How to get rid of musty odor from expensive curtains?

sydneyt2000

9 years ago

All,

I have 4 yr old dry clean only curtains. We moved about a year back. Before moving I got them dry cleaned and since the last year they have been stored in boxes inside the home. I finally took them out of boxes to hang in my new home and they have a horrible musty smell which is even floating out of the room down the stairs (I have them upstairs in the media room). They have been hanging for about 2 weeks now and the odor is still very persistent!

What is the best way to get rid of the odor? I read suggestions on washing old fabrics with vinegar/baking soda, which I obviously cannot do with these - these are very heavy lined curtains and I'm pretty sure the fabric will get spoiled in the washer. Will getting these dry cleaned again help with the odor? Or will sprinkling baking soda on the hung curtains help? There is not even enough sun these days, so airing them outside may not be very effective!

I am desperate for suggestions to this problem. Don't want to go out and shop for new curtains just because of this issue, but cannot live with the smell :(

Featured Answer

Started_with_bean

9 years ago

I recently had to get rid of mothball smell from a fleece blanket and towel (they were stored inside a plastic bag BUT the bag was in an old trunk that had mothball smell imbedded in the wood!). Left them outside with no effect, but what worked for me was to get some activated charcoal and placed them in a big garbage bag along with the blanket and towel. No smell within 3 days, and then they were washed and air dried. They sell charcoal in mesh bags at pet stores, and if you have some fine perforated bags, you can buy the charcoal in bulk. Just be sure NOT to place the mesh bag against the lining, in case the black powder gets on them. Afterwards, you can leave the charcoal bags around the rooms where it still stinks and they should help absorb the odor. Since they are curtains, this route may take some weeks of turning over the curtains everyday so all areas are eventually exposed for the charcoal to work. I'd be weary of dry cleaning them, as there is some heat involved and you don't want the smell to be burned in.

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Comments (10)

graywings123
9 years ago
My first choice would be to hang them outside on a clothes line in the sunshine for a day. Even without the sun, the fresh air should help.

How about placing one panel at a time into the dryer with a scented dryer sheet and running it on the no-heat cycle?

Or maybe get a fan blowing on the fabric.

The problem with using baking soda or any other powdered product is that then you have to remove the powder. How about spraying with something like Ozium?
emma
9 years ago
I doubt it will ever come out. I would remove them before the smell makes you whole house smell. You might call the cleaners and see what they suggest.
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prairie_rose
9 years ago
Do you have a fabric steamer? If you do, try steaming them. I have had success with the steamer on cooking odors in my drapes, maybe it will work with mildew. Good luck.
Marilyn Geiger
9 years ago
The companies that help restore living spaces after floods and other disasters have ozone generators that can eliminate musty smells from soft furnishings. I would contact such a company and see what they suggest.

ServPro (link below) is the kind of company I mean. They have franchises everywhere

Here is a link that might be useful: ServPro
sydneyt2000
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you all for the suggestions! I'll try some of these and see what works.
emma
9 years ago
I removed musty smells from old doll clothes by putting them in a paper bag with soda and shaking them up, leaving them in the bag for 2 or 3 weeks. Would be hard to do with heavy drapes. I haven't been in any home that has heavy drapery in years.
moviegeek
9 years ago
Dry cleaning is your best option, it won't be cheap though.
majaco
9 years ago
Vodka in a spray bottle....
neil.corrigan12
9 years ago
I had the same problem a year ago. I tried a few of the suggestions here but the musty smell remained, though lessened. My last option was to send them to the dry cleaning services and carefully instructed them that the smell must be removed. I'm glad it worked well though it wasn't that cheap.