Kilts and cigarette smoke

[Nighthawk]

Hey there, Barb. I have to chime in here as an ex smoker. I can smell it everywhere. About 6 months after I stopped, I started noticing that my whole apartment stunk. My clothes stunk. I had no clue when I was smoking.It was a normal part of things that I was acclimated to. I doubt your associate knows that she reeks. I had to replace my wardrobe because I couldn't get the smell out, and it just made me want to start smoking again, which I really didn't want to do. So to the smell- I found no way to get rid of it, and that was 9 years ago. Maybe there is something new, but I don't know about it. That stuff sticks to everything... It's just plain disgusting. Good luck with all that.

[Dixiecat]

Who quit his four pack a day habit back when the price of a pack went from 20 cents to 21 cents because he was too cheap to pay the extra penny a pack Philip Morris wanted for his precious Marlboros.

Wow. That's cheap!

[The Wizard of BC]

As a pipe smoker I am very aware of the smell of my addiction. I gave up cigarettes because Bobbie can't be around the smell.

I have had a few Kilts come into the shop with heavy cigarette smoke on them and found a way to get it out.

I have commercial irons in my shop. The kind with a separate tank where the water is boiled. I thought, "What the heck, steam is used in a autoclave to sterilize surgical instruments, why not try."

If I use a blast of steam (and I'm not talking the light pressure steam from a clothes steamer) from my iron I can eliminate the smell in about 30 minutes.

Most of you won't have access to this kind of steamer. They will shoot a blast of steam all the way across the room at moderate pressure. But I thought I would mention that it is possible to remove cigarette smoke smell from Wool.

Caution:::::: When using this sort of steam pressure you have to be very careful not to steam the pleats right out of your Kilt. This steam is VERY HOT!!! Please don't attempt to do this at home and always have adult supervision.

[The Barry]

Please don't attempt to do this at home and always have adult supervision.

Well, there you go taking all of the fun out of it!

[Barb T]

If I use a blast of steam (and I'm not talking the light pressure steam from a clothes steamer) from my iron I can eliminate the smell in about 30 minutes.

I'm not sure that I could stand the smell for 30 minutes!!

[Geoff Withnell]

Barb, while the woman probably won't appreciate the comment or critique of the garments she is producing are smelly, it would be doing her a disservice to her and her future clients if it wasn't gently commented on. I know for example, that I have asthma and just being in a space that is recently smoked in or sitting close to a person who is a heavy smoker can set my asthma off.

And I know that if I buy a fabric article that I expect said article to not smell of an individuals addiction ( I loathe the term habit ) . My concern about using a chemical like Febreeze is while Febreeze is fortunately not something that sets me off) that someone else may have an allergy to it and that the kilt may have to go to a professional dry clearner to deodorize.

Febreeze is just barely a chemical. It is actually a spray starch, so formulated to have a very high surface tension. The starch forms very small droplets, surrounds the small particles that create odor, and when dry, since the droplets are almost microscopic, just become a small amount of dust particles, with odorless starch on the outside. Since this particular starch is non-sticky when dry, the dust just floats away to be dusted or vacuumed with the rest of the household dust.

Geoff Withnell

[Smayniac]

I'm not sure that I could stand the smell for 30 minutes!!

Not really an option for you or the Wiz this time of year, but it could be done outside in the propper season, couldn't it?

I knew a construction man who used to tell the story of a family of smokers complaining of the fresh paint smell in their new house. He put a cigarette in an ashtray in the corner of each large room and let them burn down, the family was happy but he (nonsmoker) nearly choked getting out of the house at the end of the process.

Bob

[Bugbear]

Um, large pressure-cooker maybe...?

[meinfs]

Febreeze is just barely a chemical. It is actually a spray starch, so formulated to have a very high surface tension. The starch forms very small droplets, surrounds the small particles that create odor, and when dry, since the droplets are almost microscopic, just become a small amount of dust particles, with odorless starch on the outside. Since this particular starch is non-sticky when dry, the dust just floats away to be dusted or vacuumed with the rest of the household dust.

Geoff Withnell

Sorry about the late entry into the discussion.

Fascinating information about Febreeze. Thanks.

It is very much like soap/detergent action where micelles form around dirt particles (encapsulates them) and makes them soluble in water. Mechanical removal with rinsing takes care of the dirt.

And not unlike smoke, which is a colloidal suspension of solid-in-gas.

Sorry to hear about your place getting smoked out, Barb. I'm glad that DC has and some MD counties are smoke-free. Oh and in VA too! We never thought that could ever happen! Sweet! I get flummoxed with all the smoke in my kilts when I go bowling in Alexandria!

[meinfs]

Perhaps acquire one of those ionic air purifiers, that attract dirt, smoke, bacteria in dust. I feel that they work. I have one and it's always on! It should help purify the air.