Seriously! Has anyone else noticed this? I like the way black denim looks, but it always smells like burnt rubber! It doesn't matter if I hand wash it and hang it up to dry, I just can't get the smell out. Even using those scent boosters in the washer doesn't work. They even stink in the store.
I've noticed this also, I bought a pair of pants and they smelled horrible. It was summer time and that just made it worse. I got home and I hand washed them over and over again. Threw them in the washer machine and then the dryer. Only to find out they still stink, I think the shop that they make the pants has a very distinct smell of burning rubber. It's not attractive going around smelling like latex. Since then I won't purchase black denim, I usually stick with lighter colors.
I believe its a direct correlation to the dye on this clothes much like "indigo" jeans. Those are the really dark blue jeans that usually say wash before use right on the label because the dye might rub off on your skin and cause a reaction. Perhaps the dye on these black denims have an awkward smell. I bought a pair of black one once but before months end they washed out to gray so I do not believe they were properly dyed - they also didn't stick so this would explain why they washed out.
I know exactly what smell you're referring to, and it is awful! I don't have any black denim, but I do have darker washes that have had that off-smell right after I purchased them. It takes several washes, but it will eventually go away.
I'm not sure if this will work to remove that particular odor, but there are a few different deodorizing tricks you can try. You can seal them in a plastic container with charcoal, newspaper, or cat litter. Sometimes these substances will absorb the offensive smell. You can also soak them in a cold water bath that has had washing soda added. Washing soda is very similar to baking soda, and is in the laundry products area of the store. Just follow the directions on the package. I'd suggest testing the solution on an inconspicuous spot before trying this, however.
One other idea that I just heard was to wrap them in plastic with several of those dryer static sheets. The sheets don't have to be scented. The person who told me this is allergic to cigarette smoke, and uses this to remove smoke odor from garage sale finds. Good luck!
OMG I just had this happen! I bought a pair of jeans that were died a sort of copper color, The are the Liz Claiborne line so they were not exactly cheap. I got them home and washed them and I swear they stick. Really Bad!! I did a bit of online research to try to see what I could do short of a return. It appears that with some jeans they use a sulfur based acid as part of the die process, and yes if smells just like sulfur One site said that you could neutralize this by adding a cup of vinegar to the wash, I didn't do that yet, I did try borax that worked a bit. I am little afraid that the vinegar might draw out the color, I might just try to soak it in vinegar and water prior to taking it to the Laundromat. Not happy about this at all. I wonder how many people with sensitivities got sick from this?
I don't think I've ever run into this problem to be honest, then again the only brand of jeans I buy are Levi's and more specifically I haven't purchased a pair of black jeans in over 15 years. But I never recall a specific smell to black jeans - maybe it doesn't affect Levi's. The only thing I did notice, is their dark blue jeans tend to be denser/heavier for some reason - it's as if they use some higher thread count in the fabric for them or something. And when I was them, they get much more stiff and hard when compared to the lighter colors.
