Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Getting Bear Fat out of Clothes.

I shipped my clothes home via the post office and when I opened the boxes I realized just how much bear fat soaked into my clothes while I was processing it.


After a couple washes, they still smell like a bear. I'm no expert, but I bet that's not a good smell to be carrying into elk and deer country.

Anybody had this problem and found a way to get it out?

It might arouse some interest and an approach. We watched two curious cow elk come to within 10 yds of a nice big chocolate bear as he was digging camas on an open ridge about 3 weeks ago. Eventually the bear was the one that moved off.

This spring we watched two elk watching a grizzly sow and her two year old cub from 50 yards away. The elk were attentive but it didn't look like the grizzlies cared a whole lot.

I would try and find a very nonpolar solvent to dissolve the fat in. Something like hexanes or diethyl ether. I work in a chemistry research lab at college, so I don't really know if people elsewhere can obtain those solvents. But if you can I might give those a try. Another way may be to soak it in a very basic solution of water. This would turn the fat into soap since soap is just fatty acid salts. I would test that out on a piece of clothing that you didn't care a whole lot about, though.

Another option is to take it to a dry cleaners if you didn't want to bother yourself. They either use dichloromethane or carbon dioxide, both of which are nonpolar and might be able to dissolve the fat.

Put your clothes in a plastic bucket. Pour a pint of Hoppe's #9 over the whole mess. Put the lid on tightly and leave sealed for 17 days. When you remove them they'll be fresh and clean, just like the bore of your rifle, and smell good also.

Or, more seriously, you might just try hang them out of the weather, but in fresh air for a couple of weeks to see if that helps. It should.

I have been successful using Woolite and a whirlpool tub. Has worked on my Eberlestock pack several times.

I used to use bear tallow for patch lube for a ML. I finally went to mink oil. Smell got to me.

I'd like to know how to get rid of the smell too, because it's a great lube.

Would plain jane old Dawn work? I believe they make an unscented version

thanks yall, will report results.

Not saying it WILL work, but I used to pour a cup of white vinegar in 3 gallon of water and wash my scraped furs in to get the fat and grease out.

Nothing gets it out. I retrieved the bullet from my brown bear, soaked it in alcohol for a week and it still smells like bear lol



If you shot a sow, just don't wear those clothes during the spring mating season ...

Castrol Super Clean found in the automotive sections.

OxyClean

Dreft detergent and grease relief spot remover. Or just send to a dry cleaner as someone said. After this wash with plain green soap or any unscented soap with a little Borax and Baking powder. Air dry in a shady spot for a couple days.

I would be more concerned about randy bears than spooking game.

Give them to someone you don't like, then go buy new.....

Well, after several normal washings and a two day soak in vinegar, dawn and water, they all pass my smell test. Thanks for the help.

Sorry, I'm too late. I was going to suggest a washing in 1 1/2 gal of premium Chevron gas and the application of one kitchen match.

Not much a nice hot fire can't fix!