Laundry Advice

S

spicypumpkin

0
I have a pair of jeans that I have been unable to wear due to the odor that is trapped in the cotton fibers. It's a long story, and all I'll say is that fish oil from an omega 3 supplement got onto the pants.

Here's what we've tried:

Just washing them with detergent 4 times

Soaking them in borax overnight then washing them with borax and laundry detergent

Soaking them in vinegar overnight then washing them

Soaking them in ammonia overnight then washing them

Letting them hang out in the hot sun for a week

Spraying them with several different brands of de-deodorizing enzyme compounds suitable for pet and other biological odors

After all of this, they still smell like rotten fish. I'm at a loss of what to do at this point. My mom suggested boiling them, so now they're on the stove, in a huge pot of boiling salt water. They're my nice jeans too, and I want to wear them when I start school. :(

Anyone have any suggestions on how to get fish odor unstuck?
 
Try Nature's Miracle, it's one of those pet de-stinkerators--I hear it works well.

You need to first make sure that all of the oil is removed--have you tried a stain presoaker?? You won't be able to remove the stink until after ALL of the oil is gone.
 
I believe nature's miracle was one of the deodorizers we tried.

I'm not sure what an example of a stain presoaker would be. Is is something that can be found in the regular laundry detergent section of a supermarket?
 
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Something like Shout! or the green stuff, can't remember the name. Also, go to the auto department and read some labels on the hand degreaser--ya know, that stuff that auto repair guys use to clean the crap off their hands/waterless? I think there are varieties of that that can be used in laundry to "degrease"...

Otherwise,m check out various degreasers--I have used SOS degreaser with very good results, though never on laundry...
 
Lemon Juice. Get a big bottle or two of it and soak the **** out of them.

If that doesn't work, I would try Shout!, Spray'n'Wash with oxy clean, a product called Zero Odor, and hand degreaser. In that order. For the hand degreaser (if you get that far), try to find one that doesn't have abrasives in it, but at that point it's either that or toss it, since you say you've already tried the enzymes, yeah?
 
Focus, I can't tell if you're just copying me or if you truly have a command of laundry technique...:p

I think I'm impressed, but I'm not sure yet--I'll have to get back to you on that...
 
Well, boiling seemed to take away some of the odor. They're in the washing machine right now and I'll see how it goes. If I resort to the hand degreaser, don't I have to be careful about putting them in the dryer? I haven't put them in the dryer at all yet. But once the odor comes out and I want to make them fluffy and comfortable, I want to make sure the dryer doesn't explode from some solvent in the jeans. Would rinsing them a few times take care of it?

Edit,

I tried a soak in the ultra concentrated Dawn, several times. I even threw some in the washing machine. Nothing.
 
Um, OK. Did you just call me a fool? Like, FOOL? And not, say, FOOL:)?

Plus the all-caps, man, you don't hafta shout...I'm just tryin to help the lady with a little laundry advice over here and you hafta go on out and whip out your organic chemistry, I mean, ORGANIC CHEMISTRY degree and insult me and stuff!

I'm setting down the keyboard, backing away slowly, hands raised in the air....
 
Greenhorn Gal said:
Um, OK. Did you just call me a fool? Like, FOOL? And not, say, FOOL:)?

Plus the all-caps, man, you don't hafta shout...I'm just tryin to help the lady with a little laundry advice over here and you hafta go on out and whip out your organic chemistry, I mean, ORGANIC CHEMISTRY degree and insult me and stuff!

I'm setting down the keyboard, backing away slowly, hands raised in the air....
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:SaiyanSmilie_anim:

No but seriously, lemon juice. There's a reason they add it to the pills now. Might be too late, but I personally believe vinegar and lemon juice do not equal same difference. There's something specific to lemon juice that makes it work (beyond the neutralization reaction I mean).

And no, you can wash degreaser. It's grease you're not supposed to wash. Make sure they're dry before you apply the degreaser (I recommend GOOP). Rub it in front and back and let it sit for a few minutes, then wash and dry as normal. I'll be surprised if that doesn't work.
 
That must be a good pair of jeans for you to go through this much trouble.

Anyway, hang it up outside after you wash it to get that fresh air smell. Also, did you hand scrub it before you put it in the washer?
 
Time and money spent is equal or greater than a new pair of jeans.

No?

How did you get these jeans? gift or something?

hehehe...


Just sayin'

Eric
 
Well, the smell is out enough to wear them now. But all of the processing made them a little tight. Hopefully they should stretch out a little as I wear them.
 
I'm a huge fan of Oxyclean, and clorox bleach. But if those aren't working, then maybe soak them in baking powder and water. Baking powder is made to obsorb odors (which is why people put boxes of it in their freezers ;))

Good luck. I hope you get them good to go in time for school!
 
I would supply a picture, but sadly, the pants shrunk too much and they still had a faint odor. I had to do the difficult thing and fold them up to put them in the garage sale pile.

Now I need to dye an old faded pair of jeans and buy myself a new nice pair. When I find the perfect new pair, maybe a picture will be in order.
 
I would supply a picture, but sadly, the pants shrunk too much and they still had a faint odor. I had to do the difficult thing and fold them up to put them in the garage sale pile.
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If you need someone to talk with to help you get through this difficult time, just let me know. I'm here for you...
 
Trevor M. said:
If you need someone to talk with to help you get through this difficult time, just let me know. I'm here for you...
Click to expand...

:yelrotflmao:

Thanks, I appreciate the thought.

I'm working through the sadness by engaging myself in a dyeing project at the moment. My old, faded, but still well fitting jeans are about to take on a new life. Thirty more minutes and they'll be done.

I'm finding comfort in knowing that someday, some fortunate garage saler will benefit from the jeans. If someone can fit into what I now believe to be a size 0 and doesn't mind a mild fishy odor then the jeans may one day be worn again.
 
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