Cleaning WWI Grenade Bandolier Vest

[MilitaryMuseum]

Hello, how would you fully clean and fully remove dog odors from this vest?  It smells of dog and was probably slept on or worse.  The vest doesn't really have any stains or blemish that I can see so it could have just collected the odor overtime.  I cleaned it in the sink with dawn dishwashing liquid by letting it soak for about a hour and then rubbing it in the water.  I put it on a towel and have let it air dry.  I looked at it when I got home and it is better but I can still smell the dog smell.  Is there anything I can do to clean it good and remove the smell? 

Thanks

John  

[danimal03]

Hello,

I am sure others know more about this than I do.  However, I understand the problems a smelly relic can bring.  Others may disagree, but if it were me, I would wash with soap and water, let it air dry, And if smell persists, then dump a couple of bottles of febreeze on it (or soak it). Let it dry. Then I would then rinse it again and let air dry.  That is what I would do.  Someone may chime and warn of possible long-term effects of febreeze. 

 

If so, then do not use it.  But I have not heard of any.  But the studies of long-term effects of febreeze are still not in...

 

I had a relic that stank. My wife would not let me put it in the house it stunk so bad.  But I basically did what I mentioned and let it air dry for a long time under protected cover.  Today it has no smell. And that was about 7 years ago, and I have seen no ill-effects of the febreeze. Sorry if this is of no help.

 

Like I said, others may have a better method.  But for me when it came down to it, I either had to get rid of the smell, or move the relic on.

[daskrieg]

I bought a collection that smelled like mildew and musk I simply hung everything out on the wash line for about a week and then brought it in and the smell went away, be careful not to use chemicals. I also had a German helmet that was in a fire and the liner smelled of smoke, I put the liner in a ziplock bag with mothballs and about a year later the smell was gone. It takes time to get rid of smells but it can be done