Schools almost out

As the hub-bub of the school days are almost over and people
are beginning, once again, to tackle that ever growing
to-do list, we begin to receive many calls from clients
complaining about a ‘gassy’ or ‘kerosene’ smell on
clothes as they are removed from a gas dryer. If the
caller is questioned about whether there is any painting
or furniture stripping (or related activities) being
done in the home, the smell is almost always traced to
the combination of a gas dryer and paint fumes in the
home.
The fumes from the paint or other materials – sometimes
nearly imperceptible to a person’s nose – drift
about the house including the laundry room. These
fumes mix with the open flame of the gas clothes
dryer (sometimes a gas water heater) to produce a
kerosene-like smell on clothes.
The smell always dissipates as the paint cans are
closed, painting projects finished and the house is
thoroughly aired out. Washing any ‘smelly’ clothing
again will also take care of any remaining odors on
the affected clothes.