Getting rid of a funky smell in a secondhand kilt

[Lallans]

Something I read about: Get a can of cheap ground coffee, open it, and put it in an airtight bag with the kilt inside. I suggest this because it was a trick people used to remove the musty smell from the drawers of antique furniture. When the coffee was vacuumed out, the musty smell would be gone.

[EagleJCS]

Similar to Lallans suggestion, I have heard tell of using activated charcoal and/or baking soda to remove odors. Just place an open container of the charcoal or baking soda in an enclosed space (a closet, sealed bag, drawer, etc.) with the garment having the offending odor for a couple of days.

Another suggestion I found for using baking soda (google "How to take smell out of clothes without washing"): "Put your musty clothes in a large plastic bag and sprinkle in some baking soda. Give the bag a good shake so the baking soda covers all of your clothes and then leave it to sit for 10 minutes. Then, remove your clothes, brush off the baking soda."

Best of luck.

[Kris]

Update:

Having emptied a cheap bottle of wodka on it (with a spray bottle) most of the smell is out of the inner and outer apron. Cheaper and better than febreze!

It's in between the pleats that the smell still persist. So I just put it in the freezer for an overnight after a tip of someone, and then the cold water bath.

The cedar planks are arriving tomorrow! 🤞🏻

[plaid preacher]

It's a little too late to say this, but the conventional wisdom is to never take a kilt to a dry cleaners. They simply do not understand the design and construction of a kilt and will likely mess up the pleats.

There used to be a great thread by an old friend of Xmarks, Canuck (aka Robert Pel) on proper way to clean an old kilt, but I'm afraid I couldn't find it this morning.

I would suggest you best bet would be to baste the pleats (an easier task than it sounds) and then put the kilt in a bathtub of lukewarm water with some woolite or other type of soap safe for woolen items. Then take off your shoes and socks and walk on it - don't agitate. Drain and then rinse with clear water - it may take more than one tub of water. The final time, add a few drops of lavender. This will both address the odor but also is a deterrent to moths.

Dry by laying the kilt between some heavy towels and roll up - to remove most of the water...then hang dry. Remove your basting pleats and Bob's your uncle. You may not even have to steam.

Hope this helps.

[Kris]

It's a little too late to say this, but the conventional wisdom is to never take a kilt to a dry cleaners. They simply do not understand the design and construction of a kilt and will likely mess up the pleats.

I know, I try not to. The pleats do need some new love.

[Lallans]

Update:

Having emptied a cheap bottle of wodka on it (with a spray bottle) most of the smell is out of the inner and outer apron. Cheaper and better than febreze!

It's in between the pleats that the smell still persist. So I just put it in the freezer for an overnight after a tip of someone, and then the cold water bath.

The cedar planks are arriving tomorrow! ����

Cedar wood will primarily keep clothes moths away, if the kilt is placed in a reasonably air tight hanging bag or container with it, its toxic to their larvae which are what do all the damage. I use cedar oil as a supplement to the natural wood, it comes in little bottles and lends a distinct if faint and not unpleasant odour of its own. Believe me, you do not want clothes moths to get established in your home, not if you have any amount of wool around.

[Kris]

Cedar wood will primarily keep clothes moths away, if the kilt is placed in a reasonably air tight hanging bag or container with it, its toxic to their larvae which are what do all the damage. I use cedar oil as a supplement to the natural wood, it comes in little bottles and lends a distinct if faint and not unpleasant odour of its own. Believe me, you do not want clothes moths to get established in your home, not if you have any amount of wool around.

I am very aware! We have been battling moths with their natural predators (Darwin wasps) and a bug zapper. So I have been keeping very close eye. We are getting the overhand, but I might still get some airtight hanging bags with the cedar in there.

[Kris]

Thanks for all your suggestions! Some progress update:

Wodka spray: Getting rid of quite a lot of smell
A night in the freezer: Not a lot of effect, some: not good for the pleats with it being folded.
Half an hour in cold water and letting it dry: no effect whatsoever
Baking soda in an airtight bag: this seems like a winner and has removed the smell from everywhere except the middle part on the inside where a lot of different fabrics meet.

I might have to try the woolite bath Plaid Preacher suggested earlier. I’ll put the cedar wood blocks closest to the smell overnight, we’ll see what that brings.

[Pleater]

Rather than Woolite, which can actually be quite harsh on wool try a small amount of shampoo or shower gel in just slightly warm water.
lay the kilt as flat as possible and gently pat the water through it, paying particular attention to where there are the most layers.

If you can lift the kilt out to let out the water and refill that would be good, as it minimises the agitation of the fabric. I have a folding drying rack which can be laid flat across the bath. Check that the water is at the same temperature as for washing then rinse gently twice, then again adding a cup of white vinegar to the water. Wool likes to be slightly acidic and the detergent is alkaline so the vinegar will counteract that.

[Kris]

Rather than Woolite, which can actually be quite harsh on wool try a small amount of shampoo or shower gel in just slightly warm water.
lay the kilt as flat as possible and gently pat the water through it, paying particular attention to where there are the most layers.

If you can lift the kilt out to let out the water and refill that would be good, as it minimises the agitation of the fabric. I have a folding drying rack which can be laid flat across the bath. Check that the water is at the same temperature as for washing then rinse gently twice, then again adding a cup of white vinegar to the water. Wool likes to be slightly acidic and the detergent is alkaline so the vinegar will counteract that.

Thanks! We used a wool and delicate fabric washener and I rubbed it in where it was needed mostly. That also helped also a little bit, but it seems I’ll have to accept part of the smell will be there forever. 🙃

The girlfriend basted the pleats and is ironing it back into shape as we speak, and then it’s hanging with some cedar wood and see if that will overpower it over time.