getting white spirit smell out of clothes

jackieb

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post or not - but you're all very good on here, so i'll chance it.

My husband was painting today and left a jug on the bathroom floor, which had brushes and white spirit in it. My 11yo daughter took a shower before she went to bed and just threw her clothes into the corner, and she knocked over the jug and spilt the white spirit onto her school clothes (told him to tidy up after himself!) I've washed them twice (they're now in the machine for a 3rd time) and even after the 2nd time they smelt bad.

Can the clothes be saved? I'll be sick if they can't.

Churchmouse

Yes, they'll certainly be alright if it's only the smell you're worried about:D

If it's paint stains you may have trouble:rolleyes: If it's just the smell, stop panicking:D Tomorrow, hang the offending items out on the line so that they can air (don't worry if it's raining, you'll just look daft:D ) Similar has happened to me many a time, it's only a matter of letting the smell dissipate, honestly:D The washing machine is so enclosed nothing gets the chance to evaporate.

Snaggles

Yes, absolutely agree - you can wash them till you're blue in the face and the smell will stay - but air them (maybe for a few days) and it will disappear.

do_it_today!

Thanks I have also had this problem!

computerwoman

anyone tried washing them in bicarb of soda I know that works on smells...:D

jackieb

Well I washed them 3 times and they didn't smell too bad when I took them out of the machine. There was some emulsion on the clothes before I put them in but nothing when I took them out. The paint had been diluted with the dratted white spirit. They hung outside all day and I can't smell any white spirit now BUT my machine is stinking! I washed a fleece blanket afterwards and took it out and it smelt of white spirit. So I then put the machine on empty at 95C with biological powder. I'll try it again tomorrow.

If it happens again i'm not putting the clothes in the machine!

chuckie79

jackieb wrote: »

Well I washed them 3 times and they didn't smell too bad when I took them out of the machine. There was some emulsion on the clothes before I put them in but nothing when I took them out. The paint had been diluted with the dratted white spirit. They hung outside all day and I can't smell any white spirit now BUT my machine is stinking! I washed a fleece blanket afterwards and took it out and it smelt of white spirit. So I then put the machine on empty at 95C with biological powder. I'll try it again tomorrow.

If it happens again i'm not putting the clothes in the machine!

Did you get your washer sorted?

I did the same thing 2 nights ago and still trying to get rid of smell in washer although waiting for it to finish again to try hot wash. I tried putting white vinegar in the washer, it helped a bit but when I put an old towel into wash it still came out smelling of white spirit.

point3

Try washing the clothes by hand with washing up liquid and repeated rinsing. The washing up liquid emulsifies the oily white spirit, which should then in the water so can be drained away.

Isn't most emulsion paint water-based these days? - so brushes should be washed in soap and water, not white spirit?

jackieb

It might not have been emulsion. Dh painted the woodwork the same colour with Dulux satinwood. It must have been the brushes from that he had in there, and not the emulsion. The paint came out of the clothes first wash though.

The smell's gone from the machine now - only took about 4-5 days! Everything was coming out smelling of white spirit, but once they were dry the smell must have evaporated because I couldn't smell anything but washing powder/conditioner. Dh put some of the white spirit smelling laundry into the dryer (without my knowledge!) but it was fine.

computerwoman

bicar of soda
lemon juice
soda cystals
all these are good for getting rid of smells in the washer empty on a boil wash

Merry_Wanderer

Please can anyone advise.

My OH put a large rag covered in white spirit in the washing machine, supposedly to go on with the next load :mad: . I didn't know this was in the machine, and put on a load of my underwear, PJ's, and so on, ... and the whole lot stinks now.

I have washed it through twice (minus the rag of course), and since it still smells, now have it hung up to dry, .. before washing again.

Any ideas??