Question about Charities

[ParchedWhisper]

I am really interested about doing some crochet for charities, but the problem is I am a smoker. Most of the information I have read states that they won't use the stuff if it smells like smoke or strong detergent.

Is there a detergent I can use that is not strong and will take the smoke smell out? I wash my hands after every cigerette because I have small children, but I understand that the smell is still there.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

[mc_crochets]

You might try using a Febreeze detergent, and washing it elsewhere, perhaps a relative or friends home where they don't smoke? When my kidlets visit their grandma she's a HEAVY smoker I spray their stuff with the nursery laundry treatment at the baby section of walmart, and it comes out smelling like baby powder...

Hope this is of *some* help <img border=0 src="http://img28.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/veryhappy.gif" />

[Chiscrochetcrazy]

Hmm I don't really know you could deff try washing elsewhere and using febreeze that's a good idea that febreeze works pretty good.

We just went to a new dry cleaner and when I brought the clothes home my hubby who used to smoke cigars said someone there smokes, I couldn't smell it but some peoples noses are more sensitive. Surely the charities have a little leniency as long as the smell don't knock you over :wink .

[SamplerLady]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v478/SamplerLady/mmouseplus.gifTry adding 1/2 cup white vinegar to the final rinse in the washer. Hang outside to dry if you can.

Vinegar's pretty fantastic for taking out odors and costs a whole lot less than commerical products.

[grmanoble]

<img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/wreath.gif" /> Happy Holidays! My husband is a heavy smoker, and I've found that if I put the crocheted item in a zippered bag like sheets come in, etc., with a dryer sheet tucked in, (I use Bounce) it eliminates the smell. <img border=0 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/crochetville/xmastree.gif" /> Good luck with it.
~Sharon~

[Piper0110]

One of my college roommate's parents' smoked and she would always come back to school with all her clothes smelling of smoke. Two washings in the smoke free building and they were fine. And I've got a pretty sensitive nose (she would make me come smell her clothes because she didn't want to smell like smoke). She just used Tide, or any standard detergent.

[beverlyq]

Hi
I know I am late finding this board but since my passion in life is charity crafting, I thought I could help answer a few questions.

If you are a smoker, please ALWAYS wash items at a friends home who does not smoke. Package everything up there too, don't get smoke anywhere near the items especially if they will be going to premature babies. The chemicals in the smoke can be so dangerous and even kill these tiny new babies. There are hospitals who wll throw out anything that smells of smoke, even items that are just in the same box with items that smell of ciggie smoke, rather than endanger the lives of the babies.

I am very allergic to smoke, and can always tell when a smoker has been smoking anywhere near the items they send. My parents both smoked when I was a kid and my lungs are so damaged from it, that I cannot even be in a home where someone has ever smoked.

When I get items that stink of smoke, I, or my kids, wash the items at least twice in ERA or tide, then I hang them on the clothesline outside for 2 or 3 days to remove any trace of the chemicals. It usually works.

Bev