Question:

[omimouse]

How does one get lighter fluid out of a mostly cloth backpack?

Someone doused Bear-Cub's backpack in lighter fluid on the bus home today. We're busy getting the important stuff hashed out with the bus-driver (Bear-Cub didn't see it happen, but two of her friends told her about it, and the incident has been reported), but we don't know how to clean the backpack. It's pretty heavily soaked.

We've been told that it would be a Very Bad Idea to toss it in the washing machine; possibility of explosion was what the lady said.

This is not helping with Bear-Cub's growing hatred of school.

Comments

[suzilem.livejournal.com]

lighter fluid is pretty bad stuff. Is it possible to invest in a new backpack?

http://health.allrefer.com/health/lighter-fluid-info.html

[catchild.livejournal.com]

the bus driver is turning the kid over to the school. kid will be expelled and have to replace the backpack.

expelled is good

[titaniablue.livejournal.com]

that works. i was going to suggest immersing it in something else to allay the effects of the lighter fluid. like maybe potato salad. or mud. or fire. fire would probably work best at this point, but you wouldn't be able to use the backpack for much after that. my vote is for potato salad. it leaves it with a smell that will make the other children love her even more. much better than the smell of lighter fluid.

[tsjafo.livejournal.com]

Just leave it be for a day or three. The lighter fluid will evaporate and you can then launder the bag safely. Just be careful not to get any on sensitive skin. I've had some experience with spilled fluid.

The thought that some kid had lighter fluid at all, much less squirted it on another child, is horrifying. I hope Bear-Cub is all right.

[warinbear.livejournal.com]

I was the first adult in the household to hear the story from the Bearcub, and while I couldn't smell anything on the backpack, that could have been (and obviously was) due to my nearly-nonexistent sense of smell. I was operating under the assumption that someone had told her the lighter fluid story in order to upset her, until I got home this evening and found the backpack out on the front porch and this entry in the mouse's journal. Most of my skepticism was rooted in the unlikelyhood of a child on a school bus having lighter fluid, but I remember my school days, when other kids would have done similar things (either using the fluid or saying that someone had). It's not a good reflection on my childhood or the local population.

[catchild.livejournal.com]

I was the first adult in the household to hear the story from the Bearcub, and while I couldn't smell anything on the backpack, that could have been (and obviously was) due to my nearly-nonexistent sense of smell.

also could be location of the fluid. bearcub says you checked the main body of her pack. the lighter fluid was on the flap by her neck.

scent was not terribly strong, but was definately lighter fluid.

annoying twist, bus driver is(was) gioing on the word of another child as to who it was. the child accused Kirk's son of doing so. I've requested the video tape be reviewed, since this is very out of character for M. talked with Kirk last night as well, M says he thinks it was the boy sitting behind Bearcub ysterday (same boy she has been haveing trouble with all year)

hugs. and Bearcub is fine.

[catchild.livejournal.com]

I hope Bear-Cub is all right.

she's fine. i'm pissed, but she's fine.

[dornbeast.livejournal.com]

Someone doused Bear-Cub's backpack in lighter fluid on the bus home today...

Grf. I think the suggestion of putting it someplace where it won't get lit off and letting the lighter fluid evaporate is a good plan.

Good luck on getting Bear-Cub through this.

Peter Eng