Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
SOLUTIONS: How to rid your vehicle of kerosene odour
QUESTION: My husband bought an old antique lamp with some kerosene or coal oil left in it. He put it in the back seat of his car, not realizing the oil was in the lamp. The lamp tipped over and spilled all over the cloth seat.
How do I clean the smell out of the car? We have used commercial upholstery cleaner, commercial spray and have left an electrical air purifier in the car overnight. It has cleaned the smell some, but not enough. The smell is still very overpowering to me.
We have talked about taking the car into a professional interior car cleaner. But before we do, have you any suggestions? I look forward to hearing from you. Ruth (Rosenort)
ANSWER: Kerosene is different than gasoline. It is a lubricant and difficult to mask when spills occur. My first suggestion is to overpower the smell with another scent that will eventually evaporate. For this you need rubbing alcohol -- pour it onto the area and blot. Continue this treatment until the smell is gone.
Another effective solution is to sprinkle the area with a liberal amount of coffee grounds. After a few days, vacuum the upholstery. If the smell remains, combine one cup hot water, one-half cup household ammonia, one-half cup white vinegar and one-quarter cup washing soda. Soak and rinse until smell is gone.
QUESTION: I have recently purchased denim shorts and capris and both are colouring off on everything, including the leather car seats. I've so far soaked them in salt and cold water overnight but nothing happened -- they are still colouring off on things. Then I tried vinegar in cold water overnight and washed them, but the colour is still rubbing off on everything I touch with them, including my hands (which are looking blue every time I wear the garments).
I'm hoping you have a solution to this problem. Chris (Winnipeg)
ANSWER: Often, manufacturers affix a disclaimer tag on the inside of garments stating that dye transfer is normal and part of the manufacturing process. If this is the case, it's unlikely the retailer will accept a return. If the denim you purchased does not have such a label, you would be best off returning the jeans as soon as possible with an explanation.
Denim typically stops bleeding and sets after several washes, so be sure to wash the jeans separately for many cycles. However, in your case it sounds like there may be a defect in the dye.
QUESTION: I follow your column regularly and am never disappointed. I have a pen mark (gel ink roller pen) on a wonderful cotton sweater. Also, I inadvertently dropped a blue marking pen (permanent) on a white polyester jacket. The dry cleaners have stated the ink would more than likely spread if they tried to remove it. Any suggestions would be a big help. Thank you. Claudette (Winnipeg)
ANSWER: Whenever I find ink on fabrics, my first instinct is to spray the area with either cheap hairspray or shaving cream. On smooth fabrics, hairspray works extremely well. On leather, dish soap is a fast cure depending on the ink, and shaving cream often makes the ink disappear on upholstery or fabric. However, be cautious because if you try several different products on the same area they have a tendency to set the stain, making it indelible.
