clothes smell like smoke

[Manosteel]

I have some hunting clothes that really smell of smoke, and my wife was wondering if you can get it out?

Last season my hunting buddy and I got caught out on a side of a mountain at night around tree-line, with sketchy sections coming up, so we decided to just build a fire and stay the night with only our clothes and packs with regular day-hunt stuff. We had no shelter and no sleeping bags, yup stupid. But we got to chasing critters and after a long 4 hr unsuccessful stalk, we realized we were 3 hrs from camp.

Anyway long story short, it got cold and we huddled as close to the fire as we could without jumping in and it seems that our clothes and packs have been impregnated permanently with smoke smell. My wife has used a sent-free detergent (brand name cablea's stuff) and baking soda, all with little success.

Personally, I don’t mind it and I don’t feel it hurts. My grandpa was a trapper and excellent hunter and he always smelled of camp fire smoke, always. It never hurt his chances at harvesting game. After an all-day hike into the backcountry, I don’t care how clean and smell free you were when you started; you are not smell free when you are done! If anything, I figure the smoke would cover your scent. (btw I’m not a huge believer in cover scent, I always play the wind, but that’s a whole other topic)

I told her the smell is fine but she still wants to know how to get the smell of smoke out of clothes, we have a couple of little ones who love a good camp fire and she is always throwing out their clothes if she can’t get the smoke smell out.

I thought what better place to ask this question then here?

 

[2rocky]

A bowhunting buddy swears by the ScentKiller spray for smoke. He had a house fire and the only thing that was able to get out the smoke smell was that stuff...

 

[fair-chase]

I think you were on the right track with the baking soda. Just need to add some vinegar into the wash with it and you should be good to go.

This is what I use in an HE front loading machine...
1cup baking soda. 1/2cup directly on the clothes inside the machine, and 1/2cup in the laundry soap dispenser.
1/2cup pure white vinegar in the fabric softner dispenser.
Use the hottest water reccommended/allowed by clothing manufacturer.

 

[Schleppy]

When I bought my house the basement had a bad cigarette odor. Called the servpro guy that deals with smoke damage and he brought an ozone generator here for a day. We had to leave the house because its not safe to breathe. The smell wasnt completely gone but it was less noticable. He says they treat clothing from house fires by putting them in a room in their shop overnight with the ozone machine.

 

[fencesitter]

Put each garment in a bowl mixed with a high concentration of baking soda mixed with water, and let them sit for a good period of time (several hours). Then wash them in Dead Down Wind after the fact, and you should see a vast improvement.

 

[UltraBound]

I've heard you should pee on them as many times as you can in a day. Keep them in a freezer bag and then pee into the bag. After that dump the contents of the bag directly in to the washing machine on cold with a double rinse. Fixes em right up!

 

[fillthefreezer]

I've heard you should pee on them as many times as you can in a day. Keep them in a freezer bag and then pee into the bag. After that dump the contents of the bag directly in to the washing machine on cold with a double rinse. Fixes em right up!

note to self, not sharing a camp with this guy^

 

[jmez]

When I bought my house the basement had a bad cigarette odor. Called the servpro guy that deals with smoke damage and he brought an ozone generator here for a day. We had to leave the house because its not safe to breathe. The smell wasnt completely gone but it was less noticable. He says they treat clothing from house fires by putting them in a room in their shop overnight with the ozone machine.

This. I think the only way to get rid of the majority of smoke smell is with Ozone. You have to be careful with them though. Ozone degrades rubber so it is hard on cuffs, waitsbands etc.

 

[jquarnberg]

My favorite wash for my hunting clothes is Akto Sportswash. I have tried a bunch trying to figure out which one is best. I think this one is the best one that is safe that gets out the grime. But also it always gets rid of the campfire smell on my stuff... but I mean feel free to pee on and freeze your clothes or treat it with some ozone chemical business.

 

[Manosteel]

Thanks for all the responses, even the pee on the clothes comment, made me laugh, I can just see my wife's response to "hun you gotta pee on them all day, its the only way!"

 

[UltraBound]

Thanks for all the responses, even the pee on the clothes comment, made me laugh, I can just see my wife's response to "hun you gotta pee on them all day, its the only way!"

I just figure the smoke smell might be better accepted when you told her the only "for sure" way to get it out. I personally love the smell of campfire smoke in clothing. I often times smoke wash my clothes when in the back country to get the body odor smell out.

 

[E72]

Hickory Smoke on my clothes is a cover scent Ive used successfully for the last 4-5 years for whitetails. I still try and keep my body as clean as possible before a hunt but apply smoke to all my clothes and gear before every hunt.

 

[ShootToKIll]

the pee definitely works!