Hello, my fellow den-mates! I had a rather serious question. My roommate constantly sprays perfume around our room, and I'm afraid that my dolls will start to smell like it! If I place them in a box with baking soda next to it, will it draw out/prevent any unsavory scents that might attach to them? Thanks! -Dreamer
I've used it but the effect was pretty minimal. What I sometimes do with a really smelly items is I put them in a bag, left open, open side standing up, then I put them in a box with bleach free Oxyclean powder. I have done that with several vinyl and plastic dolls that were owned by smokers and/or that had been left in damp places. Their clothes too and it has completely removed the smell. On some badly damaged smelly things I had to change the powder twice, and it took a week or two but it worked much better than simple baking soda does. I've tried both and I think the Oxy works tons better. You do have to make sure the item or doll won't actually be touching the powder, hence the open bag, but as long as it's in the box with it the Oxy and the box is closed it will just soak up the smell. When you take things out the items will smell like the powder for a day but that fades right out and soon you have no smell at all just fresh, clean dolls or clothing or whatever...
I bought a resin doll body that smelled of cigarette smoke. I took it apart and gave it a bath (and new elastic!). There's no residual smell. I think resin doesn't absorb a lot of odors. I'd be more worried about your doll wigs and clothes smelling like perfume! I've done what magkelly did and closed up wigs and clothes that smelled of smoke inside a plastic box (though I used baking soda). I put a layer of tissue between the baking soda and the items. I left them in there for a week and the odors were gone. Plus I think that in a clean air space, the smell eventually dissipates. Linda S. galatia9
Other people have had good luck using cat litter, and there's no worry about the doll touching the cat litter. In fact, you can bury them in it.
I've had luck with a sachet made with powdered laundry detergent in a scent I like. Putting a dryer sheet in with stuff, and remembering to change it, helps to freshen things too.
I've found coffee grounds work a treat, just for the love of God make sure they're not touching the doll They draw out the smell in about 48 hours. The only downside is that the dolls will smell of coffee afterwards, but this will fade. I've done this twice when dolls came smelling horribly of smoke from their previous owners.
I've received a doll and extras before that smelled so badly from stale cigarettes and incense/perfume that I had a nauseating headache for two days after opening it. I unstrung the doll, threw the old string, eye putty and box away, let the resin pieces soak in soapy water for a day, washed the wig and clothes in Woolite, then left them in my garage to air out away from sunlight for a few days. This fixed everything except the rubber in the shoes, which I ended up throwing away.
With rubber try burying in clean old fashioned clay kitty litter for a few days then burying in powdered detergent with a strong scent. I was able to take the stink out of some off topic doll boots that way.
I have heard that you should wrap the smelly item in newspaper and put it in a box in the freezer for a few days. It's a temporary fix though, because as soon as your doll is out in the open again, and your room mate continues to spray perfumes, it will start to smell like them again...
