My Chanel.. is in the freezer :(

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Jolie2533

Jolie2533

Newbie Member
O.G.
Jan 17, 2010
46
1
#1
I bought a vintage Kelly about a week ago and when it arrived, it had an insanely strong smell of mildew/mold. The bag itself is in amazing condition, but the smell is just horrendous!
I saved for this bag for months. There were days I skipped out on coffee breaks, cute scarves or glasses of wine all in hopes of finally being able to buy another chanel beauty.
I contacted the seller and she decided to give me a partial refund ($100) so I can get it professionally cleaned. Aside from the fact that this was already upsetting (why do *I* have to go through this trouble?) I decided not to return it. I read a few threads about dryer sheets, moth balls, loose paper, etc and tried them all. It was helping but nothing to what needed to happen.
I took it out yesterday and was so saddened when every time I opened the flap the smell would rise.
I read a thread about putting it in the freezer.. so that's where it sits now. I stuffed it with some towels, wrapped it in large garbage bag and placed it in the freezer.
Lets hope this works :(
 
#2
I am so sorry this happened to you. I am not sure about putting the bag in the freezer it could affect the leather if it remains in there too long. I had a bag that smelled of cigarette smoke what I found best was to leave open baggie of baking soda in it for afew days then if possible to let it air out in the fresh air for a while. I did this about 5 or six times and the smell dissipated. Good Luck.
 
#3
I'm so sorry this happened to you. :( I had a leather coat that reeked of a horrid perfume. I had bought it on ebay. I bought an ozone generator, also from ebay, and that worked really well. You have to be careful when you're using it, though. You can't use it where there are living things. It's harmful to pets, plants and people.
I put the jacket and machine in my car and ran it for a few hours. After a few treatments it took the smell out of the leather. Something that 4 washings in a washer with special soap failed to do. The ozone generator not only removes odors, but it kills mold and mildew as well. It might be worth looking into, if the freezer doesn't help. I paid about $70 for the basic kit.
 
#4
Thank you ladies. I too am very sad and knew I could get support from you all.
I did not try the baking soda thing but I will if this doesn't work either. The dryer sheets I used just seemed to add another smell to the bag on top of the moldy smell.
I plan on keeping it there for about an hour, letting it "defrost" then airing it out for a bit. It's caviar leather, which I believe is a bit sturdier than lamb.
The ozone generator is a great tip! Especially since it kills mold/mildew. I will look into that. Thank you Melissa
 
#7
I'm so sorry to hear your issues. I've had really bad luck getting odors out of bags -- keeping my fingers crossed that you'll have better luck.

I hate when a seller sells a bag with a smell and doesn't disclose it. I learned the hard way and always inquire about odors before I buy a bag. I bought a bag once that had such a strong mothball odor that it was hard being in the same room with it. The seller agreed to a return , but when she received it back she had the nerve to say that it was just the smell of natural leather and perhaps I had never owned a leather bag before.
 
#9
This is the same seller and unit that I bought, just in case you ever want to look into getting one. He also sells the completed units with the case and fan already built in. :) I made my own wooden case and hooked up a fan to the power supply. He doesn't have any listings right now, but I'm sure he will after the holidays. It smells like bleach while it's running, but the smell goes away after a little while.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...=kTxd%2FnXQfK%2BaxLaAl3r8anvYalk%3D&viewitem=
 
#10
OMG, you are brilliant., I rented an ozone generator a few months back for the same purpose as you. Had a very hard time finding a place to put it together with the bag where no one would be coming in, etc., etc. The car idea is brilliant., now I know for the next time.


Melissa71 said:
I'm so sorry this happened to you. :( I had a leather coat that reeked of a horrid perfume. I had bought it on ebay. I bought an ozone generator, also from ebay, and that worked really well. You have to be careful when you're using it, though. You can't use it where there are living things. It's harmful to pets, plants and people.
I put the jacket and machine in my car and ran it for a few hours. After a few treatments it took the smell out of the leather. Something that 4 washings in a washer with special soap failed to do. The ozone generator not only removes odors, but it kills mold and mildew as well. It might be worth looking into, if the freezer doesn't help. I paid about $70 for the basic kit.
Click to expand...
 
#11
Update so far: I left it in the freezer for about 2 hours. I took it out, unwrapped it and let it "thaw". The smell has definitely not disappeared but it getting better. Went out and bought two boxes of baking soda and have now placed the bag in a bog, closed lid, with two open boxes of baking soda. I am leaving to go out of town tonight (My xmas present was a weekend trip to a winery! yay) and hopefully, when I come back, miracles will happen in my little home and my bag will no longer smell.
If THIS doesn't work, then I am definitely buying the oxygen generator. If all else fails.. I will just have to live with it.. I suppose.
I can't believe she even had the nerve to sell it to me in this condition. She wrote me back and said it's probably just a normal "closet" smell. The nerve!
Keep you all updated. Thanks!
 
#12
I've written about my old Chanel tote that my husband put in the basement and I forgot about - when I remembered it a decade later, it smelled so musty and mildewy, I could not use it.

Because it was an old bag and I would never dream of selling a bag that smelled, I tried every trick in the book to get the smell out. I started with gently remedies like putting it in a plastic bag with kitty litter (Martha Stewart's suggestion) and when that and nothing else worked, I had nothing to lose and became really aggressive. I didn't care if I ruined the leather - I wanted that smell gone. I used bathroom cleaning products, strong leather fresheners and I also turned it inside out, and put it in the hot summer sun for days on end.

Nothing really works, although at first the smell seems to go away but then comes back. Not nearly as bad, but it's still there. I've been working on this bag for two years.

The good news is that the leather on these '80s bags is indestructible and cleaning it with disinfectant and bathroom cleaners and bleaching it in the hot summer sun has done nothing to the quality of the leather. It looks as good as ever! The black leather doesn't even fade!

I'll let you know if I ever come up with anything that truly works.
 
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#14
UPDATE:

I have returned from my amazing trip to Santa Ynez wineries (Central Cali wineries, approx. 2 hours away from LA and I highly recommend going there; msg me for recommendations) and last I posted I had put my purse in a box with baking soda. As soon as we parked, I ran into the house and opened the box carefully.

I am SO SO SO happy to report that the smell is starting to disappear! When I got it it reeked and I couldn't even hold it. Now, after countless strategies and plans, it is about 80% better. There is still a trace of the smell but it has improved ten fold.

I am so happy! I am leaving it in the box for a few more days and have moved the boxes of baking soda around and inside of different pockets. I think that in a few days, it will be much better. I am thinking of just storing it in this box even after use.

YAYYYYY!!!!! :woohoo::yahoo::tup::sunnies:dothewave:
(there aren't enough emoticons to convey my happiness right now!)
 
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