Leather odors

[MRB1248]

This is a plea for advice. I have two leather jackets, one from Aero and the other from SB and after being in the closet for a while they both smell fishy. What am I doing wrong and how do I get rid of the smell?
And for background they are both veg tanned. My CXL doesn't smell at all.

 

[ton312]

This is a plea for advice. I have two leather jackets, one from Aero and the other from SB and after being in the closet for a while they both smell fishy. What am I doing wrong and how do I get rid of the smell?
And for background they are both veg tanned. My CXL doesn't smell at all.

That's weird man!! Have you treated them at all? I ask because I wonder if that's the cause. Hang them outside, in the sun if you can. That's always been the best odor remover for me.

 

[MRB1248]

That's weird man!! Have you treated them at all? I ask because I wonder if that's the cause. Hang them outside, in the sun if you can. That's always been the best odor remover for me.

I never treated them but they did get left in the Jeep on a summer day when it got super hot. I'm trying the sunshine now. Let's see what happens.

 

[willyto]

I received a jacket the other day and it also smells kind of funny. Thanks for the tip on the sun bath, I'll try to do that tomorrow and see if it helps. If not well, I'll take it to the dry cleaners to clean the hairy liner only.

 

[seres]

This is a question for comments, and not a suggestion... What about enclosing the jacket in a plastic bag with an Ozone machine for about an hour? I'm referring to the small Ozone machines sold for home odor removal.

 

[MRB1248]

This is a question for comments, and not a suggestion... What about enclosing the jacket in a plastic bag with an Ozone machine for about an hour? I'm referring to the small Ozone machines sold for home odor removal.

I'd never heard of such a thing. I wonder if the leather would be ok.

 

[seres]

In the car-care industry, people who need to "detail" a car with a noticeable odor, such as spilled milk, will place an Ozone machine in the car for an hour or so. I've never done this, but I've read on several car-care forums that it works very well.

I have heard of Ozone attacking foam and some plastics, but that was over a long term exposure. On the other hand, I have never heard of any problems with brief exposures to Ozone machines in cars. Maybe because of such a brief exposure?

 

[MRB1248]

In the car-care industry, people who need to "detail" a car with a noticeable odor, such as spilled milk, will place an Ozone machine in the car for an hour or so. I've never done this, but I've read on several car-care forums that it works very well.

I have heard of Ozone attacking foam and some plastics, but that was over a long term exposure. On the other hand, I have never heard of any problems with brief exposures to Ozone machines in cars. Maybe because of such a brief exposure?

Might have to look at that if the sunbathing doesn't work.

 

[Peacoat]

A friend of mine has an ozone machine in his basement shop. He turns it on after we have finished piddling on whatever project we are working on, finished our cigars and left the area. Takes care of the cigar smoke odor that normally lingers for days. I don't know how long he leaves it on, but the next time we go down there, there is no smoke odor at all.

 

[ton312]

I can't see how an ozone machine could hurt. I'd give it the au natural first as these are presumably new jackets and the outdoors operates free of charge. I once bought a vintage Bates that reeked of mold, cigarettes, mothballs and god knows what else. Left it hanging on my front porch for a week straight, got regular sun and breeze and when it came back to the closet...it smelled of nothing. Not even leather. Totally neutral.

 

[TREEMAN]

This sounds fishy........fresh air is what i'ed try first....and plenty of it !!

 

[MRB1248]

This sounds fishy........fresh air is what i'ed try first....and plenty of it !!

And that's exactly what they smell like. I put it outside like Ton had suggested, but since we have barn cats everywhere, I didn't leave it out too long. Might need to go to the porch and sit for a while.

 

[K-Pants]

I never treated them but they did get left in the Jeep on a summer day when it got super hot. I'm trying the sunshine now. Let's see what happens.

Perhaps there had been something in the jeep that left a fishy smell and it rubbed off on the jackets.

 

[K-Pants]

And that's exactly what they smell like. I put it outside like Ton had suggested, but since we have barn cats everywhere, I didn't leave it out too long. Might need to go to the porch and sit for a while.

If that does not work, invite some friends over and have an all-night poker game while smoking cigars and drinking (and hopefully spilling on yourself) some fine bourbon--all while wearing the jacket. This is, of course, a last resort.

 

[navetsea]

I always have that fridge odor absorber carbon active thing in my boots when not in use, maybe could also work on jacket, just hang it on a coat hanger with it, and left the zipper half open to exchange air

 

[Carlos840]

I would rub the jackets with a wet cloth to make sure there isn't anything funky on there, and then try locking the jackets in a cupboard with an "ONA Block".
They are terpene based odour remover, i have never tried them for that application, but they work so well it would be worth trying.
Even if it doesn't work it's worth having one around! You could cook a pound of bacon with no kitchen extractor, leave the ONA block open overnight, and in the morning no smell will remain.

 

[ton312]

I would rub the jackets with a wet cloth to make sure there isn't anything funky on there, and then try locking the jackets in a cupboard with an "ONA Block".
They are terpene based odour remover, i have never tried them for that application, but they work so well it would be worth trying.
Even if it doesn't work it's worth having one around! You could cook a pound of bacon with no kitchen extractor, leave the ONA block open overnight, and in the morning no smell will remain.

But the smell of bacon is an improvement over no smell at all.

 

[JMax]

I have put mildew-smelling ebay purchases into a box with many black tea bags. The drier the environment the better. After a few days the odor was almost gone. Then wore the items while riding my motorcycle, smell gone. I have been told charcoal and baking soda also work. One caveat, if you have a bloodhound-level olfactory system a fix may not be possible; my wife is a perfect example, to the point where I think she makes scents up.

 

[willyto]

I just put my jacket out in the sun today for about 2 hours max and the funny odor is gone. At home they said they didn't smell anything but I sure did... Now it just smells like suede leather and the liner doesn't smell of anything. I'll repeat the process tomorrow just to be in the clear 100%.

 

[MRB1248]

If that does not work, invite some friends over and have an all-night poker game while smoking cigars and drinking (and hopefully spilling on yourself) some fine bourbon--all while wearing the jacket. This is, of course, a last resort.

Well, I don't think there was anything in the Jeep that would smell fishy, since my wife and I are both allergic to different types of fish, but the spilling bourbon on myself is a definite option. Might do that this weekend!