Removing scent from old furniture

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Removing scent from old furniture
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tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 22 2:28 pm Post subject: Re: Removing scent from old furniture

Treacodactyl wrote:

We've mainly furnished our house with old oak furniture and some drawers have a lingering 'old lady' scent, probably from hand cream and soap rather that a leaky bottle of perfume.

Some furniture waxes smell like that. There was one that I tried but had to bin because of the smell. If it's the wax then maybe a light sanding and reoiling with danish or something?

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16004

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 22 9:28 am Post subject:
A bit messier than charcoal pellets, but ordinary British charcoal for a barbecue might work. Otherwise a lump of western red cedar is an alternative. Lavender is used in some furniture polish; could that be the 'old lady' scent you find objectionable?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 22 9:46 am Post subject:

i think i know the aroma palette in question, lavender from polish may be a component but there are a lot of aromatics involved and "maturing" together over time

going by his and hers sets, with the same, timber, location and cleaning regimes etc they smell very different

ps a base smell that matures over time as well as forming a significant part of old draws scent is napthaline from mothballs, the complex derivatives of that one are very diverse

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 22 10:38 am Post subject:
might have been scented drawer liners or the use of lavender bags to put off moths. Funny how it lingers. If you can't get rid of the small, introducing a preferable smell as MR suggested with the red cedar is a good idea.

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 22 12:09 pm Post subject: Re: Removing scent from old furniture

tahir wrote:

Some furniture waxes smell like that. There was one that I tried but had to bin because of the smell. If it's the wax then maybe a light sanding and reoiling with danish or something?

I know what you mean, I have one I don't use as it smells horrible. The others do smell solventy when applied but that quickly wears off leaving no real smell.

I recognise this smell, a basic hand cream type smell, rather than a strong scent. I don't mind it at all but it's strong enough to make clothes smell the same. I'm more of a damp wood and dog person.

It's not moth balls, or smoke or anything else unpleasant but it hasn't faded for over a year so would like to try something to reduce it.

Heat, as in sun, might help but I don't want to damage or fade the wood. Perhaps a place drawer in a bin bag full of shavings in the sun?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 22 5:41 pm Post subject: Re: Removing scent from old furniture

Treacodactyl wrote:

Heat, as in sun, might help but I don't want to damage or fade the wood. Perhaps a place drawer in a bin bag full of shavings in the sun?

Maybe airing would be better? Put them out somewhere sheltered on a dry windy day?

Jam Lady

Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2573
Location: New Jersey, USA

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 22 10:51 pm Post subject:

Try placing a sachet of activated charcoal such as used in aquarium filters or oven hood fan extractors in the drawer. Close, go away for a while (a few days, a week?) and see if it helped. New sachets, not used.

What you can try used are coffee grounds. Spread used grounds in a thin later on baking sheet and heat in 250 degree Fahrenheit oven until dry (perhaps after baking / roasting something and the oven is turned off and beginning to cool down.) Place dry coffee grounds in an open bowl, place in drawer, close and go away for a while.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16004

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 22 9:40 am Post subject:
Western red cedar will absorb smells as well as giving an alternative scent. Someone on another, defunct, forum used it in his van to absorb the smell of 2 smelly landscape gardeners. Charcoal will also absorb smells; even barbecue charcoal will work, but activated charcoal as found in filters as Jam Lady suggest will be better as it absorbs organics far more effectively.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 22 11:46 am Post subject:

at least 3 votes for activated charcoal

cheapest is industrial such as for spray booth filters etc, a kilo is plenty for a few bits of furniture

fish tank stuff is pricy

decent ordinary charcoal, crush to rice crispy size and dedust with a sieve, put it in a metal container, the container needs a small vent to allow gasses to escape and to exclude air later, heat to red-hot for a while, keep red-hot for a bit, close gas vent, let it cool slowly, dedust again
very cheap but a bit of a faff and takes practice kit, safe place etc

filter pellets are a good choice

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 22 6:01 pm Post subject:
But has anyone actually used activated charcoal to draw a smell out? I know it can remove smells from the air. A bit of googling suggests white vinegar will draw the smell out. I did wonder about alcohol and remembered I almost picked up a few 5l tubs of 75% hand wash for a couple of quid but didn't have a use for it at the time.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 22 6:38 pm Post subject:
yep musty wooden boxes etc

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Dec 23, 22 6:48 pm Post subject:
ps i have done entire houses of stinky stuff with a combo of my suggestions furniture, textiles, sarcostains etc camphor is hardcore but quite effective after a few days shut and a good airing most wood will smell only of camphor and that will fade over time

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16004

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 22 9:36 am Post subject:
I have never come across that way of activating charcoal. The most common way is either steam or solvent. Yes, it will increase the surface area, but I think crushed British barbecue charcoal will be good enough. It is 98+% pure, so should lift a good few smells.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 22 10:12 pm Post subject:

good fresh charcoal has a large surface area and assorted free radicals

certainly worth a try,

im not sure the bbq with the "waste" would be the right sort of "tasty" if it works

re the activation in a "can" a bit of damp might be involved

it was very rough chemistry when i saw it years ago, details are even rougher

treacle tin iirc

Last edited by dpack on Sat Dec 24, 22 10:16 pm; edited 1 time in total

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46249
Location: yes

Posted: Sat Dec 24, 22 10:15 pm Post subject:
ps it was related to ttdntas, better than good charcoal is a handy resource in assorted trades

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