Often times when I’ve gone thrift store shopping, I can’t help but notice the particular smell that “old” clothing when I walk into the shop. It hasn’t stopped my from buying a piece I adore, but that funk is a tad off-putting. Has this happened to you?
As I was browsing through my RSS last week, I came upon this little gem from Valet Magazine. In their 31 Days of Tips & Tricks, tip no. 10 talked about how to get “the fix for that vintage funk” and it’s rather simple. According to Janie Bryant, the costume designer for the hit TV series Mad Men, “All you have to do is mix one part vodka with two parts water in a spray bottle.” The article doesn’t say you have to spray it on the clothes, but just to be clear, you will need to. Just mixing two liquids together doesn’t clean clothes, but it can make a nice drink. 😀
image from Valet Magazine
And there you have it! Simple and easy.
Have you found anything else that works better?
I’ve heard this vodka trick, too. Must try it out. As for other methods, while it sometimes depends on what the smell is and what the type of fabric the garment is made of, I have had surprising success removing that musty mothball smell and the smell of cigarettes from clothes and shoes just by letting them air out outside for a day (but keep them out of direct sunlight to avoid sun discoloration! Just letting the items air out in a room with an open window can sometimes work, too. This link has some other great tips
http://www.fashion-era.com/Vintage_fashion/a13_cleaning_vintage_tips.htm