Getting Cigarrete smell out of leather jacket

[Marcus]

Hi all,
Had a question for the group. It's about getting cigarette smell out of a leather jacket. I recently picked up a used Wested Indy style jacket and the previous owner must have been a smoker. The coat says to dry clean only, so that was my first thought to get the smell out. Anybody have any issues with dry cleaning a leather jacket? I believe it's goatskin. Personally I've never drycleaned a leather jacket so I'm not sure of the pitfalls or what damage can occur. The lining is brown cotton. Any suggestions or pointers would be greatly appreciated. I want to start wearing the jacket for everyday use, but that isn't happening until the smell comes out.

Thanks

 

[Spitfire]

Just a thought - don't know if it works though.

In my grandmothers home there was always heavy cigar/cigarette smoking going on, especially when there was a party.
When everybody had left, she used to place bowles with vinegear around in the rooms. Next day the smell was gone.

Maybe you could try hanging the jacket in a closed wardrobe with a large bowle with vinegear underneath it.
If it doesn't do the trick, it wont damage the jacket at least.

Might be worth a try.
Good luck.

 

[Hawk_Eye]

I've had really good results with a spray bottle of febreeze. Last year I had an eastman B-3 that REEKED of stale cigarette smoke. Two days and 3 or 4 heavy applications later it smelled great, even with my nose pressed right up against the shearling.

 

[silhouette53]

Sunshine & Fresh Air

As a resident of the 'sunshine state' you could try this simple remedy : I figure the stale nicotine stink ( sorry if this description offends all the smokers reading this, but thats exactly what is is - a STINK ) is in the lining of the jacket and not the leather itself so much. Either way, you will get rid of most of it if you hang the jacket out in the sun for as long as possible. I can't remember where I heard this tip but it worked with a Harris Tweed jacket I got off of ebay - it reeked of cigarettes and the aforementioned treatment got rid of it completely !!

Hope this helps !

Colin

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Several good suggestions here. Fabreeze can help....hanging it outside works wonders(but I would suggest..in the shade)...or coffee grounds tied up in an old sock..put in the dryer with the jacket on tumble(no high heat). It seems to absorb the odor...and in a few days the coffee smell fades away.
HD

 

[Marcus]

Thanks for the suggestions and I will be giving them a try. I've had the jacket hanging outside for a couple days now, but it still stinks. It's going to need some extra help, so please keep the suggestions coming.

 

[Tomasso]

Sunshine & Fresh Air

This usually works for me.

As a resident of the 'sunshine state'

You're thinking of Florida, the OP resides in the 'Golden State'.

 

[John in Covina]

If you can find a big plastic bag, hang the jacket in the bag and on the bottom place a couple of the Arm & Hammer Baking soda boxes of the Refrigerator odor remover types. Leave hung up for a few days or so.

It should lessen the odor at least, then try the Frebreeze.

 

[Matt Deckard]

GETTING IT OUT? THAT'S CRAZY TALK!.

You know how hard it is to get that smell into clothes nowadays?

Leaving it out in the sun works... It does for hats.

But why would you want to do it?

 

[John in Covina]

GETTING IT OUT? THAT'S CRAZY TALK!.

You know how hard it is to get that smell into clothes nowadays?

Leaving it out in the sun works... It does for hats.

But why would you want to do it?

************
Are you pining for the old days where people smoked where ever and when ever they damn well felt like smoking as one of our God given rights?!

People used to smoke while pumping gas in their cars, while eating at a lunch counter or in bed! The doctor smoked while giving you a health exam: "turn your head and cough" was easier when he blew that second hand smoke in your face!

 

[blacklagoon]

I usually hang my sheepskin irvins over a chair outside in the sunlight,so the sun destroys most of the smell.the irvins i have always won,have arrived seriously reeking.this is what i do:

1: hang them out side over a chair,for a few days.
2: use a very light fly swatter to gently beat dead mould etc out of the sheepskin.
3: take them indoors and drape them over the stairs bannister.
4: spray febreeze into the sheepskin - a few coats,wetting it.

The smell in the sheepskin lining eases greatly.It has not removed the smell from the sheepskin fully,or from the leather.

5: I then add a full coat of pecard,and leave it 4 days.

If the smells are still there,i then:

6: add a second coat of pecard.the second coat of pecard,in my experience,removes all smells and odours from the sheepskin and the leather.

I must just add,that the irvin jackets i get,have usually been stored in damp conditions for a decade or so,and their condition is pretty extreme when i get them...hence the need for extra airing, febreeze and pecard use etc.

 

[dennisp]

I have a Cooper A2 That I bought on E-Bay that smelled so bad from smoke I didn't want to wear it. I tried all the methods above with little result. I decided my options were to sell it to some other unsuspecting person or try something radical. Being a basically honest person, I went for option 2. I threw it in the washing machine and washed it in cool water and Woolite and dried it in the drier with a Bounce sheet! (I figured the goat that wore it before me got wet, so why not).
While I don't think I would recommend this method due to liability reasons, It was a last resort for me and it worked. It smells wonderful, looks clean and I have worn it for a year now with no problems.
Good luck!
Dennis

 

[Marcus]

I'm trying a combo of putting out in the sun and fresh air during the day and hanging it in plastic with baking soda underneath at night. Also adding some coats of febreeze. We'll see what we get.

 

[John in Covina]

Tobacco smoke tends to have an oily nature and those oils go racid quickly which produces the stale feature that is so promanent to the unspoiled nose.

Anything that could draw out those oils would substancially reduce the smell and dry cleaning is especially suited for removing oils and greases and it is a solvent to them. So dry cleaning might be a viable answer here.

 

[JP147]

Vodka is the answer

I was once given a tip by a theatrical costume designer to spray Vodka on clothing.

She hated using fabreze cause of it's aftersmell and swore by Vodka which is odourless in itself and removes all traces of other stinks.

I've never had call to try it but let me know if you do and it works.

 

[Longshanks]

getting the whiff out

I don't think dry cleaning really works--if only because I have a suspicion that dry cleaners really just spray potato vodka to get rid of the stains and leave it at that. I have found that smells from wool jackets and leather jackets haven't come out after being dry-cleaned.
I did throw a leather jacket into a washine machine once, to get rid of an exreme musty smell ($22 eBay), but I put a cup of laundry detergent in with it, so the smell vanished but so did most of the leather's natural oils. (One might comment, "Duh!) Maybe I'll try a small amount of Woollite next time. Tried the washing machine with two wool jackets (with Woollite) both came out clean, but in one of them all the internal batting had been rearranged.
Bottom line, I'd only try this if you've already decided, "well, I can't wear that because of the..." and if you put it on the gentlest and coldest setting possible.
Fun with appliances.

 

[Spitfire]

This is an interesting thread. Marcus - please let us know, what you did and what worked. And what didn't.

 

[Marcus]

I took to the dry cleaners just to see if that would do anything. I haven't picked it up yet so I don't know. I'll post up when I know more. Thanks for the input all.

 

[jonbuilder]

wear the jackage outdoors on hikes, bikes, sailing, motorcyles etc sweat in it - leave it hanging out side between outing

 

[bigballsofholly]

Jon has the correct answer. Wear the jacket outside and leave it outside all the time when it's not raining or snowing. If you can still smell the smoke as winter arrives wear it out in the cold. The sun, wind and cold will work wonders. Good luck.