Kapota smells | Imamother

amother

OP ↓

Sun, Jul 14 2024, 2:12 am

Any advice on what to do for a smelly kapota? My husband only wear it once a week but after about a month or two it starts smelling so badly. We’ve tried everything, he’s tried every deodorant, odor spray, dry cleaning, hanging outside to air out, baking soda, lavender.
Ended up getting him a new one so we could try to do more preventative care but it only bought us a few months and now it’s just terrible. Planning on buying yet another one but would like some tips on how to keep it from getting so bad.

amother

↑ OP

Sun, Jul 14 2024, 2:25 am

cnc wrote:

Why can't you wash or dry clean it?

Doesn’t get rid of the smell, brought it to the dry cleaners numerous times

amother

Winterberry

Sun, Jul 14 2024, 7:49 am

Is there humidity in the closet you keep it in?
Does it smell like sweat or mildew?
I once saw mildew/mold on someone's kapota from the closet that it was stored in (in a basement)
You can buy stuff that absorbs it. That has a strong smell that does not go away with washing.
Put it on the sun.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dam.....57520

amother

Canary

Sun, Jul 14 2024, 7:57 am

amother Raspberry wrote:

What is a Kapota?

https://images.app.goo.gl/Dw1pXSyreCKfAvM79

Primarily worn by Chabad men on Shabbos.

amother

↑ Raspberry

Sun, Jul 14 2024, 9:31 am

amother Canary wrote:

https://images.app.goo.gl/Dw1pXSyreCKfAvM79

Primarily worn by Chabad men on Shabbos.

Thanks, isn't that called a bekishe?

amother

Lily ↓

Sun, Jul 14 2024, 9:35 am

amother Raspberry wrote:

Thanks, isn't that called a bekishe?

No. It's called a kapote.

ra_mom ↓

Sun, Jul 14 2024, 10:45 am

amother OP wrote:

It sounds like you need to find a washable kapota because there's a lot of sweat absorbing. Good luck!

simcha12plus

Sun, Jul 14 2024, 10:52 am

[quote="amother Lily"]No. It's called a kapote.[/quote

it is a different style than a bekeshe.

it is solid, no designs
only has 4 buttons in the front.
no belt
there is a silk version, but most people wear wool

calvinhobbs

Sun, Jul 14 2024, 11:16 am

Had the same issue with husbands bekishes and purchased washable only. You can’t tell that it’s washable but the seams come apart from washing it.
Lifespan is about 9 months to a year. After that it’s not wearable for simchas as the edges are frayed.

amother

↑ Lily

Sun, Jul 14 2024, 11:17 am

[quote="happy7"]

amother Lily wrote:

No. It's called a kapote.[/quote

it is a different style than a bekeshe.

it is solid, no designs
only has 4 buttons in the front.
no belt
there is a silk version, but most people wear wool

Actually, most people that I'm acquainted with, like the menfolk in my family and my friends families, wear silk or both. The Rebbe said many times that silk is the preferred material.

amother

Blush

Sun, Jul 14 2024, 12:20 pm

My DH wears his wool one every day and it doesn’t smell. His silk one is for shabbos/yt/simchas. The silk ones rub out so fast. Does not smell either.

amother

Dandelion

Sun, Jul 14 2024, 12:30 pm

amother OP wrote:

Doesn’t get rid of the smell, brought it to the dry cleaners numerous times

I only wash it in the machine. Even the wool and silk ones. You can buy detergent for special fabrics like wool and silk on Amazon. Wash on the coldest and gentle. Air dry. Then iron on low.

↑ ra_mom

Sun, Jul 14 2024, 12:34 pm

amother Blush wrote:

My DH wears his wool one every day and it doesn’t smell. His silk one is for shabbos/yt/simchas. The silk ones rub out so fast. Does not smell either.

It has to do with the person wearing it, not the kapota. OP is trying to come up with a solution.

OP, if hand washing every week isn't feasible, then it sounds like you should be giving it in to dry clear every other week, and tell them to focus on the inner underarms. If you wait longer than that between cleanings, the smell will grow and stay embedded.