Game Used Jersey Stinks! To wash or not

[rll31]

I recently purchased a game used David Price jersey. Pulled from one of his starts last week. Totally pumped on this pick-up. I open the box up today, take it out the item and step back admire. A minute later, I realize it reeks of BO. Some would say the smell adds to the awesomeness of this item, but I don't think I can hang this up in my house smelling like this.

Obviously I want to preserve the item as much as possible, and I don't want to damage the jersey or the MLB hologram on it. I'm going to air it out for a few days, but if it still smells this much, do I wash it? Spray it with Febreeze? Relish in the authenticity of it, and let it stink? Thanks in advance for the advice!

[aphanna25]

Intrigued at what the responses will be. I've got a jersey that reeks of BO and a heavy "musk" scent also and was going to post here.

[Wrigley2010]

I've had the same issue with a Matt Garza Cubs jersey which I believe originated from a member here. It absolutely reeked of body odor/sweat and I thought I could live with it, I was wrong. I was also afraid it would contaminate my other jerseys which were stored in the same area. I knew washing it was out of the question because I would lose not only the smell but also the dirt and probably the holograms as well.

I tried airing it out for a few weeks rotating it from outside to inside depending on the weather. That didn't work at all. So I decided to try Febreze and it did work but took a long time to kill the odor. I would apply it twice each week for a period of two months. It took that long for the odor to become tolerable. It still has a smell today but I'd say it's about 20% of what it use to be. Hope this helps.

[R. C. Walker]

Had a similar issue with a jersey. It was pretty bad.

All I did was purchase a spray bottle of Fabreze, hung the jersey insideout in the garage and sprayed so it was just a mist lightly throughout the jersey. Let it hang for a day and did it again. Turned it right side out and did it one last time a day later. Depending on how bad, you might have to repeat.

Good as new.

[Phil316]

I bought several Seahawks gamers direct from players last year. Each where put in a clear plastic bag after a game. All are unwashed. I pulled them out last week as I smelled an odor. Sure enough the culprit was a Kam Chancellor. I had forgotten about it. I usually let the straight off the field stuff air out in the garage. I have never sprayed my items or put anything on them.

[slam]

I've had success with a dryer sheet in a ziplock bag.

[ndevlin]

Had a similar issue with a jersey. It was pretty bad.

All I did was purchase a spray bottle of Fabreze, hung the jersey insideout in the garage and sprayed so it was just a mist lightly throughout the jersey. Let it hang for a day and did it again. Turned it right side out and did it one last time a day later. Depending on how bad, you might have to repeat.

Good as new.

Have done the exact same thing in the past and worked just fine.

[rll31]

The jersey has been getting aired out for the past few days. Still stinks pretty badly. Not quite as bad as when I opened the box, but they are about to get a mist of febreeze.

Thanks for the input everyone!

[RJB44]

I would wash it. I know some people like the dirt stains and all that, but to admire the BO, no thanks. Personally, I don't even care for dirt stains, but I don't collect high profile players. I would really have no interest in displaying or even storing a dirty jersey, but that's just me.

[SavedbyGrace]

For me personally, the BO goes along with a jersey being game used. I actually may go so far as I won't buy a jersey if it's washed. It adds to the authenticity. That's just me, I guess. I prefer unwashed jerseys

[danesei@yahoo.com]

For me personally, the BO goes along with a jersey being game used. I actually may go so far as I won't buy a jersey if it's washed. It adds to the authenticity. That's just me, I guess. I prefer unwashed jerseys

Given most older jerseys were washed by the team equipment manager, that might be a hard rule to adhere to.

Anyway, I'd use Febreze Heavy Duty, then store in a container with baking soda.
http://media2.febreze.com/m/Packshots/First_Defense_Allergen_HD_PNGS/Febreze_500ml_CrispClean_HD_L.png

[ndevlin]

For me personally, the BO goes along with a jersey being game used. I actually may go so far as I won't buy a jersey if it's washed. It adds to the authenticity. That's just me, I guess. I prefer unwashed jerseys

You aren't married, are you?;)

[Phil316]

So here it is from the other end.

I purchased last week a unwashed football jersey. It arrived this morning and when i opened the package a strong smell of a masking agent (could be febreeze) filled the living room and my face. It was never mentioned in the auction that this jersey was hammered on with chemicals.

I will let it air out for a day or two. hopefully I can get some balance.

[danesei@yahoo.com]

So here it is from the other end.

I purchased last week a unwashed football jersey. It arrived this morning and when i opened the package a strong smell of a masking agent (could be febreeze) filled the living room and my face. It was never mentioned in the auction that this jersey was hammered on with chemicals.

I will let it air out for a day or two. hopefully I can get some balance.

Hey Phil, I doubt the smell was from Febreze. Although Febreze does have a smell initially, the perfuming agents tend to dissipate rather quickly. The way Febreze works is that the chemicals actually capture odor chemicals, so the perfume is really just there so people think something is happening. They could probably have a neutralizer without the floral scents, but my assumption is the actual smell of the base chemical probably didn't test well with market research groups. Perhaps the smell had no smell that people felt they were paying for nothing but air.

[Phil316]

I messaged the seller. He said he used Lysol.

[Jayworld]

For me personally, the BO goes along with a jersey being game used. I actually may go so far as I won't buy a jersey if it's washed. It adds to the authenticity. That's just me, I guess. I prefer unwashed jerseys

I know that several members feel the way you do and won't wash anything, as it "adds" to the authenticity of the item. I agree with the earlier post about older or vintage stuff not being washed; the same thought process (in my opinion) seems to permeate several iterations of the baseball hobby, including vintage cards, as to soak or not to soak (process of soaking pre-1960s cards that have heavy stains, dirt, etc. in warm water then pressing them out). Many, many tobacco era cards were glued into albums and then removed later and any album residue was removed through soaking, so who knows exactly if a card that is vintage has been soaked for sure or not? (to the purists that don't believe in soaking).

The same could be said for those that are against washing game-used jerseys. If you buy a GU jersey that is vintage and it is relatively clean, how do you know for sure if it has/has not been washed at anytime in the past?

Wash it if you want to, if not, don't. No right or wrong really; I've found that washing in cold on a gentle cycle helps tremendously, and using Dreft spray (used to remove stains in baby clothing) works tremendously.

Happy collecting!