Diapers Q&A

How do I clean the inside of my purse and diaper bag?

I have a purse I got at Kohl's and a diaper bag I got at Target. Both were about $40 each. They have been used by someone who smokes and I want to clean them. I have called all the dry cleaners in my area and no one cleans purses. The oustide of the purses are fine - it is the inside smell. I don't want to put them in my washer - for fear of breaking it. I have read to put baking soda on the inside and then Febreze it. My major concern is the smoke smell for the diaper bag - as I will be giving birth in a few days and I don't want to contaminate my newborn's things. Should I just take them to the laundromat? I really can't afford to buy another diaper bag - and I like the purse. Any suggestions???

Public Comments

1. If you bought this diaper bag new it should not smell of smoke. Take it back.............. If you can't, try some vinegar and water.
2. I had a few cloth lined cosmetic bags that I picked up at a flea market last fall. The inside of the flea market had a damp musty smell to it. Therefore, my bags had that smell inside and out. I wiped the bags off with a damp rag with a little detergent on it. I rinsed the rag with water and wiped them down again a few times. I left them on the back porch with windows opened to air them out. The outside of the bags were okay. But, the inside still had that damp musty smell in them. I took dryer sheets and put 2 in each bag and zippered them shut. I left them for a few days and just checked them. The musty smell is gone, I could still smell the scent from the dryer sheets. This worked really well for me. I hope you find this helpful.
3. Get one of the Dryel dry cleaning kits for home. They should work!
4. If the diaper bag is plastic, it is safe to wash but not dry. if it is cloth, then you can wash and dry it. after using mine with my son for awhile, they tend to get dirty (with milk and other things like that) and I always machine washed mine. the purse however, if it is lined with cloth, I would turn it inside out and febreze it well and let it air out. good luck.
5. You will kick yourself when I tell you this, Use the sterilizing solution you will be using to clean your baby´s bottles with. this will clean and disinfect it
6. Febreeze the purse, not the diaper bag since the chemicals in Febreeze may be an allergen to a newborn. Put baking soda in a sock (tied, of course) and place the socks in the handbag and diaper bag. After a day, take out the socks and put in a couple of Arm and Hammer dryer sheets. If you keep Arm and Hammer dryer sheets in your diaper bag and use them in the dryer with your babies clothes, you won't believe the difference, just remember to change them frequently. It's a good idea to use them in your newborn's laundry hamper, as well. If you live in a southern climate and have sunshine, it's always a great way to kill odors and germs by placing the bags in the sun. Congratulations on your new addition:)
7. If the purse or the diaper bag are made of cloth inside and out, I agree with the Dryel method. If one or both have the plastic liners inside, the dryer could ruin them. You could turn it inside out, and wipe with a damp towel, add a little bit of Dawn, wipe it down and rinse it with a clean damp cloth, then leave to dry. If you put it outside to dry, be warned that it may smell like 'outside' afterwards. (you know, just like little boys smell when they come in from playing) I'd also spray the outside of both down with Febreeze, but not the insides. Afterwards, put either Baking Soda, a dryer sheet, or even an apple cut in two. (apples also are great for absorbing odors. I use them in my car all the time...just be sure to take it out in a day or so.)
8. YOU CAN NEVER GET THE SMELLEY STINKY SMOKEY smell out!!! Sorry!!
9. try putting in a 1/4 cup of coffee grounds in a ziplock bag....puncture a few holes...so you can smell the aroma of the grounds...place inside of the bags for a couple of days ...remove should do the trick
10. After washing, yes, you can get the odor out. Someone else mentioned charcoal. I have the perfect product that I've used for years and know dozens of other people that use it. It is a product called FRIDGE IT odor absorbers. It is a little purple cube with an incredible activated carbon filter inside that is really, really, great. It works so much better than baking soda and all those sprays and fragrances that just cover up smells and doesn't get rid of them. Also, alot of sprays have warning statements about being eye irritant. The carbon literally absorbs and eliminates the odors and works for a long time. Just place a couple in the bags. - only a couple dollars each. I use this product everywhere including car(smoke and pet smells), storage, closets, my fridge and also under sinks, near trash and have friends that use it on cat litter box and also diaper pails - it's that good. I really recommend it. You can buy it in kitchen gadget sections in stores like walmart and linens and things. I also think camping world sells it. Someone else even said available in England. Definitely worth trying
11. New items such as purses & diaper bags should not smell like cigarettes. You need to return both items & exchange them for ones that no one has bought & returned.
12. Take a sponge and 1/4Th cup of white vinegar and 1/4 cup of water,and sponge clean the inside. wipe dry,and do it again,the vinegar is a odor eater and should do it.You can also leave a bowl of vinegar in the bag, zip it up and leave it overnight.
13. I would put them in the bathtub and give them a good bath and rinse and turn upside down to drip dry I have washed all different kinds of purses and we all should escpeccially with germs that get on them with a new baby. I believe I would put Pine sol or Lysol to kill germs in bathwater also, use baby bath soap also very gentle and smells good!Good Luck
14. Put a dirty diaper, I don't mean just urine, or two in both your purse and the diaper bag. Carry them around a day or so and you will no longer notice the smoke smell. If possible leave them in the in the car in the hot sun for an hour or so during the time the dirty diaper is in them.
15. well first you take everything out and then take a damped rag and wipe the inside of it out then let it dry out by airdry
16. Congratulations on your new arrival. A simple cleaning will work but it depends on what material the articles are made of. I have put baking soda in a purse like 1/2 cup over night and then vacuumed it out. Shake it around really well. Cigarette smoke is easy to get rid of. You can hand wash the articles in cool water and drip dry. This is not a good idea with leather. Things will get better. Be sure to get the help you need so you can get adequate rest and nutrition.
17. Pack your newborns things in your bag when you go to the hospital. The hospital is going to give you a bag to take home, they gave me at least 2 free bags with each kid I've had. Trust me, they give away bags from the diaper company, the formula company, etc. I also received a pack of Maxi pads that came in a cute beach bag. The hospitals have tons of freebies that they send you home with so you will have a new diaper bag when you leave the hospital! Ditch that diaper bag. There are toxins from the cigarette smoke that are in the fibers of that bag, they might not even wash off if you were to wash it 12 times. It's not worth risking the health of your newborn! If the purse isn't lined in plastic I say try washing it on gentle cycle in the washer is worth a shot. I'd run it through twice then let it air dry and see if it still reeks of smoke. I'd throw them both out and call it a day.
18. If the materials are washable, you can put them in an old pair of panty hose to wash on gentle cycle in the washer in cold wash. It will hold it together. Air dry. Works for stuffed toys also or anything you are afraid of falling apart.
19. Try cleaning it with white vinegar. After you've done that, try citrus rind to get rid of the smell.