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Stacey14
Permanent Resident
1120 Posts |
 Posted - 10/25/2005 : 10:29:30 AM
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I got some yarn at Webs last year on a cone from the warehouse. It's beautiful - a dusty blue, perfect gauge for what I needed, and the cone price couldn't be beat. I wound it into skeins from the cone as it still had a bit of the oil on it, did the Euclean soak for 10 min or so, and hung it to dry. It is really soft now, but I am detecting a faint musty odor....I have since tried a vinegar rinse and a re-soaking in dishwashing liquid. No luck. I also tried (on one skein) a light spray of Febreeze. Ick. Now it just smells like musty Febreeze!
I'm at the point of desperation now - the project the yarn is for is coming up in the queue very quickly - and since I need so much yarn for this cabled sweater (1500 or so yards) I was wondering if anyone had any other ideas I could try!
Thanks
My Blog:On And Off the Needles
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Lissa
Permanent Resident
USA
4942 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2005 : 1:12:09 PM
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Try putting it a black plastic bag and setting it out in the sun all day (on a sunny day, of course). I've seen several posts elsewhere that this works well. The mustiness is mold, and the heat that builds up in a black plastic bag kills it. Do NOT try to kill it with bleach - your yarn will disintegrate!
Lissa
During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a
revolutionary act. -- George Orwell
Oh, and I now have a blog:http://knittnlissa.typepad.com/knittnlissa/ |
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Valk_scot
Permanent Resident
United Kingdom
1281 Posts |
Posted - 10/26/2005 : 12:05:45 AM
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Do you folks have the equivalent of Milton over there? It`s sterilising liquid for sterilising baby bottles and such. Yes, it`s a sort of bleach, but you can use it on clothes in the correct dilution and for the correct amount of time, and it won`t affect the strength of the yarn or the colour. Just rinse really well.
Val.
[img]http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/26/26_9_21.gif[/img] |
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mokey
Permanent Resident
15375 Posts |
Posted - 10/26/2005 : 05:26:39 AM
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Have you tried actually soaking the yarn in Febreeze?
"An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Martin Luther King Jr.
www.femiknits.blog-city.com |
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MoonKnitter
Chatty Knitter
USA
247 Posts |
Posted - 10/26/2005 : 06:28:51 AM
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Perhaps you could try putting the yarn in the freezer? I have done this with some books that were musty from my Mom's basement. I put them in ziplocks first, then they spent about a week in the freezer. The were definitely better after their time out in the freezer. :-)
Another product that we use all the time in my house is Odo-ban. I've only purchased this in Sam's Club, so I'm not sure where else it can be purchased. It's truly wonderful for eliminating odors, not covering them up. I've never used Febreeze, so I don't know how they compare. Odo-ban is very versatile, so it won't go to waste. It can be used as a fabric softener (my favorite use) or a cleaning product. http://www.odoban.com/
Good luck. |
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Stacey14
Permanent Resident
1120 Posts |
Posted - 10/26/2005 : 08:44:54 AM
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Thanks! If we EVER get sun, I'll try that trick -
I did soak in Febreeze also, just stunk more like musty Febreeze than just spraying it!
Freezer - interesting - may try that until we get some sun!
My Blog:On And Off the Needles
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mokey
Permanent Resident
15375 Posts |
Posted - 10/26/2005 : 09:15:54 AM
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I cna't believe I forgot this classic costumers trick:
Pour vodka in a spray bottle. Spray on smelly item and leave in an airy place overnight. My costumer friends swear by this. I use it for my non-washable hockey jersey and it still smells sparkle fresh!
"An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Martin Luther King Jr.
www.femiknits.blog-city.com |
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Stacey14
Permanent Resident
1120 Posts |
Posted - 10/26/2005 : 10:57:01 AM
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full strength vodka? If it makes a hockey jersey fresh, I'll be trying this!!!!
My Blog:On And Off the Needles
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dancingbarefoot
New Pal
USA
12 Posts |
Posted - 10/26/2005 : 9:32:49 PM
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Two things:
1) pack some wadded-up newspaper around it (not touching it, 'cause you don't want the ink on the paper to rub on the yarn).
2) set a cup or so of coffee beans in an air-tight container with the yarn.
Both of these methods will absorb funky odors. |
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kadiddly
Permanent Resident
USA
3076 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2005 : 09:50:55 AM
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just make sure to get cheap vodka, don't waste the good stuff 
and yes, vodka does work very well, as Mokey said, costumers/dressers/wardrobe people at theatres use it all the time, and believe me, actors can work up a sweat onstage! 
You know, my telepathy would work if I had something to READ!
Backstage Stitches |
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Stacey14
Permanent Resident
1120 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2005 : 10:14:46 AM
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Do you really need to soak it with the vodka? I tried it last night and still musty......
My Blog:On And Off the Needles
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KathyR
Permanent Resident
New Zealand
2969 Posts |
Posted - 10/27/2005 : 1:56:21 PM
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Are you able to hang them outside all day? I would do this every day letting the fresh air do it's thing. Perhaps washing it again first.
Baking soda is really good at absorbing odours - could it be added to the rinse or perhaps sprinkled through the dry skeins before hanging outside?
KathyR
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. |
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galleylama
Seriously Hooked
753 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2005 : 04:07:46 AM
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Musty odors usually come from a mold spore- my son taught us the freezer trick when his aunt, who has a terrible foot odor problem was complaining about throwing out shoes in perfectly good shape, but just too stinky to wear. He said a couple of days in a zip bag in the freezer kills the mold causing the odor. We've had a few good laughs at her house when someone discovers shoes in the freezer!
It is easier to be forgiven than to receive permission. |
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momslake
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
559 Posts |
Posted - 10/31/2005 : 4:37:46 PM
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I've tried this with some success. Place a few drops of essential oil of lavender or tea tree on a piece of absorbent cotton fabric. I use pieces of an old washcloth. Roll the fabric up so that the essential oil is on the inside. Seal this with the yarn in a plastic bag and leave it for a few weeks. The musty smell should be gone, but your yarn will smell strongly of whichever oil you used. Use the one you like better!
Since tea tree and lavender both have anti-fungal properties, this may be why it has worked for me. I didn't realize until I read this thread that it's actually mold spores that cause the problem.
"In the northern wilderness, where wool is a way of life." |
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