Question from cold canary in the coal
My “new” used coat came to me with a strong toxic chemical smell. It smells like a very sweet fragrance, but has a much more intense component to it than any other scented item I’ve had to deal with. The coat is a fake suede/sherpa made from polyester, I believe. The label says it’s dry clean only, so I suspect part of what I’m smelling is perc.
I had immediate symptoms from the exposure to the coat, which was similar to my reactions to toluene, which is common in fragrances, but there was a different quality to it. It seems to volatilize off the fabric with more noticeable particles, and felt stickier, like dryer sheets (but much stronger even). It impacted my brain similarly as well, but wasn’t as heavy as toluene, which makes me feel like there’s a heavy cold blanket pressing down on my brain. This made me feel more dizzy, lighter, but with the same weakness in my knees. I had shortness of breath for quite a while longer after a relatively much shorter exposure than with toluene, accompanied with nausea. The most dramatic difference was that the smell travelled through two layers of plastic trash bags, over a period of a few days, which the smell from clothes with toluene based fragrances doesn’t.
It might seem crazy even to suggest that this coat should not be immediately taken to a hazardous waste site, but I’m poor and cold, and because I’m chemically injured and severely sensitized, have tremendous difficulty finding clothes that don’t make me ill, so everything I wear has to be decontaminated first. I usually have to wash second hand clothes at least a dozen or two times in massive amounts of baking soda and borax and vinegar. New clothes also have to be washed repeatedly. And I simply can’t afford to buy organic clothes, which sometimes require just as much decontamination.
Sooooo, I wonder if there’s anything that works to get this horrible toxic substance out of the thick fabric of my coat? I’ve already taken it to a CO2 cleaner and they seem to have reduced it slightly. I’ve thought of hanging it out on the roof for a while, throw it in a dryer on cold air for a few hours, and dump it in more layers of plastic with a few pounds of baking soda and borax and leave it in there for a few weeks, shaking it occasionally. I’m not sure how safe it is to soak the coat in water, and am concerned about prolonged exposure, but have thought of hosing it down for a long period of time with a garden hose, then let it dry in place. Am I delusional in thinking that I will ever be able to wear this coat, or is there any chance I can get the perc out?
Debra’s Answer
I would suggest taking the coat to the hazardous waste site, however, I understand your predicament.
My understanding about perc is that it is a volatile organic chemical which will dissipate within a few days if left out to air. So I’m not sure whatever you are smelling is perc.
Readers, any suggestions?
