Washing a silk frock that unfort smells of bloody damp

[5t3IIa]

Grrr. Stored it under the stairs and now it smells funny It's 95% silk 5% elastane.

I threw it in the bath with lukewarm water and laundry liquid then agitated it then left it for 30 mins and it still smells. I've put it back in with fresh hotter water and more laundry liquid and it's soaking.

Anything else I can try? What's the old wive's tale on this bsnss?

Thanks

 

[colacubes]

Febreze?

 

[5t3IIa]

Febreze?

Is that a little joke or proper advice? I've never used Febreze

 

[RubyToogood]

Hang it out in the sun?

 

[Badgers]

Lemon juice and soda water. You will need about 39 lemons for silk.

 

[8115]

I would try one of these suggestions like ammonia, white wine vinegar or baking soda in warm water.

http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Musty-Smell-from-Clothes

 

[colacubes]

Is that a little joke or proper advice? I've never used Febreze

I don't know

ETA - I just felt sorry for your thread as no one had responded. I was HELPING

 

[8115]

Don't use fabreze.

 

[colacubes]

Don't use fabreze.

What about febreze though?

 

[8115]

What about febreze though?

Not that either

 

[astral]

I'd wash and iron it and hang it up to air for a few days. If that didn't work and I loved the dress I'd get it dry cleaned.

 

[Badgers]

What stinks under the stairs?

 

[5t3IIa]

Hang it out in the sun?

I think I might just do that, you know Its sister garment - a silk, net and sequinned skirt - is hanging in open bathroom window and hardly smells at all now

Vinegar

 

[5t3IIa]

What stinks under the stairs?

They are outside stairs with air bricks etc. Not the indoor ones, iyswim.

 

[bi0boy]

Lemon-scented bleach.

 

[colacubes]

Hang it up near a bbq/bonfire

 

[geminisnake]

I would have used bicarb. It soaks up odours.

 

[5t3IIa]

Lemon-scented bleach.

Har

Hang it up near a bbq/bonfire

Blar

I would have used bicarb. It soaks up odours.

How though?

 

[wayward bob]

sunshine/air outside, turned inside out. silk and wool i always wash with shampoo rather than laundry liquid.

bicarb is ace for absorbing smells maybe try a handful in the bath? nice long soak then rinse/air. also silk i tend to wash at lower temps (tepid-warm) but that's often more for the dye than the fibre.

 

[5t3IIa]

sunshine/air outside, turned inside out. silk and wool i always wash with shampoo rather than laundry liquid.

bicarb is ace for absorbing smells maybe try a handful in the bath? nice long soak then rinse/air. also silk i tend to wash at lower temps (tepid-warm) but that's often more for the dye than the fibre.

I was thinking that it'd be better swished around in some super-perfumed Ariel stuff instead of the hippy stuff I've got

It's air drying and still smells a bit

Might try bicarb next.

Actually, I'm not even sure why I'm bothering as it doesn't quite fit and if I want to wear it to a wedding in September I'm going to have to live on a handful of olives and vitamin C drinks anyway But it was fucking expensive (hundreds ) so I don't want to leave it ruined after wearing it ONCE

 

[wayward bob]

... if I want to wear it to a wedding in September I'm going to have to live on a handful of olives and vitamin C drinks anyway

we use hippy stuff and it's pretty rubbish at getting things clean let alone sorting smells (because it's less perfumed i guess). basically any of the creamy shampoos designed for dry hair is good for wool, and silk is an animal protein fibre, so i assume it's good for that too.

 

[5t3IIa]

we use hippy stuff and it's pretty rubbish at getting things clean let alone sorting smells (because it's less perfumed i guess). basically any of the creamy shampoos designed for dry hair is good for wool, and silk is an animal protein fibre, so i assume it's good for that too.

Ta - I'll bung it in with some Aussie shampoo

 

[purenarcotic]

How though?

You could either sprinkle a few teaspoons onto the garment when it's dry, leave it for an hour and then brush it off, or sprinkle it into the bath as you're leaving the item to soak. Then you just wash it as you would normally.

I think the second one would probably be more successful tbh.

 

[purenarcotic]

we use hippy stuff and it's pretty rubbish at getting things clean let alone sorting smells (because it's less perfumed i guess). basically any of the creamy shampoos designed for dry hair is good for wool, and silk is an animal protein fibre, so i assume it's good for that too.

Why do you still buy a product if it doesn't work at doing the job it's supposed to.

 

[Ms T]

Don't use anything biological on silk - it will destroy it.

 

[wayward bob]

Why do you still buy a product if it doesn't work at doing the job it's supposed to.

because half the family have excema-type reactions to the standard stuff.

 

[5t3IIa]

Don't use anything biological on silk - it will destroy it.

Does that include Aussie shampoo?

 

[purenarcotic]

because half the family have excema-type reactions to the standard stuff.

That makes perfect sense now.

 

[zenie]

I handwash with silk wash, but you have to pull it out, push it in, pull it out, get all the water out, rinse in clean water then wash again with silk wash. Handwashing is hard work, but I strangely like doing it

 

[wayward bob]

Handwashing is hard work, but I strangely like doing it

i've been washing quilts and blankets lately and i love doing it tbf washing a king size hand-stitched quilt is a mission and a half i tell you