worked is whacking them in the freezer. It did not damage my squid cape and now it doesn't stink ! If anyone knows a reason not to do this please let us all know?

I have also heard putting the item in a brown paper bag with ground up coffee beans will also do the trick?

Good luck, let us know how you go?

TishomingoSith wrote:

Any of these tips work?

Hello, so far this is what has worked for me... Baking soda in a ziplock bag, good old fashioned fresh air, and a ton of cologne... Now they all smell like cologne but it beats the smell of rotten smoke that they had before... Also, really like the freezer idea... Next time I will try that one first... And by the way, no damage to the Vinyl Vader cape...