Wood can be made into a variety of furniture pieces with storage pieces as the most common. You can find wooden shelves, cabinets, trunks, and drawers ready to store anything that you want to. But there is one problem with wood. New wood furniture tends to have that smell that you don’t want to have on your clothes. Meanwhile, old wood pieces can have a strong and irritating smell. Here is a guide to help y you get the smell out of wood using very simple household items.
Removing smell from wood
Yes, you can remove the smell out of new or old wooden furniture, however, there is no specific solution. Removing the smell will depend on how wood was finished, the type of wood and where the smell is from. And even if you know the answers to these questions, you need to try different methods before you can find out the best solution to solve smelly wood.
Things you will need
- Commercial cleaners
- Newspapers
- Olive oil and vinegar
- Charcoal
- Coffee grounds or kitty litter
- Sealant
Instructions
Using commercial cleaners
There are a lot of commercially-prepared cleaners that you can use to remove odors from wood.
Some of these cleaners target specific dirt and smells like pet cleaners are the best to remove pet stains and odor from a variety of surfaces including wood. There are also cleaners that remove oil and sticky residue due to food and beverages and these may also be used to remove tough odor emanating from food residue.
But no matter what commercial cleaner you chose, make sure that it is wood furniture-friendly. Follow the instructions on how to use the product very closely and never mix products as much as possible. Mixing different products can cause a chemical reaction and may only damage your wood or create hazardous odors.
Using olive oil and vinegar
Source: http://lifeatcloverhill.com/2013/04/homemade-eco-friendly-furniture-polish.html
Vinegar is one of the most effective natural cleaners because of its ability to remove stubborn dirt and remove ugly smells on different surfaces. Now vinegar combined with another effective natural cleaner like olive oil gets rid of horrible smells immediately. Use one part olive oil to 24 parts white vinegar or two teaspoons of olive oil per pint of vinegar. Mix the two products in a spray bottle and apply this on the surface that needs to be deodorized. When you need to use this solution, shake the bottle first before you spray.
Using newspaper and charcoal
Source: https://www.rd.com/home/cleaning-organizing/make-clothes-smell-better/
Newspapers and charcoal are very common household items but do you know that these have the natural ability to get rid of horrible smells on almost any surface? Just crumple a page of the newspaper and leave this inside the drawer, cabinet or shelf that you want to deodorize. To use the charcoal, simply place three or four pieces in a small dish and place this inside the furniture that you want to treat. Leave these materials in a week or more and you’ll find that the smell has completely improved.
Using coffee grounds, kitty litter or baking soda
Source: https://homeguides.sfgate.com/remove-smoke-smells-wooden-furniture-91839.html
Another way to get rid of strong odors in wood is to use other absorbent materials like baking soda, kitty litter or coffee grounds. Create a baking soda paste by mixing a part of soda with water. Mix this well and apply to the smelly area but avoid the end grain and joints. You can also use baking soda this way: if the wooden piece can be placed inside a garbage bag then put a cup of baking soda all over the furniture and seal if for a week. Aside from baking soda, you can use unused kitty litter or dried coffee grounds. Open the bag after a few days to test if the odor is gone.
Seal the wood
Source: http://www.fixsproject.com/sealant-for-wood/add-years-to-your-deck-with-wood-sealer-amazulu-amazulu-sealant-for-wood/
If all else fails, you may just have to seal the ugly odor in the wood. Apply a sealer like Shellac. This is a de-waxed sealant that will keep the odor in wood. You may need to apply a few coats and sand the wood in between coats. However, this sealant is not completely water-resistant, therefore, you need to apply a polyurethane finish to prevent water damage and moisture attack.
Conclusion
Wood can develop all sorts of smell because it is naturally absorbent. But you can remove the smell or control it with simple, home remedies. Using a chemical sealant is the last resort to completely remove very stubborn foul odor.
