I have some yarn…mostly wool and wool blends that has been couped up in a tote type plastic storage container for at least 10 years…It smells kind of yukky…not really musty…I do not think it was ever in my basement.
How can I rid it of the smell? I have an enclosed porch that has screens…no glass windows…should I put it out there for awhile? I live in VT so the air might be damp a little. Thank you very much for your help! 
Yarn Smells
try misting it with febreeze! just don’t rub it while it’s wet 
(no comments!)
I’ve had good luck with putting them into lingerie bags and tied up pillow cases, and into the dryer on air fluff with a Bounce sheet. Worked wonders on getting the Goodwill smell out of some neat fingering weight boucle I bought once.
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Sometimes if you put it in the sun for a while that helps, too, for some reason.
The sun is a natural deodorizer/antibacterial agent.
You could also try putting some sachets of cedar chips or lavender with your yarn after you’ve got the stink out to make sure it doesn’t get stinky again.
I just thought of something else–charcoal! Charcoal absorbs icky smells–I used to throw a couple chunks in my laundry hamper when I was in college. You could make a sachet out of baking soda, too, and stick that in your yarn basket… it will help absorb any odors, but won’t add any smell.
Airing it out would work, but might take a while. The sun is great for deodorizing, but might also cause it to fade a little and you would have to unravel the whole ball to get all of the smell out. I personally like the dryer suggestion. Just remember to use a low heat.
If that doesn’t work for you, try soaking it for 10 minutes in cold water with a few drops of vinegar mixed in. Press as much of the water out as you can with towels, then put the ball in your delicates bag/pillowcase and back in the dryer on low. Once it’s dry, leave it in your porch for a day to air out and it should be good to go.
I’m having a similar problem. I bought some yarn off ebay, and one of the set stinks. I don’t know what the smell is, but it’s ucka!
I want to use this yarn to make gifts for my mother, so I don’t want it to be stinky. It’s wool yarn.
My concern is that if I wash it and dry it, it will felt. I’ve never felted before, and I’m not exactly sure what the process entails, but I don’t want my skeins to felt together.
So…any suggestions? This isn’t going to be stored away for a long time or anything. I just need to do something to get the stink out. I can’t even stand working with it how it is. 
Thanks.
It’s not washing that felts yarn, its the agitation. Otherwise we’d never be able to wash our wool sweaters. Just gently place it in warm water with some good smelling wool wash and gently move it around. Hang it up to dry and it should be ok.
All great suggestions, but what I want to know is where in Vermont do you live? I used to live in Windsor till three years ago.
Not only that, but I used to work for the Postal Service, too (till 1992).
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Ahh. Ok. That clears it up.
Does it have to be a special wool wash? Or will any laundry soap do?
(I use Method which is really gentle on clothes. And it’s not tested on animals and safe for the environment! It’s awesome stuff. I tell everyone about it. :lol: )
Don’t spray your yarn with febrese.
I don’t see how airing it out could hurt, but …
Why not just knit your project with the stinky yarn and then wash it when you are finished?
Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one.
If you hand wash your wool garments in cold water they won’t felt.
As much as I love the stuff, I wouldn’t. I don’t use it anymore. It’s distributed by Proctor and Gamble (pretty much the worst animal testing company out there). So, alas, I can’t…er, choose not to use Febreeze. There’s usually a generic version anyway. So, I use that instead.
I thought about that. But…it’s -really- gross smelling. I tried making a swatch during a movie the other night to get a feel for it. About 20 minutes was all I could do. I had to put it in the next room after that. I don’t know what the hell that smell is but it sure is gross.
Any of those products will work fine, just don’t over do it. The more you use the more difficult it will be to rinse out. Even regular old baking soda will work.
P.S. I use natural biodegradable laundry soap as well, but keep in mind the occasional wash with Tide really does a good job at brightening the colors in your clothes.
Jeez, if it’s that bad, maybe it’s time to cut your losses and just throw it out. Yuck!
I’ve had most of my clothes for many many years now. It’d take more than a wash with Tide to brighten them up. 
If the wash in the sink doesn’t help I probably will. But, there’s no reason to not give it a shot.
Hopefully that’ll take care of it. crosses fingers
I have put dryer sheets in with yarn that smells like smoke and it took the smell away 
JulieYou might try sticking it all in a zip bag with some lavender oil and cedar chips (or lavender flowers) both will repel the buggies latter. Both smell great! Just zip it up and stash it away. You can get the chips in the laundry isle at walmart. My walmart even has lavender moth balls.
Hmm, thanks for the tips.