charsuewilson

Spritz or soak in vinegar (I'd dilute it at least 50:50). No baking soda. It will react with the vinegar, producing foam and rendering both the vinegar and baking soda useless. Vinegar is a weak acid. Baking soda is a weak base. Mixing them gives the reaction sometimes used for volcano demonstrations.

charlottequilts

FWIW, I was looking for scrap storage awhile back and asked someone with a degree in physics/ chemistry about that. I was told that all plastic outgasses to some degree and that the outgassing of hard plastics on the dash is what gives cars the "new car" smell.

i ended up choosing some adorable lined wicker baskets from Walmart. I insisted on making the trek to the store because wicker, seagrass, etc, baskets can have a very strong odor. I opened the box before taking it. These had absolutely NO smell, amazingly.

(They are on the website, btw, and come in a set of 6, painted white, cloth lined, for like $38.). I cover each basket with a cloth, and stack them.)

hugs,
charlotte

bearisgray

I would wash the fabric in a sink, bucket, or large kettle.
Swish it, rinse it - and then get rid of the excess water by draining it in a colander, salad spinner, rolling in towels, or on the spin cycle of the washing machine.

You can spread the damp pieces out on a towel, or hang them on plastic hangers. i have a wood drying rack that works well.

If there is a lot of fabric, just do one color at a time.

Actually, just put one color in a container at a time - if there is a bleeder, it won't be that big of a deal if red runs on red.

The washing process can be done with very little agitation and if there is shrinkage or bleeding - wouldn't you rather know BEFORE - rather than after - you used it for something?

I agree - washing the pieces is a bit of a bother - but if one thinks about it - the whole process of making a quilt is "a bit of a bother " when one can buy ready-made things for a fraction of the cost.

kathdavis

I acquired several bags of fabric from a smoker's house. I put it all in a clothes basket and put in out on my screened in patio and just left it out there for about a week. I made sure it was not in a plastic bag. I may have left it out there longer, I can't remember. I did toss it a bit so the fabric on the bottom moved to the top.

tesspug

You need aquarium charcoal. It will absorb the odor. Then air it outside.

quilter1

You can buy activated charcoal at a pet supply shop. Put the fabric in a container with a dish of the charcoal and leave it for a week. My guess is the smell will be gone. That stuff works wonders.