Showing posts with label Perfume Hack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Perfume Hack. Show all posts

Saturday, October 29, 2022

PERFUME HACK - My Perfume Bottle is Cloudy Inside!

Collectors of antique perfume bottles may find some that are desirable but which have turned cloudy. Denatured alcohol is sometimes effective in clearing the glass. Vinegar or a weak solution of muriatic acid in water is sometimes effective. Javelle water is a powerful bleach or some of the commercially made bleaches used in laundering clothes can be used to remove cloudy appearance from glass. After using any of these solutions, the bottle must be washed with soap and hot water and then rinsed thoroughly before it is used again for perfume. 

An old fashioned cleaning method is to place a handful of birdshot, dried lentils or uncooked rice with hot soapsuds in the bottle and shake gently. Torn up newspapers in hot soapsuds is effective for a wide mouthed bottle. Remember to use a sieve when pouring out the cleaning solution and whatever you used such as the birdshot or uncooked rice. You can rinse off the birdshot and reuse them later, but be sure to empty the uncooked rice into your trashcan. Do not pour it down your drain.

Other suggestions are to use toilet bowl cleaner to remove water scum and other dried on substances from glass bottles. I have also had some luck with nail polish remover (acetone) - shaken around and then the interior of the bottle rinsed out very well with soapy water.

If you have a cork stuck inside your perfume bottle. Tie a good knot in a piece of strong, put the knot end into the bottle, shake the cork into the neck of the bottle, pull the string and the cork will come out with it.

Sunday, February 18, 2018

Help! My Perfume Has Sediment and has Darkened

I get a lot of questions from readers who cannot understand why their vintage perfume has little things floating in them. I have definitely had my share of bottles that had the floaties in some of my old perfumes too. This is mainly due to the natural decomposition process of the perfume. 

According to some of the questions I get from readers, they are afraid they may have unknowingly bought a counterfeit. While it is true that many modern counterfeits may have nasty bits floating in the suspicious fluid, there are perfectly reasonable explanations why you could find sediment in your genuine vintage bottle. 

If you collect vintage perfume you will notice some of the resins tend to collect in the bottom of the bottle. The sediment is actually the natural oils and essences coagulating as they start to break down. The alcohol and water inside will probably start to evaporate slowly over time and you will be left with a thick, syrupy concentrated perfume residue inside.

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

PERFUME HACK - Removing Perfume Stains

Did you spill perfume or cologne on your favorite dress or did your cat knock over your best bottle of perfume onto the carpet? Here are some quick and easy tips to remove those stains!

From Fabrics:


Helpful Tip: Treat stains as soon as possible after staining. The older the stain, the more difficult it will be to remove. Perfumes often contain both alcohol and oils, as well as dyes, any of which can leave a stain. All stain removal methods should be applied prior to laundering washable garments. Stains that have been laundered and dried are almost impossible to remove. Always test a cleaning solution on a small, out-of-the-way area first to look for any adverse reaction.

Caution: Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia - fumes are hazardous.


For Washable Fabrics:

What you will need
  • Liquid hand dishwashing detergent
  • White vinegar
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Enzyme presoak product
  • Chlorine bleach or oxygen bleach


Steps to Clean:
  1. Soak for 15 minutes in mixture of one quart lukewarm water, one-half teaspoon liquid hand dishwashing detergent and one tablespoon white vinegar. Rinse.
  2. Sponge with rubbing alcohol, using light motions from center to edge of stain.
  3. Soak for 30 minutes in one quart warm water with one tablespoon enzyme presoak products.
  4. If color stain remains, launder in chlorine bleach if safe for the fabric, or in oxygen bleach.

Carpet:



What you will need:
  • White vinegar
  • Detergent
  • 3% Hydrogen peroxide


Steps to Clean:
  1. Blot with a white paper towel to remove as much of the stain as possible, then neutralize with a white vinegar solution (1/3 cup WHITE vinegar in 2/3 cup of water). Saturate spot with white vinegar solution, using a spray bottle and blot to remove excess moisture.
  2. Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dishwashing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.
  3. Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.
  4. Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.
  5. If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary. Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with brick.
Or

What you will need
  • Detergent
  • White vinegar

Steps to Clean:
  1. Using clean white paper towels, blot up as much of the stain as possible.
  2. Use plain water or mix one tablespoon of liquid dishwashing detergent and one tablespoon of white vinegar with two cups of warm water.
  3. Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with a small amount of water or the detergent/vinegar solution. Apply a little bit at a time, blotting frequently with a dry cloth until the stain disappears.
  4. If using a detergent/vinegar solution, sponge with cold water and blot dry to remove the solution.


Upholstery:

What you will need:
  • Dry cleaning solvent

Steps to Clean:
  1. Using a clean white cloth, sponge the stain with the dry cleaning solvent.
  2. Blot until the solvent is absorbed.
  3. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until the stain disappears.


Other Surfaces:


Removing Perfume Stains From Wood:

  • To remove perfume stains from the wooden top of your vanity table, rub a little olive oil over the spots. Then rub with a fresh, soft cloth to remove excess oil. 

Removing Perfume from Ceramic Tile:
  • Step 1: Blot the perfume spill with paper towels or absorbent rags to remove most of the liquid. Do not wipe the perfume, which may spread oil and fragrance beyond the affected area.
  • Step 2: Pour baking soda over the spill area. Allow the baking soda to absorb the liquid and oil from the perfume for five to ten minutes. Sweep it up with a broom and dustpan. Apply more baking soda to the perfume spill until the baking soda no longer wicks up any liquid or oil. Remove the last application of baking soda from the ceramic tile using your broom and dustpan.
  • Step 3: Fill a bucket with warm water and add one teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent. Stir the soapy solution with your hands to mix.
  • Step 4: Saturate a clean cloth with the soapy solution. Wipe the ceramic tile at the site of the spill. The dishwashing detergent will remove any remaining oils from the perfume. Dampen a clean cloth with water and rinse the tile. - info from Hunker.com



Some info suggested by the University of Illinois.

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

PERFUME HACK - Removing the Odor of Perfume

How to Remove Perfume Odor on the Skin:

Ever have stubborn perfume odor that lingers on your hands even after washing them over and over again? If you want to get it removed, you can use this quick hack:
  • Take one part of household ammonia and mix it with three parts water. Rinse your hands in this mixture a few times and then wash your hands with soap and water. It should take the perfume smell away. Remember, you must use the diluted ammonia to keep the skin from getting irritated. 
  • Another quick method is to make a paste of baking soda and water, apply it onto the skin where the perfume odor remains and rub gently. Then rinse off.  


How to Remove Perfume Odor from Clothing or Linens:

Sprayed your favorite perfume on your nice dress? How about your scarf, does it seem to retain the odor of last year's perfume? Did you purchase a second hand garment and want to get that stinky perfume smell out of it? A good alkali will kill the odor of almost any perfume and again, household ammonia will help you out! It also will help boost the performance of your detergent and brighten your whites.
  • You can add 1/2 cup of household ammonia to the water, along with the detergent, before you add clothes into the washing machine. If you are hand washing, you can try the method of one part ammonia to three parts water and a little bit of detergent so that it will not irritate your skin while you wash. Rinse and repeat if necessary.   
  • Another method is to soak clothing in a sink or washing machine filled with warm water and one cup baking soda before washing. 
  • Some peroxide will also help take the perfume stains out of your linens. You may wish to do a separate rinse with this ingredient. 
  • Fill a spray bottle with cheap, high proof vodka. Then spray on the perfumed area of your clothing. The vodka dries odorless and  should kill any scent. This is an effective method if you cannot wash the garment such as silk.



How to Remove Perfume Odor from Empty Bottles:


Question from a reader: I would like to put a new fragrance in my glass perfume bottle, but the scent of the last remains. How can I rid the container of this aroma?

Answer: First fill the bottle with rubbing alcohol and allow this to remain overnight. Empty the bottle and rinse with water.


Want to reuse a perfume bottle for another purpose, or refill it with another? You may find that the odor of some perfumes persist even after all the liquid has evaporated or been cleaned out. Before adding a new perfume, this must be removed. Here is a handy method for anyone who wishes to reuse an atomizer and get the scent of the previous perfume out for good!

  • Wash it with hot soap and water using a bottle brush. Rinse with clear water. Then fill the bottle with a strong solution of borax and warm water and let stand for several hours. Then empty the bottle and rinse again. An alkali will kill the odor of almost any perfume.
  • If this method does not work, or you do not have borax on hand, you can use household ammonia. But do not dilute it, pour it straight from the bottle into the perfume bottle, insert the stopper and allow it to stand for a few hours. Then you can empty it and rinse with warm soapy water.
  • To remove odor from bath salts bottles and jars so that they could be use for fruits or other foods, fill the bottle or jar with a very strong solution of hot water and apple cider vinegar (about 1/4 cup vinegar). Let stand a couple of hours; rinse with hot water, then add another mixture of vinegar and water if necessary, and you will find odor will have completely disappeared. Just washing with soap and water will not take away the smell.


How to Remove Perfume Spillage Odor from Carpet or Upholstery:

Did you accidentally knock over a bottle of perfume onto the rug or sofa and now the smell is overpowering?

  • Mix one quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup of baking soda and a teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent in a spray bottle to get rid of perfume odor in carpet or on upholstery. Spray the affected area and let sit for 24 hours. Blot away the excess with a paper towel and let air dry.




Monday, December 30, 2013

PERFUME HACK: Opening a Perfume Bottle with a Stuck Stopper

Have you been frustrated by a stuck stopper on your perfume bottle? We collectors refer these stuck stoppers as being "frozen." Wonder how to open it safely without breaking the stopper? Be sure to try these tricks at your own discretion!

Personally, I use a cotton swab moistened with rum or vodka to rub into the mouth of the bottle and around the stopper plug. This helps to loosen and remove the dried up perfume residue and dries quickly without altering the perfume inside the bottle. I also apply gel type hand sanitizer in the same manner, leave it on for awhile, then try to loosen the stopper, if it doesn't budge, I just keep repeating the steps until it finally does work.


If this trick doesn't work for you, I took the liberty of searching vintage newspapers and magazines to see how other people dealt with this very problem and figured I would share them with you.

From 1880: Young ladies are sometimes in a dilemma over a glass stopper that will stick fast in a pretty perfume bottle Let them steam the neck of the (the bottle) over the teakettle and knock it gently with a knife blade. If that will not serve the purpose, put a few drops of sweet oil about the cork and set the bottle near the fire where it will get warm.

From 1895: To loosen glass stoppers - the stoppers of vinaigrettes, smelling and perfume bottles are very liable to get stuck, and if they are forced out the result is usually a breakage. Sometimes the stopper can be loosened by tapping it gently but sharply with the edge of a half dollar or dollar piece; or a bottle of smelling salts may be placed, stopper downward, in a cup of hot water, not hot enough to split the glass. In a few minutes, the stopper will be quite loose again.


From 1924: Should the glass stopper of our favorite perfume bottle stick, pour a little glycerine about the neck of the stopper and forget about it for a little while. You will find it will then turn easily.

From 1926: Should the glass stopper of your perfume bottle become stuck in the neck of the bottle, light a match and hold it so the flame surrounds the bottle's neck. When the glass becomes hot, try turning the stopper. It will invariably turn.

From 1927: Wet a cloth in hot water and wrap it about the neck of the bottle. Very often it will be sufficient to release the stopper. The principle is to expand the neck of the bottle by heat. If this should fail, just pout a few drops of alcohol or toilet water, if you do not happen to have alcohol handy, on the neck of the bottle where the stopper fits and in a few moments you will be able to remove it without any effort.

From 1939: If the glass stopper in that prized perfume bottle of perfume resists your attempts to remove it simply place a few drops of glycerin around the stopper to loosen it quickly and easily.

Also from 1939: How can the glass stopper of an expensive perfume bottle be removed? The crystal top of the stopper has broken off jaggedly just below the top of the bottle. - Run a few drops of glycerine around the joint between the stopper and the bottle neck. Let stand for several hours. Place a rubber suction cup of the same diameter as that of the mouth of the bottle. The suction under the rubber cup may draw the stopper loose.

From 1941: When a glass stopper is stuck, try standing the bottle upside down so that the perfume will soak in around the stopper. After a few hours, this may loosen the stopper sufficiently so it can be removed. Slightly twist the stopper as you pull. If the bottle is empty and the stopper will not come out, drop some glycerine into the joint and allow it to stand a day or two. This will sometimes moisten it sufficiently so it can be removed. 

Also from 1941: Another suggestion for removing the stubborn stoppers is to heat the bottle. Forst add a drop or two of glycerine around the joint and allow it time to work between the bottle and stopper. Apply heat to the neck of the bottle to expand the glass by dipping the neck into hot water or hold a lighted match under the neck at a sufficient distance to heat, but not to break it. Still another method is to allow hot water to drip over the neck until it is hot in that area. Heat applied by this method should expand the glass in the neck before the stopper has a chance to be heated nd to expand. Sweet oil dropped around a tight joint may do the trick. Add one or two drips then place the bottle near a fire where it will become quite warm. Then carefully strike the stopper first on one side and then on the other with a stick wrapped in a cloth. 

From 1949: So you've a new bottle of perfume. There's special technique to opening it. Don't put it under hot water. First cut away all the trimming around the neck. Sever cord which is tightly entwined around the neck of the bottle and the stopper. Then using a small sharp pair of scissors slash the metal cord which is tightly entwined around the neck of the bottle and the stopper. Cut Sealer. To remove the sealer of wax paper or cellophane that is on the neck of every original bottle to foil evaporation, use a razor blade or a sturdy bobby pin. See the photos below.










From 1950: If a glass stopper cannot be removed from the bottle, hold it under the hot water faucet until the glass if fairly hot. Or wind a piece of string around the neck of the bottle and pull rapidly back and forth until the glass is hot, then give a light tap to the stopper with a piece of metal.

From 1951: There are tricks to preserving the beauty of your perfume bottle. Too often beautiful glass containers are shattered by impatient hands or awkward techniques when the stopper gets stuck. The proper procedure is to avoid banging the stopper against the edge of your vanity or prying at with another glass stopper. Tap the underside of the stopper, turning the bottle was you work, so that the loosening will be even all around. A few gentle blows should suffice to open the bottle.

Also from 1951: Place the bottle in the refrigerator and chill overnight. Remove and place in hot (not boiling) water. Water should come to top of the bottle but not cover it. Leave for a few minutes and the stopper will come out easily.

From 1953: Place the bottle on top of the ice cubes in the refrigerator freezing unit, leave it there about 20 minutes. Then with very little effort, the glass stopper should come out.

Also from 1953: The trick is to heat the neck of the bottle so it will expand, without heating the stopper itself. One method is to hold the bottle horizontally, revolve slowly with the neck over the flame of a match. Hot water may also be used as a heating agent on the neck of the bottle, using care that the stopper is not heated, and that too sudden expansion of the glass does not break the bottle. Sometimes glycerine allowed to run around the joint between bottle and stopper and left standing for a few hours will do the trick.

From 1957: Take one bottle and tap it gently against the glass stopper of another bottle. Do this all the way around the glass stopper until it loosens. But do it gently. In case this method does not work, I would advise you consult a druggist. They have constant experiences with glass bottles and stuck stoppers. [Note - However, today's pharmacists have more experience with plastic bottles rather than glass ones, you may wish to consult someone who deals with chemistry]

Also from 1957: "For years I have kept handy a simple pair of pliers and with it have removed many a 'stuck' bottle top, including perfume bottle tops, metal tube tops, in fact, any number of 'stuck' things such as leather,. etc. A firm grip on one of your perfume bottle tops (to test it), turning the pliers slowly but carefully ought to do the trick. Good luck."

From 1959: I don't know any expert way, but I have seen them loosened by running alternate cold and hot water over the neck, then twist the glass stopper.

From 1966: "I had a cut glass cruet with a stopper stuck. An antique dealer told me running hot and cold water over it was dangerous. He provided me with a better solution. Get penetrating oil from a gas station and let a couple drops ooze around the stopper overnight. Take a kitchen knife wrapped in a man's handkerchief and tap the stopper gently until it is loosened."

From 1967: A reader told us recently that she had a perfume bottle with the stopper stuck. Put it in the refrigerator overnight and in the morning, it came out easily.

From 1968: Put three drops of glycerin around the stopper and let stand for a few days. The stopper will then come out easily. Another tip, light a kitchen match and hold it under the neck of the bottle, immediately take a rag and turn the stopper. It will be hot and may smear from the burning match but that will wash off.

From 1972: To remove the stuck stopper of a perfume bottle, try running very hot water on the stopper while keeping the bottle dry. If this does not work, try holding a lighted match on the neck of the stopper. Be careful, because too much direct heat may crack the glass.

From 1976: Here's a suggestion for someone who has a perfume bottle with a stuck stopper. When I was a nurse, we used to have to soak hypodermic [needles] to get them unstuck, they were ground glass too, like perfume bottles. We soaked them in the solvent for whatever was inside. The solvent for perfume often is alcohol, so soak your perfume bottle in alcohol. It may take several days. For other substances, the solvent ,might be water or it might be acetone. You'll have to know what's inside a bottle to know what the solvent agent is.

From 1980: Our good friend Jack Rogers sends his idea for removing a stuck glass stopper from a perfume bottle: "Put the bottle in the freezer, but not long enough for any liquid to freeze or crack the glass. The cold will make the glass contract. Then gently warm the bottle with lukewarm water. The thinner the glass of the bottle neck will respond faster than the thicker glass of the stopper. So it will expand first and permit twisting out the stopper."

From 1981: Sharply tap the stopper area several times with the side of a glass tumbler (never a knife handle). Give the stopper a one quarter turn and remove it.  The force of the  taps "shocks" the top into coming out easily.

From 1982: When the stopper on the perfume is stuck, put the bottle in the refrigerator until thoroughly cold then remove the stopper. Twist the stopper back and forth when re-inserting it, and it will prevent later sticking too.

From 1985: Hints from Heloise suggests to mix together one-half teaspoon salt, one teaspoon rubbing alcohol and one-half teaspoon glycerine (available at any drugstore). Pour or dribble this solution around the stopper, letting it seep in.  Allow it to soak in for several hours, even a day or two, if needed. Then gently wiggle the stopper. The stopper should lift out after this treatment but you may have to help it by gently tapping the neck of the bottle with a wooden spoon. Be careful and ever so gentle.

From 1990: suggestions included the following: soak the bottle in warm, soapy water, then tap the stopper gently; place a few drops of paraffin oil around the neck and leave on for 20 minutes; put a piece of cord around the neck and pull to and fro, this produces friction and with gentle tapping, the stopper should come out.

From 1992: Advice, decades old, comes from a gracious lady who was an executive for Mary Chess, Inc., a perfume/fragrance company. She used this method to open antique bottles: Warm drops of baby oil over a candle or hot water. Drip oil into the rim of the bottle so it can ooze between stopper and bottle neck to soften residue holding stopper. Wait a few minutes before trying to gently twist the stopper. Repeat minutes later. Another possibility: Wrap a hot wet cloth around the bottle neck. Never run hot water over the bottle or hold it long over steam, which may crack delicate glass.

From 1994: Use a piece of string similar to fishing cord of yesteryear. Have a friend give you an assist. Loop the cord one time around the neck of the bottle. While one person holds the bottle, have the second person pull the cord rapidly back and forth for at least three minutes. The neck of the bottle will heat up and swell. The glass stopper will not. If this doesn't work the first time, try it again.

From 1997: Stuck glass stoppers: we've recommended a number of ways to unstick glass stoppers, but here's a new one from Joseph Tunstall: "Sixty-five years ago, when I started working in my hometown drugstore, it was not uncommon to have glass-stoppered and cork-stoppered bottles. For a glass stopper, use a short piece of household twine and make one loop over the neck of the bottle. Grasp the two ends of twine and pull them rapidly back and forth while a second party is holding the bottle. The friction creates heat, and in very little time, you can remove the stopper. I have removed hundreds of stoppers this way. The technique also works on perfume bottles. I never found one I couldn't open, although you may have to repeat the process as you work the stopper upward."

To keep your glass stopper from being stuck again, use this tip from 1963: smear a little petroleum jelly inside the stopper, it will also help keep your perfume from evaporating.

Welcome!

This is not your average perfume blog. In each post, I present perfumes or companies as encyclopedic entries with as much facts and photos as I can add for easy reading and researching without all the extraneous fluff or puffery.

Please understand that this website is not affiliated with any of the perfume companies written about here, it is only a source of reference. I consider it a repository of vital information for collectors and those who have enjoyed the classic fragrances of days gone by. Updates to posts are conducted whenever I find new information to add or to correct any errors.

One of the goals of this website is to show the present owners of the various perfumes and cologne brands that are featured here how much we miss the discontinued classics and hopefully, if they see that there is enough interest and demand, they will bring back these fragrances!

Please leave a comment below (for example: of why you liked the fragrance, describe the scent, time period or age you wore it, who gave it to you or what occasion, any specific memories, what it reminded you of, maybe a relative wore it, or you remembered seeing the bottle on their vanity table, did you like the bottle design), who knows, perhaps someone from the company brand might see it.

Also, if you have any information not seen here, please comment and share with all of us.

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