Removing scent from old furniture

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Removing scent from old furniture
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Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
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Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 22 10:51 am Post subject: Removing scent from old furniture

Does anyone have any tried and tested methods of removing smells from old furniture?

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.

I've a couple of drawers where I would like to try and reduce the smell, it hasn't reduced much in time.

I'll try a draw full of wood shavings, anything else recommended?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46193
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 22 12:59 pm Post subject:

cat litter, the clay based sort, cover draw bases, close in a warm place and change weekly until smell gone
activated charcoal pellets, as with cat litter but rather more expensive

a wipe with dilute bicarb solution, dry. that can be effective, but getting to the crevices of the carcase is tricky
put the draws and empty carcase in the sun and breeze for a bit

crystal camphor, crush, spoonful per draw, close, leave in warm place for a while, remove any remaining crystals and air for a bit (re timing a week for each usually)

good beeswax polish with a little cedarwood oil once the exorcism seems to be entering the last phase

sometime the aroma is part of the patina, sometimes it is just an annoying haunting

if you get really cross with the spirit of potions past solvents in mixtures and lots of absorbent pads and a bit at a time can get personal with lingering organic smells in wood

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45665
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: 15951

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: 46193
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: 9868
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: 45665
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: 2571
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: 15951

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: 46193
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
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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: 46193
Location: yes

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

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46193
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: 15951

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.

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