Preparing for Winter V

-taff

I had a down duvet before the current one and if you ran your hand over it quickly in the dark, you could see little flashes of light from the static in the feathers..try it if you have one, it's freaky...

FrugalThymes

I'd love your advice if you have any -

We have a waffle type heavy blanket and a faux fur throw, both are clean but they smell VERY heavily of the great grandparents' house. Lovely people and very missed, but towards the end they seemed to use a lot of smelly things around the house and even things stored away were permeated. It was a little overwhelming then and it's not a smell we enjoy having around BUT would love to get the blankets used over the winter now. 

I don't want to pay to get them dry cleaned so I'm just thinking hang out in the sun over the next few weeks? Would that do it do you think?

-taff

Hand wash? Febreeze type thing? Or wash on a hand wash or gentle wash in the wm. I washed a square wool blanket the other day with the same problem, in a box for thirty odd years, lovely blanket, but stank, threw it over the door to dry, result. As long as you don't agitate/spin too much both should be ok with washing. I've washed the really soft long pile fleecy flurry type ones before and the cat beds with long furry stuff, they came out ok.

Primrose

A few hours outside might rid the smell but if always possible there are moth eggs lurking in the fibres so washing would be better if you can manage it.  I washed a woollen blanket from a charity shop, dried it outdoors and it's come up fine.    

Elisheba

Primrose said:

Have today received our online order for a two-pack of those  headband LED torches as part of our potential winter power cut preparations.  One of us is quite disabled so they look as if they would be very useful  for anything where you need both hands free. The light level is adjustable, and there,s  a downward adjustable position for reading.

I love mine, Primrose. I use it nightly in winter to take my dog out.  So very convenient not having to hold a torch.

elsien

Bicarbonate of soda? I would try washing and outside drying, but that doesn't always shift the smell. Bicarb worked to get rid of the musty smell in a dog coat that was still there after I'd washed it - had to leave it in the bag for a week or so though.  

greenbee

elsien said:

Bicarbonate of soda? I would try washing and outside drying, but that doesn't always shift the smell. Bicarb worked to get rid of the musty smell in a dog coat that was still there after I'd washed it - had to leave it in the bag for a week or so though.  

I agree with adding bicarb to the wash. I'd also make sure that you wash them with unscented products (so unscented detergent/soda crystals and vinegar to soften) to avoid the smell being masked and then returning. Leaving outside on the line for a few days should help - it doesn't matter if they get rained on, it'll be an extra rinse - having a good blow should help too. 

I often have to do this after clothes go to hotel laundry when I'm away for work to get rid of the smell of the laundry detergent as I find the chemical smell makes me feel ill and infects all the other clothes. Sadly sometimes it is necessary to have stuff cleaned while I'm away to avoid having to take hold baggage. 

YorksLass

Some of our winter preps got an unplanned test run yesterday, thanks to an unexpected power cut that started at 10 am.  Most neighbours were re-connected by mid-afternoon but we were unlucky and didn't come back on until 10 pm.  We had torches, candles, tea lights, food that didn't need cooking (eg sandwiches, cereal, fruit), throws and extra clothing so weren't too bad.  A neighbour kindly filled our flasks with boiling water once she was back on so we could have a hot drink - by then it was most welcome and probably one of the best cups of tea we've ever had!  

It certainly brought it home just what we've come to rely on as we had no heating, no lighting, no hot water, no means of cooking food, no TV or internet.  Not an experience I'm in a hurry to repeat.

I'm now adding a camping stove/gas and more tea lights to my shopping list, just in case ....... 

Primrose

No matter how prepared you think you are for a power cut, the sheer inconvenience of it when it happens is still something you,re unprepared for.  The loss of internet in this house would probably be  totally out of all proportion to the other inconveniences.    Perhaps  a sign that we need to rein back our use of i somewhat.   I suspect if we're ever subjected to a series of national power cuts half the nation risks becoming disproportionally demented ! 

London_1

YorksLass I too am contemplating a small camping stove if only for a cuppa, I have torches and plentry of throws, and a good stash of emergency tea lights.

But a cuppa is the life blood in my veins I may have a shufti to see what our local camping shop has in store.

JackieO xx