Is a pong a dealbreaker?

[NonDropbear]

Bought some ‘country house’ second hand curtains on eBay. They look truly spectacular but reek of fags/zoflora/the 80s. Am I being unrealistic to think airing won’t fix this? Need to stick your nose in them to smell it but it then lingers in the nostril and brain. Send em back? Weren’t el cheapo.

I used to deal in vintage fabrics. I've managed to move some stinks I can tell you! I once had some curtains from the USA, 1950s things which reeked of....well plastic/fags/the 1950s in general.

First wash them....in the machine with something decent ...your normal detergent if they're cotton. Use softener too.

Next hang on line.

If they still have a smell, put them in a plastic bag and shake a whole box of bicarb in there with them.

Then leave for 24 hours...shaking occasionally.

If they STILL smell, wash them again and put white vinegar in the rinse.

I wouldn’t use softener as it seems to ‘set’ the smell sometimes. But yes to vinegar, tonnes of the stuff, it really works. And loads of fresh air. The smell will eventually go.

Thanks good advice. They’re blanket-lined so washing is out but will try to bag them up with bicarb then fresh air. They look lovely but am having nightmares about the stink!

Can they be dry cleaned?

Googling seems to suggest dry cleaning won’t get rid of smell. Will also cost a ton to dry clean. Are in great shape apart from the whiff. I am encouraged though in that vintage dealers must have this issue the whole time.

After bicarbonate, febreeze?

Will try. DH keeps screwing up his nose and complaining that it’s giving him flashbacks.

Haha! Oh dear!!

I'm looking at second hand blanket lined 'country house' curtains on ebay at the moment. Could you tell me who the seller was please so I can avoid???

Got a product called evogen professional Odor neutraliser online and it seems to be working.very mysterious about its ingredients, some guff about eco bacteria, safe to use around pets etc. Seems to have worked quite well so far and aside from initial chemical slightly floral whiff doesn’t leave much of a scent once dry. Loads of pet/sports/care home Odor neutralisers online, would be v interested to know the real deal.

Errr - wouldn’t quite blacklist them yet as they gave a 30 day return policy so I could have returned them. They do look fabulous. Would definitely advise asking the question though...I usually don’t think much about the ‘pet & smoke free home’ line in listings but now...I get the point!