I sure have! I got a piece of fabric from JoAnns and it smelled! I washed it and washed it I don't know how many times. I never could get the smell out. It was horrible.
I ended up throwing it away! I can't imagine what in the world was in that fabric.

Great, I spent so much time getting this quilt done. Anyone have any ideas that might get rid of the smell?

Hang it out in the hot sun all day?

Take the quilt back to where you bought that flannel layer and let the manager smell it? You might get some or all of your money back, then again, maybe not.

Wash it in a mild vinegar/water solution, then let it hang in the sun to dry?

What is the smell? Moldy/mildewed? Oil? Chemicals?

If it is the finish on that piece of flannel, I would call the store or manufacturer and ask them how to get the smell out.

Good luck! I feel badly for you; all that time you spent making the quilt....bummer....

Teresa

I learned to pre-wash flannel fabric with 4 cups of vinegar in the washing machine water to set the dye. Have you done that? It should take any smell out.

If it doesn't take the smell out, I think it might never come out. I still remember years ago buying a new blouse that smelled "fishy" and the smell never came out. It was just thrown away.

By the way, my daughter's three little boys all smell everything, even their food. I just thought they must be super aware of smells. It's genetic - my daughter caught her husband checking the smell of his dinner before he ate it! :) Hope you get the smell out of the quilt.

You could try Simple Green. I've used that to get the mothball smell out of super heavy wool pants. It worked after the third wash in the Simple Green (fifth wash total-I had already washed them twice in regular laundry soap).

If it is a oily or chemical-y type smell, you might try soaking the quilt in a tub full of hot water and plenty of Dawn dishwashing liquid. If it'll get crude oil off a seagull, maybe it'll get the stink off the fabric! Once it sets a while you can put the quilt in your washing machine to spin the water out of it and then give it a couple rinses to get the soap out. just don't add more soap. You might have it bubble right out of your washer.

Good luck!!

I just looked up Simple Green online - there are several different products. Which one do you recommend for washing fabric and at what concentration??

I have a piece of smelly wool - a blanket from Ikea - that could definitely benefit from this treatment.

AJ

I made a pair of shorts from a new piece from the market and they stank no matter how many washes and sun dries it had. One day I tumble dried it and the smell was gone!
Michelle

VERY FRUSTRATED NOW. Went to the fabric store and they replaced the fabric and thread to re-do my daughter's quilt. Can't replace time of course. I got pretty much the same material as before except the purple, which was still in full stock at the store and still stinky! Washed my fabric and there is another one that stinks!!! What is going on, do they recycle the material from garbage??? It brought out a strong machine oil smell. The smell doesn't seem to come out until after you wash it, then whew, what is that!. You could say it could be my washing machine but only the one sheet stinks and the others are fine. Is it fair to get my money back at this point in time?

If you haven't cut up the fabric, I would take it back and try to get your money back. At this point, I don't think I would want anymore fabric from that particular store. It's possible that the smell is coming from a) the finish on the fabric or b) improper storing of the bolt(s). Some discount stores (especially) may not really know that fabric can pick up smells from the surroundings if it's not sealed in plastic. Witness fabric stored in the home of a smoker.

If it were me, I would personally talk to the owner/manager, even if I had to go back at a time he/she was sure to be there. If the owner is not on-site, I would ask for the address of the owner and if it is a chain, I would ask for the address of the area representative. Then I would write them a polite letter stating your problem and telling them that you would not be buying fabric there again until this smell problem is totally and completely cleared up.

Is this 100% cotton quilting fabric or is this an acrylic fleece or flannel? Even really old cotton fabric stored in a box for 50 years and eaten by mice has come clean and fresh smelling for me. But man-made fibers are a whole other thing.

Here's a magazine article about how to remove smell from new fabric by soaking in water and baking soda...

Here is a link that might be useful: That New Fabric Smell

I would think you would be entitled to a full refund on the new fabric. (Joann's states they won't cover labor costs).

A couple of other thoughts for removing the smell:

1. I don't know if Fabreeze would do anything.

2. I dabble in Tie Dying, the soap I use to remove all excess dye is called Synthrapol. It is used to "Prewashing in Synthrapol helps remove invisible lubricants, dirt, oil, and other impurities that can interfere with the dye and cause uneven dyeing. Synthrapol as the afterwash keeps loose dye particles in suspension so they don't stain other areas of the fabric." I have included the link to Dharma Trading. You might want to e-mail them to see if they have any recommendations.

I hope you find a solution. Good luck!

Katy

Here is a link that might be useful: Dharma Trading Company

I think I would opt for the baking soda soak!

Clorox.

Fill the washer add add the bleach and let it agitte before you add the quilt.

If Clorox doesn't kill it, give up.

I agree with the PineSol. When my elderly semi bedridden Dad's clothes would get soiled from leaking and other my Mom used 1/4 cup PineSol to 1/2 washer tub filled with hot water and washed it in regular cycle. Then washed them with regular laundry soap. It took the smell out.

hi i see someone has said bakeing soda and that is the best i put in my washing machine just to get all smells and soften the water but i have seen some terrible smells and stains come out. i used about a cup for a washer!,Dar

Something I have used to get out smells, is B-O-Kleen Stain and Odor Remover. Just a couple of squirts in the washing machine load. Or you can apply directly to a garment and let it soak in. It is clear as water and has no oil in it like most detergents and softeners that hold in odors.

I had the same problem with sweater I bought. I didn't realize it until I got it home. It stunk to high Heaven. I sprayed it w/Febreze and then washed it. I did this twice and the smell went away.

"It brought out a strong machine oil smell." This has happened to me a couple of times over the years. A store manager told me that it is from the manufacturing process at the mill where the fabric is made. Unfortunately I wasn't able to remove the odor with any products available at that time. Good Luck!

THere is a product called Odor Ban that will take out anything I have used it on. When I worked as secretary for our church, my office was right next to the men's bathroom. The bathroom developed a leak from the urinal and saturated the carpet in my office. after getting the water out with a carpet cleaner, we sprayed, soaked the carpet with the Odor Ban. Odor gone! I bought this product at Sam's. I don't know where else you might get it.

cookie, did you ever get that smell out??