New jeans smell like mothballs

[Anonymous]

i recently bought a new pair of dark wash jeans and wore them without washing them first (dumb i know). i broke out in a rash on my thighs. washed them three times after that. the chemicals in these things - ugh. i don't know that i'll buy dark wash again.

[Anonymous]

OP here. The thing is, I have SO many pairs of dark wash jeans from over the years. They're all I ever wore, until recently when I tried to branch out to lighter washes. This is the first dark wash pair I've bought in a really long time and it's the first time this has ever been an issue. So I don't know if it's something new that's going on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. The thing is, I have SO many pairs of dark wash jeans from over the years. They're all I ever wore, until recently when I tried to branch out to lighter washes. This is the first dark wash pair I've bought in a really long time and it's the first time this has ever been an issue. So I don't know if it's something new that's going on?

i think so. i mean, i was buying dark wash from express in the late 1990s lol. but ones i have bought in the past 3 yrs or so have had a skin irritant or small factor.

[Anonymous]

It’s something about the dye. I noticed it in the last few years and thought maybe it was the type of dye they use on denim with more stretch, but who knows. I can’t stand the smell and return the pairs I order that have the stink.

Here are some other tips to try! Let us know if anything works.

https://www.getsmellout.com/how-to-get-smell-out-of-new-jeans/

[Anonymous]

OP here. Posting an update for those of you following this saga from home. So yesterday I soaked the jeans in a mix of white vinegar and water for 30 min, did a regular wash cycle with some cedar-scented detergent that I use for cashmere/wool sweaters, then added a bunch more vinegar to the rinse cycle, and hung them up to dry. It's actually better this morning. Not totally gone, but seems better. Fingers crossed?

I ordered some peppermint-scented castile soap that will arrive later in the week. I'll try that too.

I saved the packaging and if all else fails, I'll probably send them back. But I'm cautiously optimistic.

[Anonymous]

Bump. Jeans still smell. Anyone else with any ideas besides returning them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bump. Jeans still smell. Anyone else with any ideas besides returning them?

Overnight soak in water with vinegar. Keep washing them until the smell is tolerable.

[Anonymous]

I did the washing with vinegar and baking soda and then put them in the sun for several days and that finally took the smell out of mine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bump. Jeans still smell. Anyone else with any ideas besides returning them?

Did you try the other solutions in the link I posted above? Enzyme cleaner, charcoal etc? Maybe one of those will help!

[Anonymous]

Give a bad review online so others know

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bump. Jeans still smell. Anyone else with any ideas besides returning them?

Did you try the other solutions in the link I posted above? Enzyme cleaner, charcoal etc? Maybe one of those will help!

PP try the ziploc w/ newspaper overnight trick. Or, wet jeans in the freezer.

[Anonymous]

Try spraying them down with febreeze and put them in a garbage bag, tie up and leave for a few days. Not sure if it’ll work but I ordered a pair of faux leather pants for my DD and good LAWD they smelled horrendous. Like dead fish. It was so potent it almost made my eyes water. I needed to do something immediately to either eliminate or just mask the smell enough to bear it. In my frenzied haste, I just grabbed whatever was near and quick which ended up being febreeze. Sprayed the suckers down and threw them in a bag figuring I’d deal with them later but not actually intending to. Well…it worked! Zero smell! Nothing. Zilch. The febreeze smell was even faint and not overpowering and I doused them! I’m not sure if it’ll work for the jeans, but couldn’t hurt trying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bump. Jeans still smell. Anyone else with any ideas besides returning them?

Did you try the other solutions in the link I posted above? Enzyme cleaner, charcoal etc? Maybe one of those will help!

I remembered that I had some color-safe Oxiclean so I soaked it in that and rewashed. Didn't make a difference. I just got some peppermint-scented castile soap and will try that and leaving in the sun. I hate to cover it up with other fake scents but at least peppermint is more pleasant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Try spraying them down with febreeze and put them in a garbage bag, tie up and leave for a few days. Not sure if it’ll work but I ordered a pair of faux leather pants for my DD and good LAWD they smelled horrendous. Like dead fish. It was so potent it almost made my eyes water. I needed to do something immediately to either eliminate or just mask the smell enough to bear it. In my frenzied haste, I just grabbed whatever was near and quick which ended up being febreeze. Sprayed the suckers down and threw them in a bag figuring I’d deal with them later but not actually intending to. Well…it worked! Zero smell! Nothing. Zilch. The febreeze smell was even faint and not overpowering and I doused them! I’m not sure if it’ll work for the jeans, but couldn’t hurt trying.

glad it worked for you! Febreeze always grosses me out. Maybe it's just the scents that I buy. However I'm eager to try anything at this point. i still like the jeans but can't wear them with a smell like this. I have 45 days to return them so I'll try everything up until then, lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bump. Jeans still smell. Anyone else with any ideas besides returning them?

Did you try the other solutions in the link I posted above? Enzyme cleaner, charcoal etc? Maybe one of those will help!

PP try the ziploc w/ newspaper overnight trick. Or, wet jeans in the freezer.

I thought the wet jeans trick was just for bacteria/mold? This is a chemical smell apparently from the dyes.

Also, maybe reflecting today's day and age, I haven't had print newspaper in the house for years....