My backpack of cologne
As has been made abundantly clear, I like (Syracuse) Orange. Many months ago I saw this beautiful backpack on sale at LL Bean’s website and I could not resist. It is, quite frankly, the love of my life.
We have had some good times together. And the bag has received many, what I will call, "compliments." Yes, everyone loves it. Why wouldn’t they?
Several months ago I packed the backpack for an excursion into New York City. In the bag went clothes, iPod, camera, and my toiletries, including a bottle of cologne. But maybe I’ve said too much already.
As usual, things were going great with me and my bag. He held stuff securely as we had fun, looking so fresh & so clean the entire time. On my last day in New York City I had some time on my own before catching my bus ride home, so I decided to walk across town. Just me and my bag and an insatiable curiosity!
But as I made my way down the streets of NYC, I noticed that everyone passing by me was wearing a lot of cologne. No, not just a lot. It seemed all the men in NYC bathed in cologne. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 guys walked by me, all seemingly drenched in some strongly scented perfume. “Why,” I thought, “do so many men in New York wear so much damn cologne?”
And then finally it hit me. On a street corner (probably next to one of 150 H&Ms in NYC), I unpacked my bag to confirm my fears. I found an open bottle and a pool of cologne at the bottom of the bag.
Right there I cleaned the bag the best I could. I repacked it and made my way home, stowing it in the undercarriage of the bus. The smell held strong the whole bus ride. I hoped airing it out over time would do the trick. On my body the cologne usually loses its scent by the end of the day. Over a few weeks the odor on the bag did not relent. Since then I have soaked it in Woolight. I have thrown the bag in the washing machine. The scent has only faded slightly, but it will not leave. In fact, on a long car ride today I noticed the scent return with a new vengeance as it sat in the window, baking in the sun.
I like my cologne. It took me awhile to find a scent I was comfortable with and this one is perfect when used in moderation. But this stench that has grabbed hold of my bag is something completely different.
So I turn to you, Voters. What do I do? How do I send this uninvited guest home? What can I do to return my bag to its untainted and scent free existence?
Labels: help, syracuse orange
5 Comments:
Have you tried washing it in HOT water? You could also try some of that "fit wash" stuff that you use on sports clothes and gets smelly sweaty clothes less smelly?
This is probably nuts, but what happens if you wash it in hot water with baking soda? Doesn't baking soda eliminate odors? Or would that do something to the backpack. I don't know anything about anything (I've never even heard of "fit wash" for instance -- not doubting its existence, merely showcasing my own ignorance).
yep, jon is probably right. baking soda should work. so should white vinegar. i would try in a bucket or bathtub with lots of water mixing 1 c. white vinegar, 1 c. baking soda (water first, otherwise you'll have a volcano!) and soaking the backpack over night. maybe even hand scrub a bit. then wash the pack again with an unscented detergent like arm and hammer. problem is, those bean backpacks are hella durable, with thick ripstop, thick thread and lots of little crevices for smell to get stuck in. when you're soaking the bag, try turning it inside out and really poking out the corners so that they get a good soaking. let us know how it turns out, i'll be curious to hear if anything really works.
You seriously have the funniest things happen to you. I'm sure it's not so funny to you, but thanks for sharing for my enjoyment. I appreciate it. :) Let us know how the baking soda/vinegar mix works out...
When a skunk sprays you, you're supposed to bathe in tomato juice, or as much as you can get diluted in water. You could try that.
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