How can you get cigarette smoke out of a new coat without washing it?

gift for baby boy 3 years old image

Victoria

Is it possible to make a brand new baby's snowsuit smell fresh again after it has been exposed to cigarette smoke in a heavy smoker's house? Earlier this summer I got a deal on baby clothes. My niece had just had a baby boy in July. A few years ago, I had been laid off for a while and didn't have extra money to buy my son Christmas presents. My church helped us out and we were so grateful. Besides something small my mother gave him, those were the only gifts he got that year. When I saw all these beautiful marked down clothes, I bought extra girl's clothes thinking that I could make some family's Christmas this year just like someone for us a few years ago.

One of the items I got was a snowsuit. This is a beautiful snowsuit that is rated to keep a baby warm in temperatures as low as minus 15. I haven't seen my niece in about 3 years, and have never seen either her two year old daughter or her newborn son, even though she lives only about 20 miles away from me.

I stopped by my sister-in-law's house last week to deliver the presents I bought for the new baby. I didn't go into the house because all the clothes were together in a bag, and I wanted to keep the clothes I was going to donate smelling nice. When I gave my sister-in-law the boys clothes for her daughter, she saw the snowsuit. She said that my niece wouldn't care that it was for a girl. It wasn't really that frilly. I was reluctant to leave it for her daughter's approval because my sister-in-law, her younger daughter and her husband are heavy smokers and things that go into their house, even casually, come out smelling awful. She seemed so excited about the snowsuit, though, I let her keep it for her daughter's approval.

I talked to her today and her daughter doesn't want it. The snowsuit is red, yellow and blue, sort of Russian-looking with flowers and firebirds. Because of the flowers, my niece thinks it's too girly. I would like to donate it to the church as I had originally intended, but I know that after spending a week in their house it has gone from being a nice gift to a stinking mess.

Is there anyway I can make this snowsuit smell nice enough for a baby again? I don't want to wash it, because then it wouldn't be new anymore. I would like this beautiful snowsuit to keep some child warm this winter, and I would like it to be a nice gift. Any advice you can give will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
T.B. I'll try that as soon as I pick it up. I'll pick some up on the way. You've jump-started my brain. If Fabreez doesn't work, maybe Dry-el will. Thanks.
Nowadays, boys' clothes and girls' clothes are substantially different. When I was a baby in the 1950s any baby would have worn that suit. My snowsuit was blue with a teddy bear on it. It would be considered a "boys" suit now. My dad was born in 1919 and wore dresses when he was a baby. I didn't really plan on giving it to my niece, but I was happy to help because her mother said she needed one. My son would have worn that suit. Little babies don't care if the motif on their suit is "teddy" flavor or "birdie" flavor. They are just happy to be warm.
Thanks to everyone for some very good ideas. I think I'll try leaving it outside first, then Fabreze and outside again. If all else fails I'll try Dryel. I wouldn't have thought of the Dryel without your suggestions of Fabreze. Smoke odor can stay in an item for months. When I was a girl, the woman who sewed my school uniforms was a heavy smoker. Sometimes my mother would get my uniforms in June, and the smoke odor would still be there in September. I feel more confident now that I can get of the smoke odor out of the snowsuit if I use some updated methods along with the tried and true method of airing it in the fresh breeze. Thank you so much.

Answer
I vote for a combination of two previous answers! First, hang the snowsuit outside. Hang it outside for several days. Bring it in at night so it doesn't get wet with dew. When you bring it in, spray it with Fabreez. (My favorite is the "Clean Linen" scent.) Hang it outside the next day. It would be best to hang it in the shade so the sun doesn't fade it. After 3 days of hanging it outside and spraying it with Fabreez when you bring it in for the night, I would think the smoke smell would be gone.

You are such a sweetheart to want to give the snowsuit to someone who really needs it!

Your 'Additional Details' reminded me of when my two were little. I had a girl and then a boy, born 13 months apart. Money was tight back then! My daughter had a fuzzy pink coat that she received as a birthday gift when she turned one. When she outgrew it, I put it on my son. He wore "The Pink Coat" until he outgrew it! Now he is 39, tall, strong, and very good looking -- but he has a kind and gentle side. Whenever someone comments on what a nice guy he is, he always says, "It is because I wore 'The Pink Coat'!"

Let's keep those babies warm!

What can daddy do while mommys pregnant?

Mommy2baga

Ok, my husband and I wanted a baby long before we got married. I have a 3 year old girl, and he has a 3 year old boy. We've been married ten months and i'm 5 months pregnant. Problem is, daddy is so not involved in this. he goes to my doctors appts and all, but i want him to be active. help with the gift registry, planning the shower, choosing a name and picking out the baby stuff. What can i do to make this more interesting for him?

Answer
dont worry. guys dont give for baby showers and that stuff. but its normal for a guy to do that. they dont realize tht we are tugging around a huge watermelon for 9 months and our emotions are sky high.

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