Winter coats go through a lot of wear and tear when we need them most during brutal winter temperatures. With winter weather not letting up anytime soon, they'll continue to play an important role in the coming months for those of us living in cold climates.

By midwinter, your winter coat may start to smell a bit... dank. But washing winter coats can be cumbersome and time-consuming.

Thankfully, a quick and easy solution can be found in your liquor cabinet, according to Patric Richardson, also known as "The Laundry Evangelist." Richardson shared the brilliant laundry hack on Instagram, showing his followers how to refresh winter coats without putting them in the washer.

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According to Richardson, you only need two simple items: a spray bottle and vodka. In the video, he explains that this winter he had to pull his parka out from the depths of his closet due to freezing temperatures and noticed that it smelled.

"I haven't worn it in like two years, and it smelled like the closet," he said. "It had that musty, sort of house smell, and I didn't have time to wash it."

What he did instead? He sprayed it with vodka.

"Spray it, spray it, spray it," he said. "You need to mist all over it. Let it sit for five or 10 minutes. Let it dry. And you're good to go. If you get pulled over by the cops, you're totally fine because vodka is odorless and colorless."

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He also recommends spraying vodka on other types of coats, like dress coats.

One viewer asked Richardson whether 70% alcohol, such as isopropyl alcohol, could be used instead. But it's a no-go. "It will leave an odor," he explained. "The denaturing process gives it a residual scent."

Richardson also noted that spraying vodka on wool coats is totally safe and can help remove heavy scents from cooking or spices.

"Fill a spray bottle with the stuff and use it to remove odors from clothes that are stinky but not dirty. No washing required!" he shared in a previous Instagram post.

Vodka removes strong odors from your winter coat because it's antibacterial, thanks to its alcohol content. In the United States, vodka must be at least 40% alcohol by volume (ABV), which helps neutralize the funky-smelling bacteria your coat may be harboring.

You likely have an odor fighter right in your liquor cabinet.  Grandma’s usually do know best because we have been around a long time.  And I learned this one from my Grandmother.  A simple spray of vodka can eliminate odors on clothing, furniture, upholstery and even mattresses.   All you need is vodka and a spray bottle - make sure your spray bottle has a mist setting - not just a straight spray.  To spray clothing, focus on the areas that collect the most bacteria and therefore odor - like under the sleeves.  Spray from about 18” away from the clothing in sort of a sweeping motion. The vodka clings to the smelly molecules that are produced naturally and then ferment and cause odor. So bye bye smelling clothes and wasting time and money cleaning or dry cleaning each time you wear something.

In an interview with Apartment Therapy, Richardson said that vodka can be sprayed on practically any clothing to remove unwanted scents:

"There's this wonderful costumer that comes to my store, and she always wants to give me a hug, and when she leaves I smell like [perfume]. I go in the stock room and have one of my sales people spray me with vodka to take that away. ... You can spray your gym bag with vodka; if you go to your favorite restaurant and you leave [smelling like food], you can spray that with vodka; If you stand next to a smoker, you can spray that with vodka."

In March 2023, after months of preparation and paperwork, Anita Omary arrived in the United States from her native Afghanistan to build a better life. Once she arrived in Connecticut, however, the experience was anything but easy.

“When I first arrived, everything felt so strange—the weather, the environment, the people,” Omary recalled. Omary had not only left behind her extended family and friends in Afghanistan, she left her career managing child protective cases and supporting refugee communities behind as well. Even more challenging, Anita was five months pregnant at the time, and because her husband was unable to obtain a travel visa, she found herself having to navigate a new language, a different culture, and an unfamiliar country entirely on her own.

“I went through a period of deep disappointment and depression, where I wasn’t able to do much for myself,” Omary said.

Then something incredible happened: Omary met a woman who would become her close friend, offering support that would change her experience as a refugee—and ultimately the trajectory of her entire life.

Understanding the journey

Like Anita Omary, tens of thousands of people come to the United States each year seeking safety from war, political violence, religious persecution, and other threats. Yet escaping danger, unfortunately, is only the first challenge. Once here, immigrant and refugee families must deal with the loss of displacement, while at the same time facing language barriers, adapting to a new culture, and sometimes even facing social stigma and anti-immigrant biases.

Welcoming immigrant and refugee neighbors strengthens the nation and benefits everyone—and according to Anita Omary, small, simple acts of human kindness can make the greatest difference in helping them feel safe, valued, and truly at home.

A warm welcome

Dee and Omary's son, Osman

Anita Omary was receiving prenatal checkups at a woman’s health center in West Haven when she met Dee, a nurse.

“She immediately recognized that I was new, and that I was struggling,” Omary said. “From that moment on, she became my support system.”

Dee started checking in on Omary throughout her pregnancy, both inside the clinic and out.

“She would call me and ask am I okay, am I eating, am I healthy,” Omary said. “She helped me with things I didn’t even realize I needed, like getting an air conditioner for my small, hot room.”

Soon, Dee was helping Omary apply for jobs and taking her on driving lessons every weekend. With her help, Omary landed a job, passed her road test on the first attempt, and even enrolled at the University of New Haven to pursue her master’s degree. Dee and Omary became like family. After Omary’s son, Osman, was born, Dee spent five days in the hospital at her side, bringing her halal food and brushing her hair in the same way Omary’s mother used to. When Omary’s postpartum pain became too great for her to lift Osman’s car seat, Dee accompanied her to his doctor’s appointments and carried the baby for her.

“Her support truly changed my life,” Omary said. “Her motivation, compassion, and support gave me hope. It gave me a sense of stability and confidence. I didn’t feel alone, because of her.”

More than that, the experience gave Omary a new resolve to help other people.

“That experience has deeply shaped the way I give back,” she said. “I want to be that source of encouragement and support for others that my friend was for me.”

Extending the welcome

Omary and Dee at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Vision Awards ceremony at the University of New Haven.

Omary is now flourishing. She currently works as a career development specialist as she continues her Master’s degree. She also, as a member of the Refugee Storytellers Collective, helps advocate for refugee and immigrant families by connecting them with resources—and teaches local communities how to best welcome newcomers.

“Welcoming new families today has many challenges,” Omary said. “One major barrier is access to English classes. Many newcomers, especially those who have just arrived, often put their names on long wait lists and for months there are no available spots.” For women with children, the lack of available childcare makes attending English classes, or working outside the home, especially difficult.

Omary stresses that sometimes small, everyday acts of kindness can make the biggest difference to immigrant and refugee families.

“Welcome is not about big gestures, but about small, consistent acts of care that remind you that you belong,” Omary said. Receiving a compliment on her dress or her son from a stranger in the grocery store was incredibly uplifting during her early days as a newcomer, and Omary remembers........

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