A few questions about the specifics of fixing up cigarette scented ponies

[Purpleglasses]

Hello pony people! I just got a lot of very cute ponies in the mail, but they are a bit cigarette scented. Or some kind of unpleasant stale smell.  Other than that they are in pretty good shape.

I've been reading up on de-scenting them. It seems like kitty litter is the method people swear by. So here's what I want to know:

Do I need to wash and dry the ponies before sticking them in bags of kitty litter, or should they just go in the bags right away?  Most of them could use a bath anyway, of course. (People have said that Dawn hand soup is really good at cutting stink, like better than other kinds. Is this true?)

Do I cover the pony in the litter or is just sealing it in the bag with an inch of it enough?

What kind of litter works best? Does it matter? Is there a particular brand people like that works best? I have some called Smart Cat which the bag says absorbs odor.

Do I mix in baking soda, or is baking soda de-scenting a separate process? A few of the ponies have hair tinsel and I hear baking soda is bad for that, so I won't use it with them. Can it also harm glitter or shiny paint like on G1 princess pony cutie marks or twinkle eyes?

How long do the ponies have to stay in the litter for? Poor ponies!

Thanks for the advice guys! I'm hoping to get these ponies less stinky soon.

[FantasticFirefly]

You do not want to seal anything that is not bone dry. so- wash them after this process is done. also damp/wet and kitty litter can combine to make a hard crust. you don't want that in the hair or stuck on the bodies either. Not to mention the possibility of getting moldy ponies stored damp.

For stinks, I get a tote that'll fit my stuff and pour in baking soda. I line with clean fabric and place ponies on top of the fabric and seal. Forget about them in a closet for a few weeks at least. I use brand new baking soda- not something that's been opened/used. Perhaps the odor absorbing litter can sub for the soda in my method. if you try it-please update with the results!.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Destink BEFORE cleaning! 

Yep - find a container that's large enough to encase the ponies.  Fill it halfway with baking soda and/or cat litter - there's even cat litter with baking soda in it! Put some linen or cheesecloth or something to separate the ponies from the powders so you're not having to wash that mess out.  Because moisture in this process is BAD!

Put this container somewhere dark and warm- but not hot.  Maybe don't put it in the blazing sun in your driveway but in the garage would be okay.  Warmth will make this process go faster.  Forget about it for about a week.  Take ponies out, put them on a counter to "air out" for about an hour or two, decide whether they need more treatment or not.  Use brand-new baking soda/cat litter if you're going to repeat the process.

[Haruna]

I think lovesbabysquirmy and FantasticFirefly have given you some great advice. One thing I thought of in addition is that if it isn't cigarette smoke and is just an unpleasant smell, then you may not have to go through the de-stinking process. I always hate doing it; it takes so long and I haven't perfected my methods yet and don't always have success (I use baking soda; next time I'll make sure it's new, like FantasticFirefly said). You could try just cleaning the ponies first with dish soap and see if the smell was just a stale smell and goes away. Of course, if you do this and the smell does *not* go away, don't enclose them in plastic bags anytime soon! Wait until they're bone dry, like FantasticFirefly said. Hope this helps a little!

[Leave a Whisper]

Wrapping them in dryer sheets

Airing them out by a window every day.

Gentle odor removers

I've had a few toys that came to me reeking of cigarette smoke. They don't stink anymore.

[Purpleglasses]

Thank you for the advice you guys! Perhaps I will wash a test subject pony first, but preceding with de-stinking as you guys desceibed before washing sounds like the way to go. In any case if I wash one I will make sure it is very dry before putting it in a sealed container of any kind. And it's good to know I can stick them all in one container!

Thanks again you guys.

[FantasticFirefly]

It'll still work the other way around. just so much easier to get deodorizing out of the way first so you don't have stinkers being stinky in your house for weeks on end until they are guaranteed dry inside and out. A stinky batch can permeate a whole room. I've found stuff I didn't dare bring in my house before deodorizing. O.O

[Purpleglasses]

This is good to know! I guess I'll get on finding a big plastic box to put them in ASAP. Right now they're all sitting in individual zip lock bags so they don't transfer their scent to anything.

[TwistedRiver]

The baking soda or cat litter should work, I would avoid the dryer sheets though, I've heard horror stories of chemicals in them staining pony plastic. I've not heard of any issues with the other two methods though. Good luck getting the stink out.