Toxic smelling mattress covers?

[kelley]

Hi folks---
I just received some zippered mattress covers from bedbathstore.com---I think they're vinyl.

Anyway--I popped them open and they smell something awful! I don't usually find myself reacting to things like this, but these emit such a strong chemical/plastic odor.

Also bought a few vinyl zippered chests---I put my towels in them and now they are infused with this noxious scent.

I'm a little nervous about using them and just wondered if anyone has had a similar strong smell from their mattress covers, and if it dissipates, or what.

I know these are important, but I don't want the treatment to be worse than the cure.

Thanks,
kelley

[carla]

I've not heard of that before Kelley. Is there anywhere you can air them before using. If not open all your windows for a few hours .
I know they put some dodgy chemicals in plastics now so your right to worry .
xx

[Morgan]

Yes, they all smell when you first open them. I usually unwrap them and let them sit for a few days before using them in a room that is uninhabited. Pillow covers as well. They are awfully uncomfortable without a matress pad on top which you can clean in amonia. Otherwise you will be sweating in the heat and freezing in the winter. Me and hubby couldn't stand them directly under the sheet. Misery.

The smell does go away.

Morgan

[Kritters]

Kelley and all,

This reminds me of my recent thoughts about upholstered furniture. Can you imagine all the mites in that? I am big on slip-covers plus I like the shabby chic look ;-) but, even thinking of what's partying on underneath isn't very comforting. Guess it's time to rejuvenate those plastic slip covers! LOL

I draw the line at the Elvis painting on black velvet, though.

p.s. one serious interjection. Sometime in the 70's when finding yard sale treasures and re-upholstering for your own home, I had a friend who was really big on that. She developed rheumatoid arthritis at the ripe young age of 25. Even then I made the association. wow. what a genius I am. Just ask me. LOL

Kritts

[tcmgpt13]

I used some white vinegar (about two cups) in the washing machine to help remove the chemical odors when I first opened my vinyl mattress cover (I agree that the smell was just awful). I then partially dried it on the air cycle of my dryer and after that air dried it the rest of the way over a line. Putting it first in the dryer on the air cycle seemed to keep it from getting stiff. It also sped up the drying time on the line and also seemed to have fewer wrinkles than similar items I have washed in the past and only line dried. There was still some odor afterwards but it was greatly reduced.

[lgiselac]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Kritters]

got any dynamite?

Only kidding ;-) I suggest taking any and every precaution you can, and I stress, 'you can' and deem appropriate. Considering we don't know anything for sure about this disease, you could very well be throwing out some really valuable furniture you can't replace. You can spray it down with eco-vie, you can slip cover it, you can put some throws over it and keep washing them.

My thought is that if they are old, I'd ditch them. One way or another, they've got some nasty organisms inside them which will not help your situation.

I just went through this. I have to tell you I had this awesome sofa/loveseat I splurged on about 15 years ago. I absolutely love these pieces and just three years ago replaced the cushions and had slip covers made for them. Then all this s__t happened and I had to rent out my property and the tenant wants to buy it and moved all his stuff in as he moved all my stuff into the garage. I made the decision to just purge it all. End any connection to this illness and move on to a new life. I paid someone to put my stuff on the curb and take the rest and it was all taken before the sun went down. Sad, but some things are more important and I have faith that it will get better beyond my imagination for all of us.
Kritts

[kelley]

Just want to say thanks to you all---

carla and morgan---after letting the mattress and pillow covers sit out for a day, the smell has definitely dissipated. Not so with the scary vinyl "chests" however.

tcmgpt13---do you wash your covers regularly in the wash/dryer/line, or was it just for the first time out? I had just planned on spraying them down with eco-vie...

kritters---so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved furniture set. sounds like we share a similar aesthetic--although, if I had seen an elvis black velvet painting cheap enough in a thrift store, in pre-morg days I would have swiped it up! I'm in the early stages of "letting go" as I try to clean my house---desperation is increasing my feelings of non-attachment. the upside of this is that I've got lots of vinyl/naughahyde pieces, which are at least easy to clean.

lgiselac---the acupuncturist/herbalist that I'm seeing says that this thing isn't attracted to leather. it's pretty early in the game for me, too, and so, from my own experience, I can't say this is definitively so, but it does seem a little better than cloth so far.

---kelley

[Kritters]

Kelley...go for the leather. Then get it slip-covered. then put throws on them.

That's my plan anyway. (you should have seen my sofa/ls....) sob, sob. I really do miss them. I know it's not spiritually suggestive to hang onto materialistic things, and believe me, I'm not materialistic but.....quality. Quality rules.

[tcmgpt13]

Hi, no I just washed it that one time and put it on the bed. After that I cleaned it with a lint roller and then use some peppermint enzyme spray from Safe2use, wiping it down afterwards. I imagine any natural cleaning spray would be okay as well.