Need to get rid of smoke smell in my baby's clothes!?

Question

My cousin gave me some hand me down clothes for my baby girl. I really appreciated them as they are adorable but both her and her husband are heavy smokers and the clothes wreak of smoke! We are a non-smoking family and I really need to get the smoke smell out of these clothes! I tried washing them in Baby Dreft but it did nothing. In fact, I threw in some of my baby's other non-smoked clothes, and the smoke permeated to those too! Please help! Only serious replies.

Answer 1

I would rewash them and add white vinegar to the rinse cycle. Vinegar is a great deodrizer and is gentle enought to use on baby clothes. The vinegar smell dissipates as it dries, so you won't have to worry about a strong vinegar smell.

If it is very strong you might try starting the load without detergent and just pour in 1 cup white vinegar. Once the machine fills, stop the load for 30 minutes so the clothes can soak in the vinegar. Then continue the load and let it run competely.

Answer 2

Boy can I sympathize! When I was a kid I was given a lot of hand-me-downs that smelled heavily of tobacco and smoke- and it took eons to get the smell out!

You don't have that long, of course. You could try layering the baby clothes with newspaper and baking soda- both of which are good for absorbing odors- and letting them sit a few hours before you wash. And then add a cup of vinegar to the final rinse.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I used to smoke in house before pregnant. You will be amazed at the difference walking into your house. You will no longer have the stale smell. You notice it mostly in the closet. Anyway, if you can afford it, I would get the carpets clean. I think fabric keeps the smell the most. Also, new paint helps but if you are pregnant the paint might be bad for you. But is is amazing how much the walls absorb smells. We had slipcovered furniture so we just put them in the wash. Also, I find febreze really works.

Answer 4

Soak them in a solution of baking soda and water (there might even be directions on the box). It gets the odor of cat vomit out of my carpet, so it might work for smoke smells, as well. It also seems to remove built-up detergent and softener residue, leaving whites and colors brighter.
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Answer 5

Re-wash them adding a box of baking soda to the wash, hang them outside, when they are almost dry spary them with frebreeze and let them dry longer in the fresh air. The mixture of the baking soda, fresh air and frebreeze should take the smell right out. You can also add a bit of vinegar to the wash.

Answer 6

Try washing the clothes in tide and use a softer on them in the dryer like bounce. Then rewash the clothes in baby Dreft to be sure you get the tide out , this way the tide won't be as strong for your baby. My sister in law lives with us and she smokes we don't and this does work for our clothes.

Answer 7

That poor baby that had to be around that much smoke! Here are some links that might give you some ideas......

http://site.flat-d.com/

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf593179.tip.html

http://www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-of-smoke-smell.htm

Good Luck...hope something works for you!

Answer 8

Tide works the best for situations like that. If you let them soak in tide and hot water for about an hour it will surely help. Fabric softener will help also.

Answer 9

fill the washer and put in your soap and a cup of baking soda..after the washer fills..put the clothes into the washer..

should work great :)..and it will get any stains out too!

Answer 10

Have you tried a more powerful detergent? I also throw in oxy clean, or bleach if they are white