$80 for a 'vintage' sweater on Etsy that smelled like mothballs and BO

I spent $80 on a sweater from some obscure blog-recommended Etsy shop (it was actually a thrift flipper's blog, not even a real person). It arrived last week and reeked so bad I had to soak it in vinegar for two days. Has anyone else had a total miss from a blog hyping up a seller?

2 comments

2 Comments

theagarcia8d ago

...and honestly the vinegar soak is a solid first step but here's what I've learned from getting burned the same way. Next time try a ozone spray meant for upholstery, it neutralizes smells without ruining the fabric like vinegar can if you leave it too long. Also if the seller didn't disclose the smell in the listing, you can push Etsy to let you return it even if their policy says no returns on vintage. I had to do that once with a coat that reeked of cigarettes and they sided with me after I sent photos of the smell test (seal it in a bag for 24 hours, video the stank when you open it). Sorry you got ripped off, some of those thrift flippers don't even bother to clean stuff before reselling.

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beth_hunt8d ago

Did you try the baking soda + vacuum trick? That saved me with a wool sweater that smelled like old attic. I spread a thick layer over it, let it sit for a full 48 hours, then vacuumed it off carefully. Took two rounds but the smell was totally gone. Also if the vinegar thing didnt work, try a cheap vodka spray. No joke, vodka kills smells on fabric without any damage, just test it on a hidden spot first. Sucks that sellers pull this, feels like half the time they just toss stuff in a box without even airing it out.