Help with odor inside wood cabinet

[Brickie]

I have an antique mahogany dining room sideboard. The wood inside the piece has a really foul odor that cleaning has not erased. Anyone have ideas on how to get rid of the smell.

[jim]

try to use what they use for paint odors.. put a pail of water inside the cabinet and a piece of bread in the water and some vanilla extract in the water..it works for paint odors for us.... and if you are located in a warm climate.. put it in the yard with the doors and draws open and in the sun for a few days.. it will help getting rid of odors from most stuff..

[ameijers]

Agree on the sunlight. But be aware that even a few days outside can do things to the finish on an old piece, and of course make sure to watch the humidity and temp swings so you don't get dew forming on it. Also try the old standby of baking soda and the new standby of febreeze or similar.

aem sends....

[Joe Bobst]

Do you think maybe the Sharper Image Ionic Breeze or whatever that ozone generator is called, might work on the odor? They apparently have a small bathroom sized unit that could be used in a cabinet. And while sunlight might be OK, putting a UV lamp inside might be better for the furniture than outdoor exposure. Just $0.02 worth.

Joe

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Depends on what the odor is. If it is mildew, wipe it down with a bleach solution. Let it air well and expost to sunlight if possible. Any odor eliminators will be overcome until you kill off the mold.

If it is not mildew, the bleach may do the trick anyway. Wonderful stuff for sanitizing.

[Mike Hide]

Just leave a bar of scented soap in there ....mjh

[norminn]

What kind of odor? Have you used the sideboard to store something stinky, like scented candles? If so, air it out. The recommendations to put it in the sunlight or place a dish of water in it could end up harming the wood. If the odor is mildew, wipe it with a DAMP cloth (water and a bit of bleach) and dry it well by leaving it open. If that doesn't do it, put on a coat of matte varnish under controlled conditions (when heat/humidity are not at extremes). Could try placing a dish of charcoal inside and leaving it a while, to see if that absorbs the odor. Mahogany shouldn't have any particular odor, but if it has been closed up a long time, it may just need airing (unless you have a fruitcake from three Christmases ago, and have forgotten about it :o)

[AJScott]

I hope someone does post a really good solution. A friend of mine has a really nice old wood cabinet he inherited from some dead relative. He keeps some of his everyday dishware in there and the inside reeks of ... best I can describe it would be "grandpa sweat."

Ack.

AJS

[PhotoMan]

In the future, always wash your socks before putting them in the sideboard.

[nospambob]

[Jim Elbrecht]

Is the smell. . . . old mahogany? Does it get worse when you scrub it? I've cut some types of 'mahogany' wood that smell worse than cat urine.

Maybe a coat of sealant would kill it. If it is a valuable old piece it might be a good time to have a dealer - one who specializes in antique furniture- come look at it. You could get it appraised for your insurance company & get some feedback as to whether it is a good idea to put any finish in it. [or maybe he would have some suggestions on what the smell is or where it is coming from]

If it isn't that old, then just go with a good poly or varnish.

Jim

[Phisherman]

There are a few thing to try. Empty out the sideboard. Place charcoal briquettes inside the piece and close it up for a month. Or, take the piece outside where the sun can hit the inside for several hours.

[Baron]

This is not an unusual problem with any older piece of furniture with drawers. In order of ease:

1. Fresh air and sunlight. If you are paranoid about the finish on the outside, cover it with a blanket. A day or two will NOT harm the finish, especially given that it has already had a chance to age and is mahogany.

1. Wipe down the inside with some mouth wash. Do not make the inside dripping wet, just give it a decent wipe. Let it evaporate. The thymol and other related compounds will kill off the bacteria that might be producing the odor. Wiping it down with anything will, of course, help to remove whatever may be causing the odor. Do NOT place any wet piece of furniture in the sun to help it dry. This is a recipe for real problems.

2. If you think that the odor is caused by human or animal waste, there are some specialized products for it. One of the best, in my experience, is made by Just Rite and is called the 1.2.3 Odor Free kit. They have a web site.

1. Coat the inside of the piece and drawers with shellac. You don't have to be an expert refinisher. You may need two coats. It will seal in whatever the odor is.

Good Luck.

[norminn]

I would not place wood furniture outside in the sunlight - risk warping or splitting the wood, softening glue joints or melting the finish.

1. If you think that the odor is caused by human or animal waste, there are

Old table linens, if they had greasy stains, could cause a bad odor as the oily substance went ransid. Same with food items or scented decorations. If the odor is mildewy, it should not be that hard to identify, and would likely subside with a bleach/water wipe down and airing out. If it was used as a cat box, then there should be stains that suggest so. A better description of the odor would help. Someone may have kept their work shoes in the thing when it went out of style :o) Storing candy, gum, scented candles, scent packets intended for dresser drawers, soiled table linens are the most likely.

[Brickie]