Getting intense perfume smell out of secondhandclothes

[Mamma142526]

I posted in Housekeeping but hoping for more traffic.

I bought an amazing jacket in a charity shop for £30. It's 100% polyester and says dry clean only. When I tried it on I didn't notice how intense the perfume smell was. When I hang it up at home it just wafts off. I don't wear perfume and can't abide it.

I've tried:

• airing it outside
• spraying with running alcohol
• delicates wash
• soaking in baking soda solution and delicates wash
• soaking in white vinegar overnight and delicates wash
• soaking in vodka overnight and delicates wash
• soaking in rubbing alcohol overnight and delicates wash

The only things I haven't tried yet are leaving it in a cupboard with baking powder and newspapers to absorb the smell, or actual dry cleaners. I'm not sure dry cleaning will get the smell out. I've aired it in sunshine one day, but it's been cloudy since. It's just getting to this ridiculous point where the cost of cleaning is going to exceed the cost of the jacket. I'm minded to return it to the charity shop, or give it back if they won't process a refund.

Does anyone have similar experience? It's a musky perfume. I think the smell is not as strong when you walk past anymore, but it's very strong with your nose to it or when wearing it. I'm thoroughly fed up, and DH is fed up with the washing machine energy wasted too.

Activated charcoal. Have a Google of how to do it.

Don’t bother with dry cleaners. I took some curtains in that stank of cigarette smoke and they were the same after they’d been cleaned. When I went back to say they still smelled I was told that dry cleaning doesn’t get rid of the smell. I think I was mugged off tbh.

I feel your pain
I think some of the shops spray stuff with febreze
I had this with a silk scarf, I think in the end I sprayed it with diluted white vinegar and hung it outside, but I think maybe it was a long time on the line that was the key- and it was thin fabric- I really think time +fresh air is the only thing
maybe turn it inside out as well?

Thanks all, I have activated charcoal ordered to arrive today.

It's been inside out this whole time - the smell is definitely stronger on the inside! I've left it airing overnight and the pong is as strong as ever. I'm amazed that all the treatments I've tried have had limited effect.

I'm tempted to try febreeze - if I then wash it will the febreeze wash off leaving the perfume smell again?

Try sealing it in a tub with orange peels for a few days. It worked for a cigarette smoke issue for me.

Seal it in a bin bag with activated charcoal for a week.
I had the same with a jacket. Smell eventually went after 2 sealed bags with bicarb and 3/4 washes with white vinegar.
Ariel capsule helped in the wash I think.

How many grams of activated charcoal would you use? Enough to cover the clothes?

How many grams of activated charcoal would you use?

Should it be loose or are those cloth bags ok?

It's quite pricey, £10/kg.

Can't you wash it on a cold hand wash cycle if it's polyester? Ariel will get the smell out .

I don’t know how much to use as I used the tablets I bought from Boots and kept them in the container. Could you put it in a container inside the bag and rest it on a flat surface?

I've done at least 5 delicate cool wash cycles by now - I use Sainsbury's non bio powder though. I could try Arial...

On the plus side I think the activated charcoal is working...I peeped in the bag yesterday and could still smell the perfume, but another peep today and it seems to have diminished...