How can I clean this jacket or remove a fishy smell from said jacket?

September 13, 2013 6:57 AM

How can I clean this jacket or remove a fishy smell from said jacket?

I have a quilted velour jacket that I've just acquired. I love this jacket but it has an off, fishy kind of smell. The smell isn't very strong but I can smell it when I put my face near the jacket and I want it gone.

What is the best way to clean/remove the smell from this thing that won't ruin it?

The jacket is missing a care tag so I don't know if washing it, in the washing machine or by hand in the sink, will damage it. Has anyone had anything quilted or velour that they washed either of these ways and had it turn out okay? I have access to a washing machine but not a dryer.

I've considered dry cleaning the jacket but I'd really rather not as I need to wear the jacket this weekend AND I've had a lot of bad experiences with dry cleaned clothing coming back damaged. So please don't suggest dry cleaning as it a solution I have already considered and rejected.

I have also considered buying febreze but the smell is so weird and I don't know what it is that I don't know if the jacket doesn't NEED to be cleaned. It looks clean, but ugh, the smell. If this has worked for anyone though please let me know and I'll buy some febreze.

To be super clear, I am looking for suggestions OTHER than dry cleaning on the best ways to clean this jacket or remove the smell as well as advice on people who have washed something like this and had it gone wrong (or right).

posted by Polychrome to Home & Garden (10 answers total)

I would hang it in a steamy bathroom then tumble dry it on delicate with one of those scented tumble dryer sheets. Belt and braces I would spray under the collar with my day to day scent.
posted by BenPens at 7:01 AM on September 13, 2013

Best answer: If the fabric was not pre-washed (pre-shrunk) before quilting and construction, washing it in a machine will almost certainly ruin the quilting. Washing it by hand without any agitation at all might be fine with regard to quilting stitches, but I wouldn't risk it and you can end up ruining the nap on the velour. Tumbling a quilted thing (WHICH IS NOT WET) in the dryer with a dryer-dry-cleaning kit will not generally affect the quilting stitches, but it can ruin the nap on velour, velveteen, velvet and other velvet-like fabrics. If you've got a clothes brush, your velour would probably be fine.

For smells on garments that I have no care instructions for, I find that a good spritzing of cheap vodka and water, followed by hanging in fresh air (and direct sunlight if I'm not concerned about fading), works best. Better than Febreeze by a long shot (no perfumes, for one thing). If you've got a good clothes brush,
posted by crush-onastick at 7:14 AM on September 13, 2013 [1 favorite]

I say try Febreeze. I think they have a new unscented one. Spray it now. Wait, then smell. If it still smells, then there may be a deeper issue.

The problem with quilting and velour is that regular water washing can really screw it up. If Febreeze doesn't cut it, you'll need to take it to a dry cleaner if you want it clean.

No way around it.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:51 AM on September 13, 2013

Is there somewhere you can snip off a piece of fabric to do a burn test? Velour could be polyester (and thus probably washable.) or a cellulose fiber which may or may not do well in the washer.
posted by vespabelle at 7:53 AM on September 13, 2013

Oh, yikes. I once created a whole load of fishy-smelling items by accidentally washing something with fish oil caplets in the pockets. I had mixed success in getting the smells out of various fabrics, but the most success I had was soaking the individual items in buckets filled with Nature's Miracle and then air-drying on the clothesline in the sun. I figured out that the Nature's Miracle absolutely had to saturate the clothing... with a quilted material, you'd have to be very vigilant that the NM soaked through all layers of quilting, stitching, inner poofiness... but I think that's your best shot. You can restore the velour with a brush after it's dried.
posted by juniperesque at 8:03 AM on September 13, 2013

I had a sweatshirt that smelled fishy when worn. I laundered it, adding a cup of ammonia to the usual soap. Worked great!
posted by Carol Anne at 11:05 AM on September 13, 2013

Best answer: Is the jacket silk on the inside at all? I find that (cheap) silk smells fishy to me. I have found no way to permanently remove that smell, but vinegar helps.
posted by freezer cake at 11:59 AM on September 13, 2013

I've had an imitation suede jacket that smelt very fishy. It was the chemical smell of the man-made fabric. I think you should be careful about putting it in the tumble drier in case heat intensifies the smell.
posted by glasseyes at 5:24 PM on September 13, 2013

Best answer: You could spray it with rubbing alcohol. Cheaper than vodka, which is what theatre wardrobe departments swear by. I've done this to many items of clothing with no ill effects; but maybe test first. Also note of course that alcohol is flammable, so wait til it evaporates before ironing!
posted by pseudostrabismus at 11:12 PM on September 13, 2013

Response by poster: Okay, thank you. The smell is mostly gone but not perfect--here is what I did:

-Hung it out to air in a room with an open window. It's been freezing, rainy and cloudy here so no sunshine. As I said, I also don't have a dryer. This helped a little.

-Febrezed it to oblivion. This helped a little but not much.

-Sprayed it with a vinegar/water mixture then let dry. I did this two or three times. Helped a lot but then the jacket smelled of vinegar.

-Febrezed it to oblivion. This helped remove the vinegar smell.

-Went over it with a blow-dryer. This also seemed to help, no idea why.
posted by Polychrome at 6:47 AM on September 16, 2013