What's that smell?

[BigDuke634]

OK good question for yall. I attended a local event this past weekend and took a fresh fish with me (my 16 year old nephew). The problem is now my tent reeks. We're talking gag a skunk reeks. Since I got home , I set the tent up in the backyard and have so far used two cans of disinfectant on it. I've turned it inside out to let the sun try to vaporize the odor. Is there any other was, short of a good scrubbing to get the smell out?

[flattop32355]

How often does your teenaged nephew bathe?

The shot was too wide open not to take. :)

Any thoughts of anything that could have caused it? Weather, Confederates in the camp, spillage, etc.

You might try Febreze.

[Memphis]

A bit too much lilac vegetal will funk up a tent and funk out the owner.

Can you describe the smell?

[Sgt_Pepper]

Any thoughts of anything that could have caused it? Weather, Confederates in the camp, spillage, etc.

Mr. Biederman, I believe Mr. Giles' signature line shows that he is a Confederate, which makes me think the odor that offends him so much, whatever its source, must be powerful indeed. :eek:

Mr. Giles, my apologies, but as Mr. Biederman said, it was too easy not to take. ;)

[Forquer]

The problem is now my tent reeks. We're talking gag a skunk reeks. Since I got home , I set the tent up in the backyard and have so far used two cans of disinfectant on it. I've turned it inside out to let the sun try to vaporize the odor. Is there any other was, short of a good scrubbing to get the smell out?

Uh-oh.......

If this is anything like the one Seinfeld episode, "The Jacket," you're s--- outta luck.

Actually, as strange as it sounds, you might want to try putting the tent in a box filled with foam packing peanuts for a week or so. When one of my fraternity brothers got married a number of years ago, he thought he had us outsmarted for decorating his car by locking it in his father-in-law's garage. Regardless, we managed to get, not only the keys to his car, BUT we also managed to get the F-I-L's garage door opener. We filled Rick's car with foam packing peanuts all the way up to the moonroof. Needless to say, they weren't able to get the car emptied out in time to head to their motel that night, so they borrowed one of her father's vehicles and then came back and cleaned the car out a week later.

Rick actually thanked us for pulling the gag because he had spilled a whole gallon jug of apple cider in the vehicle some time back and hadn't been able to lose the smell, particularly after it went rancid. When they cleared the car of the packing peanuts, the smell was gone.

If you're grasping at straws, anyway, it couldn't hurt to try.

[Slickrick214]

What about Febreze? I never tried it before but the stuff is suppose to be able to take the smell out of anything.

[bill watson]

Try vinegar. Put it in a spray bottle and spray it on liberally. Worst that will happen is your tent will smell like it was a salad bowl.

[Frenchie]

White vinegar, not apple cider vinegar! I need that for my fish 'n' chips!

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

I had a pard decide one night after an evening of libations to use my tent as the sinks. It is then I discovered that a mixture of 1 part vinegar, 1 part bleach, and 4 parts water lightly brushed not only removes smell but cleans the canvas as well.

[Frenchie]

I had a pard decide one night after an evening of libations to use my tent as the sinks.

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/Darkfold_2006/Emoticons/eeeew.gif

[ElizabethClark]

Better than febreeze: hit the pet store for something called "Nature's Miracle", which will destroy odors from organic sources, without destroying the fabric.

Perhaps soap might be a nice gift for the young fellow, for the future?

Strong soap.

[Georgia Parson]

I've used plain old cardboard boxes before. Just throw them in the tent and close it up. After a time the boxes absorb the odors. Don't know how it works, but glad it does! (And it's basically free!) Works in old furniture, the deep freeze and in the car when the son left a roast beef sandwich in the glove box on a hot Georgia weekend!

[Slickrick214]

..and in the car when the son left a roast beef sandwich in the glove box on a hot Georgia weekend!

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/Darkfold_2006/Emoticons/eeeew.gif http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m274/Darkfold_2006/Emoticons/puke.gif

[Poor Private]

A bucket full of charcoal works also.
Now that we all have given him our remedies he can fill his tent with everything. and something will work.:D

[BigDuke634]

Yeah yeah take your shots, I deserve it:p Well Fabreeze did work the best , but a storm came along and I had to strike the tent. Thanks for all the suggestions though. Given time, I'm sure I'll try them all out .

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

Having three male dogs, I had used a lot of Febreeze.
However, IMHO, it starts out with a very heavy, sickly sweet, if not oppressive "flower" smell that can be as bad as what is trying to mask (a common "spray" technique).

I have switched to unscented ZORBX spray which also breaks down odors but does not leave such a perfume scent behind.

More "period wise," I would let the sun and wind "air clean" and de-scent things. ;) :)

Curt

[panzerknacker43]

I have heard that putting vodka in a spray bottle and using that will kill odor causing bacterias pretty well.

Tom

[BigDuke634]

panzerknacker43 I have heard that putting vodka in a spray bottle and using that will kill odor causing bacterias pretty well.

Tom Mythbusters did something like that

[Brian Wolle]

Bleach will get rid of anything, but you must RINSE with water when done or it will EAT the FABRIC!

[ElizabethClark]

Actually, bleach *won't* get rid of everything. Used on ammonia-inclusive organic stains, it sets things in a funky way, and it can set a bloodstain or other protein-based stain, too.

[ole soldier]

Find a suitable plastic storage bin that you can seal airtight. Put the tent (or whatever) in the container, then add two bars of soap in their cardboard containers, and seal it up tight. I prefer Irish Spring; note that whatever the smell of the soap is what you put in the container will smell like. It may take a few weeks, but it does work.