How to Remove a Camp Fire Smoke Odor From Clothes

Camp fire smoke can cause odor in clothing.

Camp fires are used to cook food, keep warm or just provide light when you are out in the wilderness. While camp fires may be enjoyable while you are outdoors, the smoke they produce will often leave odors in your clothing. The smoke odor is actually the result of tiny ash and soot particles that are stuck in the fibers of the cloth. To remove the odor, you must remove all of the particles from the clothing.

Things You'll Need

• Bucket or tub
• Water
• White vinegar
• Washing machine
• Liquid laundry detergent

Instructions

1. Fill a bucket or tub half full of lukewarm water. Pour white vinegar into it until there is about 3 to 4 inches of space at the top of the tub or bucket.

2. Place the clothing items into the vinegar and water solution and press them down to completely submerge them. Leave the items in the bucket for one hour.

3. Set a washing machine to the normal wash cycle and fill it all the way up with warm water. Use the largest water level possible, even if you are only washing one or two clothing items.

4. Pour liquid laundry detergent into the water in the amount recommended by the back of the bottle.

5. Place the clothing items that smell like smoke into the washing machine and close the lid. Do not place any other clothing in the machine as the smoke smell may actually transfer to them.

6. Allow the washing machine to run the full cycle and then examine the clothing to see if it still smells like smoke. If the smoke smell is still there, repeat the washing procedure until it is gone.

Tips & Warnings

• It can take up to five washes to completely remove the smoke smell from clothing.

References

• University of Missouri Extension: After the Fire is Out: Cleaning Household Textiles and Clothing
• List Own: How to Remove House Fire Smoke Odor From Clothes