Banner Sponsors

LynnJ Nov 18, 2011

So my mother enjoys buying OOAK teddy bears, and her most recent purchase arrived in the mail today. I opened it, as she was at work, and as soon as I had the package open my heart fell a little bit, because I could immediately smell cigarette smoke. The bear doesn't smell EXTREMELY strong, but the smell is definitely there. My mother and I are both hyper sensitive to cigarette smoke - it causes our sinuses to flare up, resulting in headaches, sinus pressure, and if we're around too much smoke/a strong smell of cigarette smoke, both of us tend to throw up eventually. So in short, cigarette smoke does NOT agree with us. The smell on this bear is probably strong enough to cause a minor headache if it's placed near, say, the desk or bed. Plus, even if it didn't cause health problems it's still just a not so nice smell. 

Does anyone know how to remedy something like this? Should I spray some Febreze on this little guy?! I'm hoping he'll air out a bit now that he's not in a package, but in my experience you generally have to machine wash something to get that stubborn cigarette smell out of it, which is impossible to do with a delicate teddy bear made of real animal fur. I know it's silly to ask that every single plush artist (and everyone who lives in their house!) quit smoking, but it is frustrating to receive what's essentially a piece of art that has this smell attached to it, and I'm really not sure how to go about reducing the smell on such an item.

Any tips? I did find this baking soda tip online, and am wondering if it might be okay to do:

1. Place 1 cup of baking soda into a 1-gallon or larger sized zipper plastic baggy.

2. Put the stuffed animal into the baggy and zip closed. Allow the baggy to sit unopened, for two weeks.

3. Check to see if the odor has dissipated after two weeks. Baking soda neutralizes the odor and absorbs it, leaving the fabric odor-free. Add 1/2-cup of fresh baking soda if the odor continues to linger and reseal the baggy for another week.

4. Brush the baking soda from the stuffed animal with your hand.

Us Bears Nov 19, 2011

First the baking soda thing is an urban legend.  It is a very well advertised legend but there is very little truth to it.

Baking soda is an alkaline substance.  Alkaline substances will neutralize acids but there are very few smelly things that are acid.  Therefore, baking soda can neutralize a few odors but not very many.

The idea of using baking soda is little more than an advertising gimmick, designed by the Arm and Hammer company to sell more product.

We have adopted more than a few smelly Bears over the years.  The best thing for a Bear with smelly fur is fresh air and sunshine.  Put your Bear in a place with lots of air circulation and let him air out.  If that doesn't work, give him a Bear Bath.

There are several companies who make special Bear Bath for your plush friends.  It's liquid soap, basically.
Mix up some Bear Bath in some warm but not hot water.  Saturate a clean, white wash cloth in the liquid and wring it out so it's no longer dripping.  Wipe your Bear's fur with the wet cloth.  Carefully rub, so as not to damage the fur.  DO NOT saturate his base fabric!  Be SURE his stuffing doesn't get soaked!  When he's all clean, take another wet cloth and wipe away the soap and suds.  Let the Bear dry in a warm, ventilated place.

If you can't find special Bear Bath, use a mild soap.  Woolite or Johnson's Baby Shampoo.  We sometimes use Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap.  (The non-scented "Baby Mild" kind.  Not the peppermint kind!)

Find a spot on the Bear where it won't be conspicuous and test his fur for colorfastness.  If any color comes off on the cloth, his fur isn't color fast.  Proceed carefully or, better, don't proceed at all.

When Bear is dry, use a soft hair brush, like the kind you use to brush a baby's hair except it should never be used on humans.  (The oil from a human's hair will get into the Bear's fur.)  Gently brush and fluff up the Bear's fur.  He should be good as new.

If the Bear's fur still smells, use Fabreeze.  Lightly mist his fur then rub it in with your hands.  Let him dry in an airy place.  That should get rid of any leftover smells.  Use Fabreeze as a last resort.

Really, the best thing to de-smell a Bear's fur is time.