Cleaning tips?

[fingerpaints]

I know this has probably been asked millions of times before, and I apologise in advance. However, I have a plushie and a pony that I picked up over the weekend from a garage sale, that have been in storage for a very long time. They REEK of moth balls, like seriously, its discusting. Overall they are in really good shape apart from the stench.

My question is, has anyone out there had this problem before? And if so, could you fix it? How?

I have washed everything well and put them in zip lock bags with bi carb soda (not touching the soda of course) is there anything else I can do for them? And have any of you used this method and has it worked?

Sorry for all the questions, I am just unsure if this will actually work or not, and I think the stench is too heavy to just "air them out".

Are there any other methods I can use if this doesn't work?

Thankyou anyone that has any information for me

[butterflybuttons]

I'd suggest what you've done already. If that doesnt work, you could try a carpet deodorizer. I'd go with a powder type.

[fingerpaints]

Thanks BFB glad I am at least on the right track lol.

[mlp4me]

Depending on the age of the plushie if it has a tag check what its made of. If you can wash it i would try. Older stuffed animals may be stuffed with peanut shells (gross) and should not be washed. When in doubt deep freeze for a few days... Baking soda is great i have had luck with ponies in the freezer removing smells (takes a few days depending on strength of smell).

[fingerpaints]

I've never heard of that freezer trick thanks mlp4me - if I have no luck, I will try it out!

I have already washed the plushie, it's old, but vintage type old, probably 20 - 30 years or so, its hard to explain lol, but it is cloth, felt and stuffed with fiber, its pretty soft

[mlp4me]

You'd be amazed what old stuffed creatures are filled with. My 3 foot smurf from 81 had styrofoam beads (not so out of the ordinary). Needless to say he's been unstuffed and restuffed with new stuff. Got stuff?

[fingerpaints]

lol! I suppose that stuffing would give him a nicer "feel" than styrofoam, I don't like the feel or noise that styrofoam beads make in a plushie. Just feels odd and kinda reminds me of the cheap, knock off show toys lol.

I have good news however, the bi carb is working a treat, had them out for a day, and the smell is bearable now its still there, but nowhere near as bad as it was. When we got home, I unloaded the car and all I could smell in the middle room was moth balls, I was tearing around trying to find the culprit lol, it made sense as they both came from the same place better than tobacco smoke smell though.

[butterflybuttons]

That's great it's working!

I can't stand yucky smells, anything that comes to me with a stink is immediately banished to outside with the bi-carb.

[fingerpaints]

lol! I am the same way, I don't have a great sense of smell (I'm a smoker, but, keep my toys away from it & we don't smoke inside the house) but anything with a powerful smell makes me feel sick. This was like a poo bat, right in the face. I didn't even know moth balls could smell that strong lol.

[melodys_angel]

If that doesnt work you can try airing htem out for  few weeks outside..just keep them sheltered from the rain

[HavACrumpet452]

Water makes mothball smell worse. Dry heat actually dispurses the gases given off by the mothball chemicals. Absorbant charcoal can help too. Plan on like a month in a warm room with charcoal. I don't know how the chemicals in mothballs will eventually effect the pvc in a pony. Naphthalene is used in mothballs and pvc. I don't imagine freezing will work this time because mothballs disperse by turning from a solid to a gas and that works best with heat.

[Rainsong]

You'd be amazed what old stuffed creatures are filled with. My 3 foot smurf from 81 had styrofoam beads (not so out of the ordinary). Needless to say he's been unstuffed and restuffed with new stuff. Got stuff?

LOL Oh my god, you're right. I have several stuffed animals from my youth still stuffed with their original NUT SHELLS!! I'd restuff them, but I want the same feel/heft, and I have no clue what to use to replace that. That and it scares me to think they're filled with nut shells in the first place.

[HavACrumpet452]

I collect old Dakin stufffed animals. I'd never restuff them no matter how gross peanut fiber may be. That'd definitely devalue them.

[mlp4me]

You'd be amazed what old stuffed creatures are filled with. My 3 foot smurf from 81 had styrofoam beads (not so out of the ordinary). Needless to say he's been unstuffed and restuffed with new stuff. Got stuff?

LOL Oh my god, you're right. I have several stuffed animals from my youth still stuffed with their original NUT SHELLS!! I'd restuff them, but I want the same feel/heft, and I have no clue what to use to replace that. That and it scares me to think they're filled with nut shells in the first place.

You can get plastic pellets from a hobby store. It makes me nervous for people with severe peanut allergies that dont know about that stuffing. But yea if they dakin like havacrumpet said i wouldnt tear them apart.

[kaoskat]

Glad to hear it's working!