If you buy vintage things, sooner or later you're going to receive a package that smells like cigarettes and/or perfume. I recently received two in one week. Yuk! I tried my usual remedies and neither worked. I got online and Google came to the rescue. Thought I'd pass my findings on here.
One of the orders had porous beads in it, so I didn't feel comfortable using vinegar on them. The other was old brass and I was afraid the vinegar would clean the brass. Didn't want that to happen! So, I didn't even attempt to try the vinegar. I took a one quart yogurt container, put the bone beads in and covered with baking soda. Left it for a few days. When I opened it, the odor was still there.
Next, I tried coffee. I put the beads in a yogurt container lid and set them on a bed of coffee beans in a plastic container with a lid. Left it a few days. That didn't work either.
With Google's info, I put my beads back in a new yogurt container and covered them with clean cat litter. After a day the odor was gone! Worked with the brass too.
Until next time.....
